History Film / BeyondTheBlackRainbow

* MinimalistCast: No more than 11 characters appear throughout the whole movie. When the film focuses on the Arboria Institute, we see a grand total of three confirmed human beings (and two somewhat more Ambiguously Human residents) at any given time. This is used to nightmarish effect with the CriticalStaffingShortage it implies.

* MinimalistCast: Fewer than 10 characters appear throughout the whole movie. When the film focuses on the Arboria Institute, this is used to nightmarish effect with the CriticalStaffingShortage it implies.

* BaldOfEvil: Dr. Nyle, though he is vain enough about it to hide his baldness with a wig for most of the story. [[spoiler:Once he snaps and goes AxCray, he removes the wig.]]

** Elena's name is derived from Helena, another name for [[Literature/TheIliad Helen of Troy]]. Divine or spiritual forces may have had a role in both characters' conception, and both are a source of obsession on behalf of forces that desire to possess them for their power.

* MinimalistCast: Used to nightmarish effect with the CriticalStaffingShortage it implies.

* Elena's name is derived from Helena, another name for [[''Literature/TheIliad'' Helen of Troy]]. Divine or spiritual forces may have had a role in both characters' conception, and both are a source of obsession on behalf of forces that desire to possess them for their power.

* Elena's name is derived from Helena, another name for [[Literature/TheIlliad Helen of Troy]]. Divine or spiritual forces may have had a role in both characters' conception, and both are a source of obsession on behalf of forces that desire to possess them for their power.

Set in 1983, the film follows a girl named Elena, a telepath studied and locked inside a NewAge research compound, and the unstable therapist that supervises her. Things start getting astoundingly weird''er'' very quickly. The film is shot in the deliberately slow, sterile, and excessively polished style of 70s cold sci-fi movies, such as ''Film/THX1138'' and ''Film/{{Solaris|1972}}'', as well as 1980s cinema that continues in a similar vein such as ''Film/{{Scanners}}''. It also features a mostly BrownNote[=/=]DroneOfDread score.

** The reveal that Barry is bald and wears optical prostheses is filmed similarly to Jerome's revelation of his alien identity to his human mistress in ''Film/TheManWhoFellToEarth'', including a transformation in front of a symbolically important mirror.

** The reveal that Barry is bald and wears optical prostheses is filmed similarly to Jerome's revelation of his alien identity to his wife in ''Film/TheManWhoFellToEarth'', including a transformation in front of a symbolically important mirror.

* The reveal that Barry is bald and wears optical prostheses is filmed similarly to the revelation of David Bowie's alien identity in ''Film/TheManWhoFellToEarth''.

''Beyond the Black Rainbow'' is a 2010 ScienceFiction PsychologicalThriller film, with a side of SurrealHorror. It is the debut film by Canadian writer and director Panos Cosmatos (''Film/Mandy2018'').

* NewAge: A number of classic NewAge tropes are given a nightmarish makeover in the form of the inside of the Arboria Institute.

* {{Cult}}: The Arboria Institute can be viewed as one, with elements of a MysteryCult and undercurrents (whether they are intentional or not) of a ReligionOfEvil.

* SoftSpokenSadist: Dr. Nyle pretty much always speaks in a quiet and soft CreepyMonotone.

* LecherousLicking: [[spoiler:Dr. Nyle licks the fat hesher's face, before accusing him of having "fucked" Elena. The poor, scared sod has absolutely no idea what he is talking about.]]