Nowadays, science fiction is far and away one of the most popular, beloved, and profitable movie genres there are. These can be highly respectable stories with endless amounts of imagination and creativity, but back in the times of Classical Hollywood, roughly between 1930 and 1960, the genre was mostly a cheap source of B-pictures for studios to pair their bigger productions with.
As time has passed and appreciation for sci-fi movies has increased, though, many films from this era have aged remarkably well, showing that the genre was always outstanding — even if it sometimes wasn’t recognized as such at the time. From exciting creature features to groundbreaking sci-fi/horror spectacles to timeless alien invasion movies,these classic sci-fi movies have stood the test of time admirably welland remain seminal entries into the ever-expanding genre.
10’Them!' (1954)
Directed by Gordon Douglas
When it comes togreat giant bug movies,Them!is the gold standard. Released at the height of the Golden Age of science fiction in the 1950s, it’s a kaiju extravaganza where atomic tests in New Mexico have caused common ants to mutate into giant man-eating monsters that threaten civilization. With its at-the-time groundbreaking visual effects and its delightfully self-aware sense of humor, it’s become one of the most beloved sci-fi B-pictures of the era.
The film may not be particularly scary anymore,but that doesn’t detract from its cultural or entertainment value in the slightest. It’s irresistibly fun from start to finish, and its commentary on nuclear paranoia makes it a great companion piece to a certain other 1954 kaiju film dealing with the same themes. It has thrilling moments, fearsome monsters, and surprisingly solid performances.
9’Invasion of the Body Snatchers' (1956)
Directed by Don Siegel
Back in the era of the Cold War, it was remarkably common for Hollywood to make allegorical films about paranoia and fear of hidden enemies. One of the best movies that came out of this obsession wasInvasion of the Body Snatchers. In it, a small-town doctor learns that the population of his community is being replaced by emotionless alien duplicates.
The movie has everything that one could want froma classic sci-fi B-movie: memorable characters, convincing performances, endless sci-fi thrills,and an interesting concept that’s exploited to its full potential.Philip Kaufman’s 1978 remake of the same title is also fantastic (and no doubt helped the original’s longevity), but there’s no beating the 1956 classic that still serves as proof of how genuinely good B-movies could be.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers
8’The Thing from Another World' (1951)
Directed by Christian Nyby
At the start of the best decade for sci-fi films cameThe Thing from Another World, whose direction is credited toChristian Nyby, though word on the street is that it was actually producerHoward Hawkswho directed most of it. In it, scientists and American Air Force officials fend off a bloodthirsty alien organism while at a remote Arctic outpost.
WhileJohn Carpenter’s 1982 remakeThe Thingis by far the most popular of the two (and, frankly, for good reason),The Thing from Another Worldhas also aged beautifully.Some would say that it’s even scarier, thanks to flawless direction by Nyby (and, apparently, Hawks), a tension-filled script, and engaging characters. Thanks to its perfect mixture of terror and just the right amount of humor,The Things from Another Worldis one of the ’50s' most enjoyable sci-fi flicks.
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7’Island of Lost Souls' (1932)
Directed by Erle C. Kenton
It wasn’t just the ’50s that saw Golden Age Hollywood’s most timeless sci-fi movies. Case in point: 1932’sIsland of Lost Souls,one of the decade’s best. In this body horror noir, a mad doctor conducts ghastly genetic experiments on a remote island in the South Seas, much to the fear and disgust of the shipwrecked sailor who finds himself trapped there.
Island of Lost Souls' fascinating exploration of themes of the human versus the nonhuman gives it a timeless quality.
A brilliant adaptation ofH.G. Wells’s classic sci-fi novelThe Island of Doctor Moreau,Island of Lost Soulsis adark, gruesome, nightmarish, genuinely scary horror filmthat greatly benefits from having been released a year before the infamous Hays Code began being enforced.Charles Laughton’s take on the character of Doctor Moreau is effective, to say the least, and the movie’s fascinating exploration of themes of the human versus the nonhuman gives it a timeless quality that’s not giving any signs of fading away soon.
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6’Godzilla' (1954)
Directed by Ishirô Honda
Kaiju films don’t get much more timeless than the one that started it all:Ishirô Honda’sGodzilla,one of the best and most impactful Japanese movies in history. Its story is now a pretty universally-known pillar of pop culture: a beast is awoken from undersea hibernation by atomic bomb testing. It proceeds to ravage Tokyo as a scientist grapples with the dilemma of whether to use his similarly dangerous weapon to try and destroy the monster.
