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[Competition: This list contains a competition - see the details at the bottom. Hot on the heels of our list of “serious” sci-fi films from the 50s, we are presenting a list of some of the best of the 60s – containing some of my own personal favorite movies. In a decade where sci-fi offerings ranged from the truly bad (Santa Claus Conquers the Martians) to the laughably stupid (Barbarella), there were actually plenty of worthy serious standouts, including three of the all-time greats. Please note that this is a list of “great” 60s movies, not “the greatest” (although if it were the latter, numbers 1, 2 and 3 would remain where they are).
The Van Allen radiation belt has caught on fire and a US nuclear sub attempts to extinguish the “skyfire.” Although the science is thoroughly discredited (the Van Allen belt had recently been discovered and the science in the movie was largely speculation), the story told in Voyage remains popular.
In this adaptation of the Bradbury classic, “firemen” are employed to burn books in a dystopian future. Fascinating note: According to Bradbury — who naturally knew better than anyone else! — the novel was about how television destroys interest in books. But fans and English teachers have continually claimed that it was about censorship.
Fugitives stumble upon a secret facility filled with children engineered to be released “when the time is right.” This initially heavily-censored British film starts slow but the ultimate premise is creepy.
This short French film features a post-nuclear war world that sends people back in time to recover food, medicine, etc. One of the time travelers seeks to know what happened during a violent incident in the past. The Bruce Willis/Brad Pitt vehicle The Twelve Monkeys drew heavily from this film.
A mentally retarded man receives experimental treatments to make him smarter. Cliff Robertson won a best actor Oscar for his performance.
Marooned is a terrific original and fictional story of an emergency in space during the Apollo program. If you liked Apollo 13, you should see this earlier work, released four months after the first moon landing. Hokey in parts, but well worth seeing.
Alphaville is an intriguing French film that combines film noir with a harsh dystopian world where an artificial intelligence rules Paris by outlawing all emotion and free thought.
While some parts are utterly illogical—for example, wouldn’t certain “abandoned” items returned to normal size, thus killing the patient?—on the whole, Fantastic Voyage is a fun and fascinating romp.
The first version of Richard Matheson’s novel “I Am Legend” was quite good. Vincent Price plays the title protagonist in this Italian film, a scientist who hunts vampires by day and tries to find a cure to the plague by night. Not to be outdone until Will Smith’s 2007 version.
A somewhat more faithful adaptation of an H.G. Wells’ novel than 1953’s War of the Worlds, 1960’s The Time Machine adds some contemporary elements to produce a notable, entertaining and thrilling adventure through time. I love the last part where the time traveler’s friend, Philby, wonders what books you would take to the future to begin civilization anew.
“Get your dirty stinking paws off me, you damn dirty ape!” OK, if you don’t know that line nor know of this movie’s shocking surprise ending, you NEED to watch this film. It’s far superior to any of its sequels (with the exception of “Conquest”) and the 2000 Tim Burton version. It’s different from the original novel, yet iconic in its own right.
You knew this would be number 1, didn’t you? It’s the granddaddy of all “serious” sci-fi movies and resides on a level far above most other sci-fi movies of any decade.
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Contributor: STL Mo
December 31st, 2008 at 1:39 am
Nice list, and yes, we knew it would be Odyssey in the 1st spot
December 31st, 2008 at 1:40 am
awesome list
December 31st, 2008 at 1:48 am
kewl!
December 31st, 2008 at 1:48 am
Of course, 2001: A Space Odyssey. I still love it, even after seeing it too many times.
The one that interested me most on this list was Fahrenheit 451. Never seen the movie or read the book (and I’m a huge fan of reading EVERYTHING, what a bugger, right?)
I’ve also been meaning to try and watch The Last Man on Earth, maybe I’ll get to that and Fahrenheit 451 ASAP!
Thanks for the list.
December 31st, 2008 at 1:53 am
Hmm, never heard of 10 though 6. But I love 5 through 1. So it’s a great list as far as I’m concerned.
December 31st, 2008 at 1:59 am
Haven’t heard of a lot of these but they look great! I’ll have to check them out next time I hit up Blockbuster.
December 31st, 2008 at 2:05 am
Don’t forget that when you buy a DVD from a list you help Listverse
December 31st, 2008 at 2:33 am
As a developing Kubrick fan, I’m really looking forward to when I can get the chance to see 2001: A Space Odyssey. It looks phenomenal! I’m not much for science fiction, usually, but these movies all sound like ones that I’d like to see.
I also like Vincent Price; The Last Man on Earth is on my ‘to-watch’ list now as well.
Was The Damned the one where the children’s eyes glowed blue and they made people go crazy? I think I might have seen part of that, if I’m not thinking of Children of the Corn or something.
