Top 10 Sci-Fi Movies of the 1960s

Okay, so it might have borrowed a fair deal from other bizarre exploration films of yesteryears, particularly “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.” Heck, the movie even stars Peter Lorre and features a giant squid, for crying out loud. But even if it was riding on the ‘50s flick’s success, “Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea” still stood out as an entertaining dive into familiar waters with interesting characters, illogical science, and occasionally some challenging ethical themes. In short, it’s the submarine equivalent of “Star Trek.”

Who would have thought sci-fi and film noir could be such a perfect formula for success? Writer/Director Jean-Luc Godard apparently did when he made “Alphaville.” This French movie has all the makings of a classic film noir with its slick secret agent, mystery, and suspenseful music. What distinguishes “Alphaville” as science fiction is its otherworldly setting. Elegant black-and-white cinematography and flashy angles make real-life Paris look like a futuristic wonderland without the help of complex effects or sets. Underneath the film’s beautiful exterior is a meaningful story about liberation.

Here’s a film that takes something as familiar as the human body and turns it into something extraordinary. Through detailed and Oscar-winning art direction and the magic of blue screen, a team of specialists shrink down and venture inside a dying man. Although it contains plenty of eye candy, “Fantastic Voyage” is also full of quiet, atmospheric moments. It spends a good half hour building matters up then plays out in real-time as our heroes race to complete their mission. The result is an exciting journey that makes studying human anatomy fun.

Based on Richard Matheson’s novel “I Am Legend,” “The Last Man on Earth” centers on Vincent Price as the seemingly sole inheritor of the abandoned world…well, excluding the countless vampire mutants that now roam the plagued planet. The film plops us right in the middle of Price’s dilemma as he fights for his survival and the last of humanity. It’s the actor’s empathetic performance that sells this chilling flick, which helped pave the way for more disease outbreak movies for generations to come.

Unsatisfied with his life, a man is motivated by the “Company” to fake his death and alter his appearance. In his pursuit for freedom, the man enters a funhouse of disorientation that brings new meaning to the phrase, “identity crisis.” You’re unlikely to find a more superbly shot movie from this decade, courtesy of master cinematographer James Wong Howe. Filmed in black-and-white from low angles, wide angles, over the shoulder angles, and extreme close-ups, “Seconds” will make any person paranoid even if the sound is turned off the entire time.

Following a tranquil opening sequence, “Village of the Damned” takes a paralyzing plunge into hell on earth. The film is set in a village (Duh!) where every inhabitant suddenly drops unconscious for reasons unknown. A few months after they awaken, the town’s women subsequently start giving birth to the freakiest damn children imaginable. Picture a cult of Damiens, only more powerful and blonder. This is a great setup that delivers with haunting developments. By the end, you and your significant other will definitely want to make best friends with birth control.

“Fahrenheit 451” of course started off as a novel by Ray Bradbury, which tackled issues such as book burning and censorship. Kind of ironic then that the novel would later be banned in schools across America. If you didn’t get to read it in high school, at least do yourself a service and check out the worthy film adaptation. Often paralleling Nazi Germany, “Fahrenheit 451” presents a society oblivious to the Fascism taking place. The film will motivate anyone to fight ignorance through the power of knowledge, speech, and flamethrowers.

Interstellar travel is easy. Time travel is hard. In this adaptation of H.G. Wells’ classic novel, an eager inventor adventures to the future via the most iconic non-DeLorean time machine in cinematic history. Through impressive time-lapse photography effects, the audience sees the world change before their very eyes, from World War I to the 800,000s. What the inventor finds in this mysterious future challenges him to contemplate humanity’s bleak destiny and his own error of taking the present for granted.

A topless Charlton Heston lands on a planet where apes reign supreme…just saying that synopsis will make anybody feel silly. As silly as the premise might sound, “Planet of the Apes” never settled for being another B-movie. Michael Wilson of “Lawrence of Arabia” and Rod Serling of “The Twilight Zone” saw potential for a thought-provoking story about slavery, ignorance, and government. Director Franklin J. Schaffner flawlessly brought their vision to life through revolutionary visuals, most notably taking home an honorary Oscar for makeup. Oh, and then there’s that ending, which we won’t dare spoil.

Before we voyage to our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
- “Barbarella” (1968)
- “Robinson Crusoe on Mars” (1964)
- “Marooned” (1969)

Directed by Stanley Kubrick, this masterpiece took a huge step forward for science fiction filmmaking, which is appropriate since the story is about evolution. “2001” takes us on an astounding leap through time, from primitive mankind discovering their first tool to future mankind developing their most advanced tool. Like all great sci-fi films, “A Space Odyssey” offers so many fascinating ideas that a brief review like this can’t do it justice. All that can be said in a nutshell is that it’s the closest any film’s come to depicting sheer visual poetry.

Do you agree with our list? What’s your favorite sci-fi movie from the 1960s? For more entertaining Top 10s published every day, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.