The Faculty is undeniably a product of 1998, and it wears that badge proudly. Visually, the film captures the post-grunge aesthetic perfectly, from Josh Hartnett’s iconic curtain haircut and oversized flannel layers to Clea DuVall’s fishnets and heavy eyeliner.
Stokely "Stokes" Mitchell (Clea DuVall) is a self-proclaimed lesbian sci-fi geek who uses her dark aesthetic as a shield against a student body she despises.
A recent meta-analysis examining 128 effect sizes from 36 previous studies found that faculty-student relationships are strongly associated with key academic outcomes, including persistence in school and grade point average. For first-generation college students, faculty mentoring has been shown to significantly influence persistence, retention, and academic performance.
You cannot talk about The Faculty without mentioning the soundtrack. It is a time capsule of late-90s alternative rock and industrial music. The original score, composed by Marco Beltrami (who also scored Scream ), is tense and driving. the faculty
Stokely, the genre-savvy goth, provides the film’s internal logic: they are dealing with a “lethargic” alien species that requires hosts to survive. Unlike The Thing (a clear inspiration), these aliens can be identified—but only if you catch them without their contact lenses. The parasites cannot replicate moisture, so the hosts must use eye drops to keep their eyes wet. Remove the drops, and the alien’s true, dry, veiny eyes are revealed.
Looking toward 2030 and beyond, several trends will continue to shape the faculty experience. The integration of AI into all aspects of academic work is likely to accelerate. Learners will increasingly prioritize focused, career-aligned programs that provide immediate value, requiring faculty to embed AI into every program and adapt their teaching to emphasize skills that matter most—creative thinking, leadership, empathy, analytical thinking, active listening, and self-awareness.
: Students at a fictional Ohio high school suspect their teachers have been replaced by parasitic, water-dependent aliens. The Faculty is undeniably a product of 1998,
The role of faculty will continue to evolve. Rather than being replaced by technology, faculty are more likely to work alongside AI systems that handle routine tasks, freeing educators to focus on the uniquely human aspects of teaching: mentorship, inspiration, critical dialogue, and the cultivation of wisdom.
The Faculty thrives on its brilliant subversion of classic high school stereotypes. Instead of keeping the characters in their social boxes, the alien invasion forces an unlikely alliance between disparate cliques. The cast list reads like a directory of future Hollywood heavyweights and respected character actors:
So why is it that The Faculty is considered a classic today? The answer lies in its intelligence and its thematic resonance. Over the years, critics have reappraised the film for its ingenious subtext. A recent meta-analysis examining 128 effect sizes from
Despite being released over 20 years ago, "The Faculty" remains a beloved cult classic that continues to attract new fans. The film's influence can be seen in a number of areas, from its impact on the horror genre to its enduring popularity among fans.
However, instead of the slasher format, Williamson turned his sights toward classic science fiction. He loaded the script with meta-textual references to Jack Finney’s The Body Snatchers and Robert A. Heinlein’s The Puppet Masters .