December 31st, 2008 at 2:49 am
I need to rewatch all of these. It has been far to long since i saw most of them.
December 31st, 2008 at 2:59 am
another science fiction list! there have been far too many
December 31st, 2008 at 3:04 am
Definitely deserved first.
Though I have only seen Planet of the Apes and 2001, really should try some of those other movies.
December 31st, 2008 at 3:13 am
Correct me if Im wrong, but isn’t “charly” the main character in the novel “Flowers for Algernon”. The book was so captivating, and as I recall, the movie didnt mention my favorite part! His love affair with “Fey” or something like that. Good book though.
Oh and great list, Are we counting down (or up) the decades?
December 31st, 2008 at 3:14 am
I just finished reading Fahrenheit 451 and would love to see a movie for it. Side note: The book has way too many parts where emotions take up like 2 pages.
December 31st, 2008 at 3:18 am
Love sci-fi lists! It would be interesting to see a list on 2000’s sci-fi movies or remakes…
December 31st, 2008 at 3:21 am
Number 8 – Charly, is surely based on Flowers for Algeron by Daniel Keyes
Althought ive not seen the film im assuming is it from the brief description and the main protagonists name.
December 31st, 2008 at 3:23 am
And i now realise after actually reading thru the comments that maximuz04 said the exact same thing just what i just did. Duh
December 31st, 2008 at 3:27 am
Vintage-lace: at the risk of offending people who love remakes – I am not so sure the 2000s have given us any decent sci-fi films
I look forward to the best sci-fi films list that gives us blade runner!
December 31st, 2008 at 3:27 am
sure did, and im still up too… hahahaha
The movie wasnt that great, but I might have seen the 2000 strait to TV version
December 31st, 2008 at 3:31 am
jfrater, I strongly disagree, and for one very important reason.
I think the sci fi genre is one of few which rely on what the future holds right. On that note, what people think the future holds in the 60s, is way off from what we think now, since we have seen the changes in technology.
For this reason, sci fi is possibly the only genre which is anything but “timeless” and with new cine graphic technology, only gets better with time. Remakes or not, movies from the 2000s are far better, if nothing else because of better movie making technology, which is what sci fi is all about.
December 31st, 2008 at 3:33 am
(sorry for the 3 posts, making a point)
Consider the model looking original star trek compared with the star ship fights of Deep space nine of voyager? No contest.
I recall in an old TNG episode where you can literally SEE the cables coming out of an apparent “levitating” robot… RIDICULOUS!
December 31st, 2008 at 3:52 am
Space odyssey, a true classic miles ahead of its time
December 31st, 2008 at 4:13 am
Happy new year! It just turned
December 31st, 2008 at 4:24 am
I really dont get sci fi movies it all seems fake and overdone. I prefer reading sci fi. Sometimes
December 31st, 2008 at 4:49 am
by my last comment I meant it was new year here – so happy new year to all southern hemispherians who are enjoying the champers right now!
December 31st, 2008 at 4:50 am
Happy new year to New Zealand!!! I’m American but I will be ringing in the new year in Toronto for a change of pace. I also agree with the top 3… especially Kubrick at Number 1… Did anyone know that it is also the Pope’s favorite film?
December 31st, 2008 at 4:54 am
paradoxo – if it is the pope’s favorite film it must be the best film ever as God has this deigned it
December 31st, 2008 at 4:57 am
The only problem is… I forget if that list was Benedict’s or John Paul’s. I’m a terrible Catholic.
December 31st, 2008 at 5:26 am
It is sad that I have only seen 1 of these films. I guess I better start watching the rest! I think #4 sounds really interesting. I enjoyed I Am Legend, but much prefer Vincent Price as an actor to Will Smith.
December 31st, 2008 at 5:26 am
Odyssey is one of my all time favorite movies, in any genre.
December 31st, 2008 at 6:03 am
While I agree that Barbarella is laughably stupid, I think it should be considered a classic based on the opening credits alone.
December 31st, 2008 at 6:04 am
I could say that the picture chosen for Planet of The Apes spoils the “Shocking surprise ending” right there! oops! Did I say that?
What I meant was that “There is NO Ginormous floating Chimpman on the ocean’s horizon (Is there a name for the ocean’s horizon, by the way?anyone anyone?)
Absolutly no Ginormous Floating Chimpman Head in Planet of The Apes. Honest for real.
Favorite title of the bunch? Conquest OF THE Planet OF THE Apes! I luv the double ”of the”.
