CIVIC TV

A glimpse into the world of cinematic horror and sci-fi.

Pregnancy

Author: Serena Debegnach
Films in which characters - generally female, but there are exceptions - find themselves forced to confront bizarre pregnancies: peculiar, unprecedented conditions which, in the majority of cases, turn out to be the result of non-human insemination. Disturbing repercussions are definitely in store for the baby: Whatever the nature of the offspring, it's likely to display physical and/or physiological characteristics that are anything but ordinary.

The mother's eventual bond with the child (assuming they both survive the delivery) can vary widely, ranging from warm maternal protection to the most visceral repulsion. Taking a broader approach, this Tag will tend to include films featuring a pregnancy which is in some way significant to the plot. On that score, the number of titles falling into either the sci-fi or horror camp is rather high: In the former, films featuring mad scientists, extraterrestrial creatures, and cybernetic organisms stand out; in the latter, we find ourselves facing supernatural entities, fanatic satanists, powerful witches or sorcerers.

Examples

  • Cinema/Television: "A Stranger Within" (Lee Philips, 1974), "Inseminoid" (Norman J. Warren, 1981), "Junior" (Ivan Reitman, 1994).
  • Literature (fiction): "Trespass" (Richard Matheson, 1953), "Rosemary's Baby" (Ira Levin, 1967), "Demon Seed" (Dean R. Koontz, 1973).

The table below includes only the films we’ve already reviewed, filtered by the current Tag. We know many important titles are still missing: they’ll come in time. Some features are reserved for our Patreon supporters.

TitleDirectorsYearScore
Alien: ResurrectionJean-Pierre Jeunet19976.5
Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IVLloyd Kaufman20016.5
Dawn of the DeadZack Snyder20044
Dead RingersDavid Cronenberg19887.5
Demon SeedDonald Cammell19777
Enemy MineWolfgang Petersen19854.5
FortressStuart Gordon19924.5
Frontier(s)Xavier Gens20075
InseminoidNorman J. Warren19814
InsideAlexandre Bustillo, Julien Maury20075.5
SpeciesRoger Donaldson19956
Terror FirmerLloyd Kaufman19996.5
The AntichristAlberto De Martino19745
The BroodDavid Cronenberg19799
The GuardianWilliam Friedkin19904.5
The ManitouWilliam Girdler19783
The Mind BendersBasil Dearden19637
Village of the DamnedJohn Carpenter19954