Dr. Edward Pretorius (From Beyond, 1986)
Watercolor on 8.5 x 11 in. art paper
Created: October 27, 2025
Original and prints available — contact for availability.
Part of the 31 Days of Horror 2025 series
In Stuart Gordon’s From Beyond, Dr. Edward Pretorius is the brilliant, unhinged mind behind the Resonator — a machine that unlocks a hidden world of sensory madness. This portrait captures Pretorius in his most chilling metamorphosed state, where flesh and ego fuse into something obscene, hungry, and godlike. The pink hues and sinewy textures call back to the film’s unmistakable biomeaty aesthetic, echoing the nightmarish body horror that defined Gordon and Lovecraft adaptations of the era.
Fun Facts:
From Beyond is based on an H.P. Lovecraft short story of the same name.
The film reunited the Re-Animator trio: director Stuart Gordon, Jeffrey Combs, and Barbara Crampton.
The iconic “pineal gland” effects were created by legendary FX artist John Buechler — pure 80s practical glory.
Behind This Artwork:
I wanted to lean into the grotesque beauty of Pretorius — the erotic horror, the slippery anatomy, and the idea of a man who wants to transcend humanity at any cost. It’s horror that is wet, weird, and unforgettable. Even if you’ve never seen the full film, images from From Beyond have circulated for decades in horror books, VHS collector circles, and body-horror discussions — Pretorius is simply burned into cult horror history.
Explore More:
This piece is part of my 31 Days of Horror watercolor series. If you’re into cosmic dread, practical FX, and twisted 80s sci-fi, check out the rest of the collection.
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