No mention to the kids that La Jette is made up of still photographs? It takes a different sensibility in viewing that is completely absent from today’s Sci-fi fare. Chris Marker is a cinematic poet. Still living and still politically active with a deep curiosity in the human being. Although I’ve never heard it stated, I think he may have played a major part in the collective known as “”La Mexicaine de Perforation”. The underground film group that literally were underground.
If the cultural undercurrent of 50’s sci-fi had something to do with the fear of the bomb, radiation, science beyond control or in the control of madmen, the fear of being attacked,ect.
Then 60’s sci-fi extended science of fear to science of exploration. internalizations and civilizations.
For me, reading 451F for english class at a young age, then viewing the movie afterwards in the same class. I was upset with how wrong the movie was., with the experience the words gave my imagination ..and whatayaknow, we watched it on a Tee Vee! So I say Truffaut Shmooffaut .
Then again, it wasn’t until I saw 2001 the third time (with many years apart) before I needn’t suffer through boredom. But.but but but. I hadn’t read the book before, then again both were made concurrently as a form of collabrotive effort.
and Alphaville does have it’s moments.
I can finally bring up Mario Bava’s Planet of The Vampires. It has the coolest black leather space suites ever and “Alien” pulled a lot from it. .. Has a slick sexiness that only the italians could do.
Should mention with Fantasic Voyage, Raquel Welch “Prrrrr prrr, meow”
Less than 16hours till 2009 over here.But heh, if there are others out there celebrating, maybe I should just go to work drunk? heh heh. Cheers. fireworks and all.
December 31st, 2008 at 6:10 am
Interestingly enough i have not watched any of these movies yet. Ive seen some of the remakes, but not the originals. LOL. But I have read most of the relating books.
December 31st, 2008 at 6:33 am
Nice list seen # 1 and 2.
December 31st, 2008 at 6:33 am
Jfrater – I have a list of ’70s sci-fi films almost ready and am working on ones from the 80s and 90s. And I THINK Blade Runner might be on the 80s’ one SOMEWHERE….
Thanks for publishing these, and happy New Year!
December 31st, 2008 at 6:35 am
I’ve seen most of these and love them all.
I saw Odessey when it first came out, at a matinee where the only people in the theatre were my friend and I and this old man who sat right behind us and ate luncheon meat out of a sack (No lie!) Weirdness.
The Last Man on Earth was a good movie, although I think Vincent Price was a bit too old for the part.
Farenheit 451 – The actor Oskar Werner, who played Montag, hated the director, François Truffaut, so much that he got his hair cut before the shooting of the final scene so the continuity would be screwed up.
The Time Machine (which I also saw in the theatre when it first came out) is my fave.
December 31st, 2008 at 6:36 am
Diogenes – I agree and I struggled long and hard over it – but a 40 year old film shouldn’t need a spoiler warning surely?
it Is my favorite scene in the series
December 31st, 2008 at 6:41 am
Woohoo, more sci-fi!!!
I, too, have to admit I hadn’t heard of any of these until #5.
As for 2001: A Space Odyssey, it should be without a doubt #1. It’s so captivating and it has such a high quality of film making, that I often forget it’s from the 60’s! Definitely ahead of its time.
December 31st, 2008 at 6:55 am
Love Planet of the Apes, 2001 not so much. Maybe I should see it again, the one time I have, it did nothing for me.
December 31st, 2008 at 6:59 am
I’ve seen most of these multiple times, but never Alphaville, Last Man on Earth, La Jette, or Charley. They are definitely on my list now.
Thanks to Planet of the Apes, I can’t watch the Posieden Adventure without imagining Cornelius the chimp running around the ship. It is Roddy McDowell’s signature roll. Heston may be the hero, but I think that McDowell is the soul of the movie.
December 31st, 2008 at 7:03 am
Another great list! Now where do I start….
I have seen, read, or seen & read the majority of the list. Great Stuff!
Taze -The Damned was about a group of children being held in a government facilty and knew pretty much nothing of the outside world. They are discovered by a couple who attempt to free them and in the process of interacting with the children learn their secret. Now kids with the glowing eyes, you’re thinking of The Village Of The Damned 1960 I think. It was remade in the 90’s with Christopher Reeves in the lead role,one his last before he had his horse riding accident that left him paralyzed. Also in the remake was a Kirstie Alley, who was still hot at the time.
As for the comment on abandoned items in Fantatic Voyage growing and killing the patient. They would have had the chance. Remember in one of the earlier ventures out of the sub, we are shown a segment where germs or some sort of impurities are attacked by seaweed looking things and are wrapped up and then crushed. It was the same stuff that wrapped and attemped to put the squeeze on the beautiful Raquel Welsh. Also there were the white cells, I mean if they were able to destroy the sub, I don’t think they would have any trouble taking care of a few abandoned items.
