Nicolas Cage’s Cosmic Oddity ‘Color Out of Space’ Finds New Streaming Home

It’d be an extreme understatement to say that Nicolas Cage has made his fair share of unique films. From his portrayal of a passionate chef in Pig to playing an unhinged hero in Prisoners of the Ghostland, the Academy Award-winning actor seems to have done it all. However, one of his most underrated and bizarre projects in recent years hasn’t gotten much attention: Cosmic horror gem Color Out of Space is one of the most original movies in Cage’s filmography, and it’s found a new streaming home.

On September 10, the film came to Hulu as part of this month’s update, giving fans of the actor a new chance to see one of his most unique efforts. Directed by Richard Stanley, the filmmaker behind movies such as Hardware and The Island of Dr. Moreau, it’s based on the short story of the same name by legendary horror author H.P. Lovecraft.

In Color Out of Space, the Gardner family moves to a country house in order to start new lives away from the city. Theresa, Nathan’s wife, is going through a rough time, and together with their children, they’ve moved to the house once owned by Nathan’s father. However, when they arrive, they realize a meteorite has crashed nearby… and it’s brought something along with it. Per the Rotten Tomatoes synopsis:

After a meteorite lands in the front yard of their farm, Nathan Gardner and his family find themselves battling a mutant extraterrestrial organism that infects their minds and bodies, transforming their quiet rural life into a technicolor nightmare.

The film received a limited theatrical release and only made $1 million against its $12 million production budget. Nevertheless, it was very well-received by critics, and won the Best Horror Film prize at 2019’s Fantastic Fest. Today, it has an 86% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes, with the audience score slightly lower at 82%. It remains Stanley’s highest-rated film on the site.

A Cosmic Horror Experience With Compelling Characters and a Visual Language You’ll Never Forget

A girl with glass eyes looks possessed in the film color out of space

RLJE Films

It’s worth noting that Lovecraft’s original tale bears little resemblance to Stanley’s adaptation. The short story was written almost a century ago, and doesn’t center around a family that’s fallen prey to an extraterrestrial entity. It does include the peculiar parasitic details of the alien, but that’s about it.

Stanley’s blend of body horror and psychedelic sci-fi is a great approach to the Lovecraft story mainly because it’s built around strong characters. It doesn’t feel like a visual spectacle devoid of substance. The Gardners are a united family, and when the threat crosses their door, the film becomes a harrowing journey that forces them to endure a terrifying transformation.