Science fiction has always been a popular genre of film. While the movies today are a far cry from what we saw on the big screen some twenty or thirty years ago, many of them are still considered classics that all sci-fi fans are guilty of watching a few times a year. Of course, this list may not feature everyone’s favorites, but it would be hard to argue they are true classics which changed movie making forever.
Alien – This was a movie that combined sci-fi with slasher effects and introduced a whole new group of fans to the genre of film. It may not have been a favorite of true sci-fi fans, but there is no denying the success of the film. Every person watching the film got behind Ripley and hoped that she would somehow get of this “sticky” situation.
2001: A Space Odyssey – No “classic” science fiction list would be complete without this film. In 1968, this movie hit the big screen and fans all over the country were truly amazed. This was not a film, but a true adventure into the world of science fiction. It laid the groundwork for films like Close Encounters of the Third Kind and created the format that many films would follow for decades.
Road Warrior – World, meet Mel Gibson. Some will argue if this belongs in the sci-fi category, but we are going to give it the nod. There is little argument here that this movie is packed with action and could find its place in several different genre, but we think it fits here best. This was another groundbreaking film that would introduce different aspects into sci-fi that would be found in hundreds of films following it to the big screen.
Planet of the Apes – Every science fiction franchise in existence probably has this film to thank for it. Planet of the Apes was introduced to sci-fi fans in 1968 and never looked back. In all, there were five Apes movies on the big screen and fans flocked to see every one of them. Instead of just cashing in on the brand, filmmakers used each sequel to delve deeper into the story line. This is a true classic.
Star Wars – Who is going to argue this choice? Is it the best science fiction movie of its time? That will depend on whom is asked, but it has to be at the top of everyone’s lists for most influential films. Much of the technology used on this film was introductory and it took movie making to an entire different level. Would we have movies like The Matrix were it not for this film? Probably, but who knows how much longer the techniques would have taken to find their ways into movie making.
