Top 10 Sci-Fi Movies of the 1950s
Time to travel back to an era where flying saucers, strange creatures, and exclamation points were invading the world. In this video, http://www.WatchMojo.com counts down our picks for the top 10 sci-fi movies of the 1950s. For this list, we're taking a look at the most iconic and influential films from the '50s that shaped science fiction into the beloved genre it is today.
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Top 10 Sci-Fi Movies of the 1950s
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Time to travel back to an era where flying saucers, strange creatures, and exclamation points were invading the world – or at least, our movie screens. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the top 10 science fiction movies of the 1950s. For this list, we’re taking a look at the most iconic films from the ‘50s that shaped science fiction into the beloved genre it is today. Without them, popular culture, not to mention culture in general, would be missing a beacon of imagination and inspiration. This is part of a series of videos spanning the decades of sci-fi flicks from the 1950s to the 2000s.
#10: “Them!” (1954)
Top 10 Movies of the 1950s
If you watch “Them!” without knowing anything about the plot beforehand, you’ll probably be taken aback to learn the “Them” in question are giant ants. Even if insects weren’t what you were expecting, though, the monstrous insects are still pretty awesome technical achievements constructed through the finest practical effects the ‘50s had to offer. “Them!” works wonderfully as a big bug movie, notably being the first of its kind. Needless to say, this black-and-white horror film isn’t for anybody who suffers from entomophobia.
#9: “The Blob” (1958)
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Combining elements of sci-fi and horror, “The Blob” produces the kind of popcorn charm only 1950s cinema could deliver. The film takes place in the classic small town setting in which a meteorite lands. From within arises a gelatinous monster that grows larger with each human it consumes. The town’s only hope is a 28-year-old Steve McQueen playing a character almost half his age. “The Blob” provides exactly what one would want from an old-fashioned monster movie - while also supplying a giant wad of jelly with an intimidating presence.
#8: “The Thing from Another World” (1951)
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This Christian Nyby film follows an Air Force crew stationed in the Arctic that finds what they believe to be a fallen plane. Instead, they uncover a flying saucer frozen in the ice where a malevolent creature awaits. Hiding this wild alien in the shadows for much of the running time, “The Thing From Another World” is almost a psychological thriller in its pacing and tense plotting just as much as it’s a science fiction horror flick. Snowy backdrops only add to the isolated tone, amounting to one of the ‘50s eeriest films, which still has us watching the skies.
#7: “Godzilla” (1954)
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Retitled “Godzilla, King of the Monsters!” for the 1956 Americanized version, the original Japanese “Godzilla” pioneered the kaiju genre. Many people these days view Godzilla as nothing more than a big, silly monster, but what’s striking about the first “Godzilla” is how seriously it takes itself, drawing inspiration from the atomic bombings on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It goes to show that while Godzilla might seem like a simplistic character, there’s more to him than senseless violence. That being said, the action here is still kickass, cementing the prehistoric monster as the ultimate beast.
#6: “Forbidden Planet” (1956)
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Where many sci-fi movies of the ‘50s focused on aliens coming to Earth, “Forbidden Planet” had the audacity to take mankind to a foreign world beyond our wildest dreams. The film travels to Altair IV, which is a bit like a planetary Garden of Eden full of beauty and lurking with temptation. Through this journey into the unknown, our heroes discover a wondrous lost civilization, ancient technology, and let us not forget, Robby the Robot. It’s an adventure that would impact every interstellar exploration tale for generations to come.
#5: “Journey to the Center of the Earth” (1959)
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Wonderful to look at with a terrific sense of adventure, what really distinguishes “Journey to the Center of the Earth” is its delightful humor. The film follows a band of witty heroes brought to life by several charismatic actors and one duck, providing a welcome alternative to the blank slate protagonists most moviegoers were used to at the time. Although the film isn’t afraid to be suspenseful and dark at times too, “Journey to the Center of the Earth” mainly concerns itself with being flat out fun.
#4: “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” (1954)
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Walt Disney was undeniably one of the most influential visionaries who ever lived, taking stories everyone deemed un-filmable and making them reality. So it was only natural that he would eventually tackle the science fiction genre. Disney couldn’t have selected a more fitting sci-fi project for his studio than “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.” Along with director Richard Fleischer, Disney adapted the classic novel by Jules Verne into a sophisticated steampunk adventure with inventive sets, splendid visuals, and the most memorable giant squid ever put on film.
#3: “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” (1956)
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This is definitely one of the most unique alien invasion movies of the ‘50s. The audience virtually never sees the aliens or their technology, excluding the pods from which they emerge. This just adds another level of suspense to the narrative, though, reminding us just how effective the unseen can be. Throughout this science fiction horror flick, the filmmakers also provide an open-ended allegory that hints at the dangers of conformity and communism. As far as low-budget B movies go, “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” is grade-A movie magic.
#2: “The War of the Worlds” (1953)
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Fifteen years after Orson Welles’ all too convincing radio broadcast, H.G. Wells’ “The War of the Worlds” was adapted to the screen through the skillful direction of Byron Haskin. The Martians in this version are among the most distinctive of the time, oozing with a colorful flare. The film not only looks great, but sounds fantastic too, summing up the majesty of ‘50s sci-fi with a single laser zap. This is arguably the definitive picture about aliens attacking man, further popularizing the formula and archetypes we’ve all come to know and rip-off. Before we take off to our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions: - “Attack of the 50 Foot Woman” (1958) - “The Fly” (1958) - “Plan 9 from Outer Space” (1959) - “The Incredible Shrinking Man” (1957) - “When Worlds Collide” (1951)
#1: “The Day the Earth Stood Still” (1951)
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Most space invader movies from this period put an emphasis on the destructive nature of aliens. In this Robert Wise classic, however, aliens aren’t humanity’s inevitable doom, but a voice of reason. The black-and-white movie makes intelligent commentary on mankind’s greatest flaws that have led to war and prejudice. In doing so, “The Day the Earth Stood Still” proved that science fiction could be more than just a campy good time at the movies. The genre could also be used as a vessel to tell meaningful stories about society. Do you agree with our list? What’s your favorite sci-fi movie from the 1950s? For more entertaining Top 10s published every day, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.