Last thing, I would have liked to see Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea score higher on the list.
December 31st, 2008 at 7:07 am
Nitpick: The original quote was “Get your stinking paws off me, you damned dirty ape!” You had one extra Dirty” in there.
BTW, ‘Planet of the Apes’ (1968) is by far my favorite sci-fi movie of all time.
31. Diogenes – “Conquest” was great as it was “Planet of the Apes” in reverse. But still inferior to the original. I prefer “Escape” myself as the best of the sequels.
Fantastic Voyage – Concerning the “abandoned” items, my take is that the white corpusals took these things like a virus and completely destroyed them, thus there was nothing to enlarge.
Other notable 60s sci-fi mentions:
The Illustrated Man (1969)
The Little Shop of Horrors (1960)
Godzilla vs Mothra (1964) – I dig those Japanese twins.
December 31st, 2008 at 7:09 am
I try to watch Blade Running 3 times. I have never lasted more than an hour. It is so boring! One of the most overrated movies of all time! Along with Ridley Scott most overrated directors of all time.
December 31st, 2008 at 7:18 am
I can say that I have never seen any of these movies. Shame
. I have seen the Planet of the Apes remake but not the one from the 60’s. I have read Fahrenheit 451 more than once. I am excited to see that there are a few French films on here. I would like to check those out for sure. The French just seem to make really interesting movies. I would also like to see number 8, sounds like it wouldmake me cry.
December 31st, 2008 at 7:20 am
planet of the apes is my fave
December 31st, 2008 at 7:24 am
Dude, you cant expect me to take you seriously if you think that I Am Legend was “a good film” It stank even Hancock was more watchable, and thats gotta mean something right?
December 31st, 2008 at 7:26 am
I’ve got a ton of downtime in airports today… This list encouraged me to grab Flowers for Algernon and Fahrenheit 451.
December 31st, 2008 at 7:28 am
“Charly” was indeed based on Keyes’ short story. Here’s the IMDB link to the film. Check out the Trivia section for an interesting bit about Dale Robertson buying the rights to the story!
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062794/
December 31st, 2008 at 7:28 am
Space Odyssey and the Vincent Price film… I am rather fond.
December 31st, 2008 at 7:29 am
I HAVE seen some of these, surprisingly. I can’t really say I enjoyed them (other than Planet of the Apes), because, sadly, I’ve fallen to the 21st century and its impeccable graphics and effects. But I still think the classics are good at times.
December 31st, 2008 at 7:31 am
Good list StlMo.
Personally I never liked The Planet of the Apes but The Time Machine and 2001:ASO are 2 of my favorites.
Also, do people realize that books are not turned into movies to satisfy the people that read the book? Books are used as the basis for ideas that the screenwriters and directors use to create new stories for a movie audience that may not even read books. Sometimes they stick to the original story, sometimes not. It’s happened since Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein. Just because some of the movies suck it’s not gonna change.
December 31st, 2008 at 7:31 am
Illustrated Man almost made the list.
Resdawg2 and Spoker – From the Wiki article on Fantastic Voyage:
“In the original movie, the crew (apart from the saboteur) manage to leave Benes’ body safely before reverting to normal size, but the Proteus remains inside, as do the remains of the saboteur’s body (albeit digested by a white blood cell), as well as several gallons (full scale) of a carrier solution (presumably saline) used in the injection syringe. Isaac Asimov pointed out that this was a serious logical flaw in the plot, since the submarine (even if reduced to bits of debris) would also revert to normal size, killing Benes in the process. Therefore, in his novelization Asimov had the crew provoke the white cell into following them, so that it drags the submarine to the tearduct. The submarine (or rather, the wreckage of it) then expands outside Benes’ body.”
(ME:) While Azimov did his best to come up with a plausible explanation in his novelization of the movie, it’s still a gaping logic hole.
December 31st, 2008 at 7:35 am
Ahhh 60s sci fi how do i love(loathe?) thee….no seriously an awesome list. These by far make up for the crap made in that decade.2001 deserves to be on top.Too bad no Star Trek movies were made then(Unless you count the original 2 hour pilot”The Cage”.), Then we would have known a decade sooner just how much of an over the top actor Shatner was.
December 31st, 2008 at 7:35 am
I am not a huge fan of Stanley Kubrick. I think he is extremely overrated; however, I love 2001: A Space Odyssey because of its abstract storytelling. Anyway, I think it is probably his best (but I do need to see Eyes Wide Shut and Barry Lyndon still).
December 31st, 2008 at 7:42 am
Darren — “Then we would have known a decade sooner just how much of an over the top actor Shatner was.”
BWAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
Almost made me spit my tea all over the monitor!