Over half a century and three dozen movies later, the 1954 original is still remembered asthe best in the Godzilla franchise. Its depiction of Japan’s cultural and social psyche following the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki just less than a decade prior has allowed it to age perfectly. As if that wasn’t enough, there’s also the visual effects (which still look fantastic), the non-stop pacing, and the compelling story and characters as the cherries on top.
Godzilla (1954)
5’Forbidden Planet' (1956)
Directed by Fred M. Wilcox
One ofthe ’50s best B-movies, the beloved classicForbidden Planethas aged like a fine wine. It follows a 23rd-century starship crew investigating the silence of a distant planet’s colony, only to find just two survivors, a powerful robot, and the deadly secret of a lost civilization. A sci-fi twist onWilliam Shakespeare’sThe Tempestis just the thing that cinephiles never knew they needed.
Campy, eye-popping, exquisitely colorful, and withan influence and legacy that’s clearly visible in how the sci-fi genre evolvedin the years following its release,Forbidden Planetis more than just a silly Shakespeare adaptation. Everything about it is surprisingly high-quality for a sci-fi B-movie: the performances, the writing, the funny yet dark tone, and the engaging themes.Forbidden Planetis more than a cult classic: it’s a landmark of the genre whose influence in modern sci-fi will endure for decades.
Forbidden Planet
4’Frankenstein' (1931)
Directed by James Whale
Based onMary Shelley’s quintessential classic of the same title,James Whale’sFrankensteinwas one of the first hits of Universal’s wave of classic monster movies. In it, a mad scientist obsessed with assembling a living being from parts of several exhumed corpses succeeds. However, his creation is looked upon as a monster by the town’s locals, leading them to try and destroy it.
Even nearly a century later,Frankensteinis still one ofthe most thrilling classicsone can find.Boris Karloff’s performance as the monster is legendary, and the humanistic story and tone achieved by Whale have allowedFrankensteintostand the test of time as one of the most revolutionary and unique horror movies ever made. Even if its fear factor isn’t all that strong now, everything else that it does right makesFrankensteina worthy genre staple.
Frankenstein
3’The Day the Earth Stood Still' (1951)
Directed by Robert Wise
One ofthe best alien invasion movies ever made,The Day the Earth Stood Stillis about an alien that lands in Washington, D.C. and tells the people of Earth that they must live peacefully or be destroyed as a danger to other planets. Simple though the film’s moral may be,it’s a universally compelling and all-too-timely message, which makesThe Day the Earth Stood Stillas relevant today as it was back in the ’50s, if not more.
Much subtler in its messaging than most other sci-fi pictures of its timebut every bit as stylish and entertaining as the best of them, this is as timeless as sci-fi classics get.The Day the Earth Stood Stilldoes show its age in plenty of areas, but that adds a lot to its charm rather than detract from it. It’s a real delight to see how much science fiction storytelling has evolved since the early ’50s, and it’s just as delightful to seehow well this widely adored sci-fi gem holds up.
The Day The Earth Stood Still
2’Bride of Frankenstein' (1935)
Bigger, better, and more self-assured than its predecessor, James Whale’s secondFrankensteinpicture,Bride of Frankenstein, has aged even better — and that’s definitely saying something. In it, Baron Henry Frankenstein and his monster both turn out to be alive after the events of the first film. Frankenstein has to help an even madder scientist create a mate for his creation while the creature struggles to understand its existence.
This is one ofthe best not-so-scary horror moviesever made, with a goofier tone and more humor than the original; yet,Bride of Frankensteinkeeps the dark tone and serious themes, exploring them with more depth. Vibrant, technically flawless, and with a perfect mixture between macabre pathos and queer undertones (Whale himself was openly gay),Bride of Frankensteinhas aged gorgeously as botha beloved cult film and an all-around horror classicin its own right.
Bride of Frankenstein
1’The Invisible Man' (1933)
Perhaps the best of the classic Universal monster movies,The Invisible Manis a perfect adaptation ofH.G. Wells’s fantastic novel. It’s about a scientist (one of thehorror movie villains with the most kills) who finds a way of becoming invisible; in doing so, he loses his mind and goes on a killing spree. Scary, fun, and with special effects that look stunning even nearly a century later,The Invisible Manis an impressive masterpiece that only gets better with age.
With its hard-hitting portrayal of the titular villain and its suspense-filled story, this beloved sci-fi is one of thescariest classic horror moviesof the era. Everything about it, fromthe terrifyingly good performances to Whale’s fantastic directionto the sharp special effects to the silly and much-welcome sense of humor, has aged perfectly. For people looking to get into classic sci-fi,The Invisible Manis the way to go.
