YMMV / Beyond the Black Rainbow

• Alternate Character Interpretation: Is Elena just as twisted by the Institute's psychic power as Barry, but simply hasn't had the opportunity to abuse her power yet due to her captive state?
• Awesome Music:
  • The soundtrack, composed by Sinoia Caves, is usually considered one of the high points of the film thanks to its strong and memorable soundscape, with its strong Drone of Dread vibes setting the mood of the film perfectly.
  • "Anonymous" by SSQ, a forgotten gem from the early 80s, which is used during the closing credits.
• Big-Lipped Alligator Moment: The two minutes spent with the metalheads camping out could have been excised from the film and no-one would have known the difference. It could have worked as additional character development, if the scenes where Barry kills his wife and kills Dr. Arboria weren't in the film.
• Cult Classic: The film had a mixed reception at first and did not do very well at all in the box office, as was noted by the director. It's since picked up a bit of traction, being listed in multiple "best of the 2010's" lists by professional reviewers.
• Fridge Horror:
  • The Sentionauts and the man in the straightjacket may be the results of experimentation to create a healthier, happier human being gone horribly wrong. They may have even been fellow Arboria followers like Barry once.
  • The man in the straightjacket has both brown (old) blood and red (fresh) blood stains on his face and straightjacket. Fresh blood stains suggest that he attacked someone recently. Who did he attack? Where are they?
  • It's also hinted that the reason we don't see any administration or staff at the 1982 Arboria Institute other than Barry, Dr. Arboria, and Margo... may very well be because Barry slaughtered them all during his first drug-fueled psychotic breakdown years earlier. Or worse, turned into Sentionauts as a means to automate the facility.
• Narm: While the guy in the straight jacket is creepy at first, he turns silly real quick. He tries to bite Elena's feet, then licks the window to his cell door after she narrowly escapes from his cell.
• Squick:
  • The sound that plays when Barry crushes Rosemary's eyes.
  • Barry injecting the needle in Dr. Arboria's foot.

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