December 31st, 2008 at 7:50 am
Ah yes, Blade Runner… It and Brave New World was all that made senior english decent at school. Even though he only has a small part, love Edward James Almos (sp?). And of course Harrison
December 31st, 2008 at 7:50 am
Great list! I’ve seen about half of them. Of course 2001 was going to be 1st!
December 31st, 2008 at 7:51 am
i Dunno man, A clockwork orange is pretty good
i love it and i do consider myself somewhat of a Kubrick fan
December 31st, 2008 at 7:51 am
Shatner, over the top?? Say it ain’t so!
December 31st, 2008 at 7:56 am
I loved the depressing Fahrenheit 451.
December 31st, 2008 at 7:56 am
STL Mo: Blade Runner BEST be on the best ’80s list! That decade was tough, though: most of the movies were fantasy vs. science fiction. Legend, Labrynth, The Dark Crystal, The Neverending Story.
Oh! There is E.T.! and Ghostbusters (maybe?).
December 31st, 2008 at 7:58 am
“The Cage” wasn’t a 2 hour episode it was the first unaired pilot. The footage was later used in the 2 hour episode “The Menagerie”
December 31st, 2008 at 8:02 am
The Tim Burton version of Planet of The Apes ending still makes absolutely no sense to me…….good movie other than that though
December 31st, 2008 at 8:15 am
oh baby!
competition
this list pwns heavily
but i dont think 2001 a space Odysseyshould be number one
its too typical
nice soundtrack though
December 31st, 2008 at 8:17 am
Odyssey is a horrid movie. Read the book, however. The movie came before the book in this case, but the book is still better (almost invariably is).
And to the guy who complained about Bradbury taking up two pages to relate some emotion–you might try having feelings yourself once and see what it’s like for us humans.
December 31st, 2008 at 8:30 am
I love Planet of the Apes I cant remember the 68 version though I saw it last when I was a child.
December 31st, 2008 at 8:32 am
Every time there’s a movie list, I want to join Netflix so I can rent these movies. Maybe that should be my New Year’s resolution, to watch movies mentioned on Listverse!
December 31st, 2008 at 8:42 am
Slots #1 and #2 were easy to guess. They are right down classics.
I’d be amazed if many people haven’t at least heard of these.
December 31st, 2008 at 8:46 am
That always bugged me about fantastic voyage. What happened when the ship or the dead crew people returned to normal size? ITS NOT A TUMOR!
December 31st, 2008 at 9:01 am
What a great list. I’ve seen most of these, Fantastic Voyage and Time Machine are my favorites. I love the note on Fahrenheit 451 about Bradbury telling people what the movie is about and people insisting it is about something else. Such is the plight of artists.
December 31st, 2008 at 9:02 am
VERY good list indeed. I think the only one I haven’t seen is “La Jetee” (um, you misspelled that, by the way), so now that’s on my wish list.
Absolutely, “2001″ belongs at Number 1. And isn’t it a shame: we’re not anywhere near the timeline for space travel and lunar colonization that Kubrick and Dr. Clarke foresaw. Forget the stupid jetpacks and flying cars everyone yearns for, we have a space station up there that amounts to a pitiful hovel compared to what we see in that film. Saw it for the first time at age 12, and was never the same after.
As far as the Vincent Price film, I agree it’s excellent, and quite faithful to the novel. Do I detect a tacit trashing of “The Omega Man,” with Charlton Heston? Mr. NRA sure got to play with the pretty guns in that flick. Not as good as “Last Man on Earth” or “I Am Legend,” and yes a 70s product, but a fun flick all the same.
December 31st, 2008 at 9:14 am
Bob – not to be nit pick, but 2001 was based on a short story “The Sentinal” by Arthur C. Clarke. I’m pretty sure the completed book 2001 came after, so you’re partially right.
And it’s not a horrid movie. So there.
December 31st, 2008 at 9:26 am
Fantastic list, I haven’t seen any of these movies!
December 31st, 2008 at 9:32 am
Happy New Year, JayFray! I am really looking forward to a new year and a fresh start
2008 has been a rocky one!
December 31st, 2008 at 9:34 am
La Jette… I have to watch it sooner or later!
December 31st, 2008 at 9:35 am
Great list, like the look of #10
and I really need to watch #2.
Happy New Year, JFrater and all who actually bother to read this comment.
December 31st, 2008 at 9:37 am
Love the list, with one minor caveat- Will Smith’s “I Am Legend” did not out-do anything. My opinion, of course, but I felt like in it’s attempts to update and modernize the story, it lost much of the original’s impact and soul.
December 31st, 2008 at 9:48 am
I’m obliged to recommend the “2001:” novel by Clarke. The novel greatly expands on the story, and gives further explanation into what the heck’s going on throughout the story. Unlike the movie, it gives you a much grander feeling of the story being the entire history of humanity, from beginning to end. I read it just after watching the movie, and I loved it.
December 31st, 2008 at 9:52 am
#9 is “La Jetée” (I think that’s the right spelling) and in English its called “The Pier”. Its a great movie, only about 30 minutes long I think and is just a diaporama of pictures with a narrator commenting the events (so it might bore some of you, i thought it was great, and I saw it in streaming on Dailymotion, its probably still there).
December 31st, 2008 at 9:53 am
Solid list. Planet of the Apes is a great one.
December 31st, 2008 at 9:56 am
I’ve only seen Planet of the Apes on this list to be honest, although I’ve got 2001 waiting to be watched on the DVR. I’ve also been meaning to watch La Jette for quite some time, as I’m a big fan of 12 Monkeys.
December 31st, 2008 at 9:59 am
i’ve really only seen 2001. its pretty damn good but it is really really boring and drawn out at some parts.
its one of those that bends on art more than entertainment.
December 31st, 2008 at 10:07 am
@thegiantcookie, how is 2001 too typical. It’s one of the most plot-bending films I’ve ever seen. I’ve heard many things about that film (both good and bad), but I’ve never heard that it’s typical.
December 31st, 2008 at 10:19 am
Ah, yes. I’ve seen all of these and so very many more! I am, and always have been, a total and complete, sci-fi movie junkie. It doesn’t matter how bad they are, I’ll watch Them with nearly the same glee as I will 2001!
The Incredible Two-Headed Transplant will hold my attention just the same as Invaders From Mars. Invasion of the Body Snatchers will keep me spellbound just as well as will Mothra!
I am a true child of the science-fiction age.
This list, along with it’s sister list, Great Serious Science Fiction Movies of the 50’s, are balm for a crazy world. They soothe me. They bring back memories of not just the movies on the lists, but others, too, movies which kept my Saturday afternoons amazing adventures into other worlds, other possibilities, other “otherness”.
Thank you again, STL Mo. Thank you for my childhood given back in the best pieces.
December 31st, 2008 at 10:33 am
I haven’t seen the movie “Charly”, but I read the book “Flowers for Algernon”, which the movie is based on and it was very good.
December 31st, 2008 at 10:34 am
Space Oddity, Planet of the Apes, and Farenheit 451 are the only ones i’ve seen. I had no idea it wasn’t supposed to be about censorship.
December 31st, 2008 at 10:42 am
Flowers For Algernon is way better than Charly
December 31st, 2008 at 10:48 am
Just watched La Jetee actually, the full version is on youtube in fairly good quality. It was pretty good, I don’t really see the genius that some people talk about but it’s a really well made and thought provoking short film.
December 31st, 2008 at 10:49 am
Charly was a well done movie! Robertson’s performance was fantastic (even better than similar roles such as Hoffman in Rain Man).
December 31st, 2008 at 10:56 am
Interesting choices indeed.
December 31st, 2008 at 10:59 am
Your picture for Planet of the Apes actually gives away the surprise ending. Nice way to spoil it.
December 31st, 2008 at 11:13 am
I am a great fan of the science fiction genre. Not to show my age, but I grew up in the age of “The Late Show” 50’s sci-fi reruns, which as far as I am concerned was “The Great Experiment” that all later science fiction movies are styled from.
Except for 2001 – it has a style of its own, truly before it’s time. People that have a problem with it should consider that, if put into other movie lists, it would still rank very highly under any topic.
HERE’S PROOF – of “AFI’s 100 Years… 100 Movies”, their list of the best of the best, 2001 was rated #22 out of ALL made in the last century.
I have seen all of these movies with the exception of “La Jetée” or however it’s spelled – coming soon to IFC I hope.
I don’ have any problem with the list at all.
but I would like to point out to the special effect and CG crowd out there – these older movies didn’t have those technologies available, so they did the best they could with what they had – and I would point out that since they did not have those crutches, they were prone to rely more on content and creativity to get story across. I mean you wouldn’t read Dickens’s and go “Dude, this guy doesn’t even know English.”, just because of style change over time.
one other point – to comment #60, Cedestra – thanks for bringing up a very important point.
In fiction there is a genre called “Fantasy” – pretty much defined as anything goes – characters, places, creatures, powers – nothing is barred.
And so it is with science fiction vs science fantasy – never the two should be confused or intermixed. Science fiction is usually constrained to what is possible based on current knowledge or extrapolating on factual knowledge. science fantasy is little blue reptoid guy’s with magical powers on a pink planet in triple star system right next to a white hole etc. etc. etc. -
December 31st, 2008 at 11:17 am
Nice list. I’ve seen all except 4, 9, & 10; I agree with your choices. Time to log into Netflix…
December 31st, 2008 at 11:18 am
Nice list, strongly agree with 2001 at the top. It was definitely a different approach to sci-fi films, especially with the silent soundtrack during the spacewalks.
Speaking of soundtracks, as a Pink Floyd fan I have to throw this out there: Stanley Kubrick originally went to Pink Floyd for the soundtrack, and then decided on using classical music at the last minute. You can still hear this if you listen to the “Echoes” track on the “Meddle” album. Sync it up with the last portion of the movie (Jupiter and beyond the infinite) a la Dark Side/Wizard of Oz, and you’ll end up with a whole new feel to it. Since it was mostly intentional, it syncs up a lot better than Dark/Wizard.
December 31st, 2008 at 11:19 am
I love “Planet of the Apes”!! Puts the most recent version to shame.
I feel like I only see sci-fi movies though when I watch MST3K
December 31st, 2008 at 11:20 am
It will reach 200. I was quite young when I first saw 1968 version Planet of the Apes. I think it was a series thenor over a couple of nights. But it gave me the creeps. Probably wouldn’t now.
December 31st, 2008 at 11:42 am
2001 is in fact in a category of its own. There has been nothing to compare to it before or since. And, as amazing as Stanley Kubrick’s images are on film, the real credit must go to Arthur Clark, the author and science genius who wrote the book. For you sci-fi readers out there check out Clark’s sequels 2010 and 2061.
December 31st, 2008 at 11:43 am
cool movies, the lot of them. one better than the next.
December 31st, 2008 at 12:05 pm
2001… Yey absolutely the greatest! Oh and I think you misspelled La Jetee. And for anyone who wants to watch the short film I think it’s still floating around on YouTube. You can all thank me later.
December 31st, 2008 at 12:26 pm
There was also another version of “I Am Legend.” Charlton Heston was in it. “Omega Man.”
December 31st, 2008 at 12:29 pm
I love 2001 and Kubrick! I was surprised to see several movies on here that I now want to see, like Alphaville and La Jetee, (I have heard of it through 12 monkeys but never seen it). I am trying to remember what list there was just a little while ago where there was that huge debate concerning 2001, I love reading the debates that develop here I am going to go try and find that list… i shall return
December 31st, 2008 at 12:29 pm
There’s a Farenheit 451 movie?!
I loved the book! Read it in grade 8 and had to do a book report on it!
December 31st, 2008 at 12:38 pm
I found it…. It was http://listverse.com/movies/top-10-brilliant-black-comedies/... now that was a fun discussion to watch grow and ironically 2001 wasn’t even on the list, though Dr. Strangelove was on it.
December 31st, 2008 at 12:43 pm
I’ll have to watch # 4. I love Vincent Price.
December 31st, 2008 at 12:45 pm
101. MB: There’s a Farenheit 451 movie?!
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And about 8 years ago, Bradbury wrote a one act play “Fahrenheit 451″, which was going to be put on in a theater near me. I knew one of the actors, and I knew Bradbury, too, so I went to the dress rehearsal. It didn’t have the punch of either the book or the movie, but was good for what it was. Still, because it was on stage, and had to follow all sorts of Fire Dept. laws, the bulk of the play was focused on the interior life of the characters.
An interesting twist. I’d like to see it again.
December 31st, 2008 at 12:47 pm
I own a copy on # 4 and it is a great movie. I also understood Ray Bradbury book was on t.v. take over of books when I first read when I was 13! Been a fan of the man since.
December 31st, 2008 at 12:55 pm
Funny how hollywood tries to milk a good movie for every dime its worth, and then some, isnt it?
December 31st, 2008 at 12:58 pm
Planet of the Apes! what a great movie! :]
December 31st, 2008 at 12:59 pm
i love the time machine
Happy new years!
December 31st, 2008 at 1:05 pm
Happy New Year!!!!!!!
“Charly” sounds like a good one………
December 31st, 2008 at 1:15 pm
Was anyone surprised by #1. Farenheit 451 is a sadly underrated movie.
To answer the question for “The Time Machine” what three books would I take back. The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, The Oxford Dictionary, and yes the Bible.
December 31st, 2008 at 1:22 pm
My Physics teacher showed us part of 2001, can’t wait to see the rest of it!
December 31st, 2008 at 1:35 pm
This was a cool list. I saw Charly in school and had to read the book before seeing it. I was in 7th grade. I HATED it. The book and the movie. I just could not get into the characters or plot line. I guess Im not as soft hearted as others in my class were. There were girls that actually cried. I was the only girl that laughed. *ponders* I guess Im just odd like that. ^_^
December 31st, 2008 at 1:40 pm
One more for the prize.
I enjoy your lists. Thanks for the hard work you put in.
December 31st, 2008 at 1:57 pm
Nice. That is really all I can say considering I made this comment purely for the contest
December 31st, 2008 at 2:03 pm
Yeah, yeah! 2001 rules.
December 31st, 2008 at 2:05 pm
I have to agree the new Planet of the Apes was awful, especially when compared to the old one.
I think I’m missing something in 2001….I don’t like it nearly as much as people tell me I should.
December 31st, 2008 at 2:14 pm
I can’t understand why the ending is so different in the new Planet of the Apes… or is that how the book actually ended? I think the original movies ending is much more “significant.”
December 31st, 2008 at 2:26 pm
Sweet list, really enjoyed Planet of the Apes.
December 31st, 2008 at 2:30 pm
space oddysey!!! favorite film
December 31st, 2008 at 2:44 pm
Haven’t watched the old Planet of the Apes, but after reading the description, it compels me to just watch it to find out what the shocking ending is. Oh yes, and happy new year everyone!
December 31st, 2008 at 3:08 pm
Great List. Fahrenheit 451 and The Time Machine are two of my favorites.
December 31st, 2008 at 3:29 pm
These seem like some interesting films that I’m willing to check out. I love Sci-Fi
December 31st, 2008 at 4:03 pm
Nice List. I got to see 2001: A Space Odyssey in Cinerama. Amazing.
December 31st, 2008 at 4:06 pm
But…But…But
What about “Attack of the Eye Creatures”
and
“The Creeping Terror”
LOL
December 31st, 2008 at 4:28 pm
Alphaville should be #2!
December 31st, 2008 at 4:37 pm
#94 deedee: You stole my comment!
I love 2001, but it’s the only film on this list that I have seen. Like deedee, I only see science fiction movies when I’m watching Mystery Science Theatre 3000. Of course, they always picked the WORST science fiction, so I guess I have a skewed view of what the field holds. But I would recommend MST3K to everyone, all the episodes are hilarious, just don’t waste your time on the one movie they made!
December 31st, 2008 at 4:46 pm
I have to say that the two french nouvellevague movies are boring as a crocodile. Fahrenheit has awesome initial credits but I couldn’t stand more than 30 minutes. Alphaville was even worse, I stopped it at the first 20 minutes. I guess I was in a bad mood in those days.
December 31st, 2008 at 4:51 pm
The Planet of the Apes is definitely a favourite of mine. Its a foundation of my childhood, watching it on the movie channels with my family. Its the first science fiction I remember watching. It led me to watch 2001: A Space Odyssey, which is by far one of my favourite movies. The music in it in turn led me to take band as my elective in high school
December 31st, 2008 at 4:52 pm
One of the best/worst sci-fi movies was 1958’s The Crawling Eye, but I’ll give worst/worst to 1964’s The Creeping Terror and it’s two guys crawling under a piece of carpet for a costume schlock.
At least in The Crawling Eye, you had a Crawling Eye! From Venus, if I recall correctly.
December 31st, 2008 at 5:13 pm
But Segue, that Creeping Terror theme is the earworm that will not die!!!! LOL
December 31st, 2008 at 5:47 pm
“Remakes or not, movies from the 2000s are far better, if nothing else because of better movie making technology, which is what sci fi is all about.” –maximuz04
No. No, this is NOT what science fiction is all about. Sci-fi is about IDEAS. Sci-fi uses the setting of the future only as a convenient vehicle to discuss and explore concepts that are very contemporary, if not eternal. The special effects are just frosting (that is, if the movie’s any good). Seems a lot of people just watch these movies for the CGI so that they can think “Wow!”, and while there’s nothing really wrong with that, I’d rather watch a movie so that I can think “hmmm . . .”
December 31st, 2008 at 6:52 pm
Nice List !
I actually saw the Planet of the Apes when I was a kid in the theatre when it just came out so it was before everyone was blabbing the ending. I remember getting chills at the end.
I also thought the Tim Burton remake in 2001 wasn’t too bad at all considering all the accolades the first one received so it was a tough act to follow.
December 31st, 2008 at 7:54 pm
I loved Planet of the Apes with Roddy McDowall. He is such an amazing actor. Of course, he also did some voice work in my favorite cartoon, Pinky and the Brain.
December 31st, 2008 at 8:43 pm
A great list to end the year…was there ever a doubt that Space Odyssey would be #1? Hats off for Farhenheit 451 as well, Bradbury got me hooked on reading more than any other author growing up. If you’ve never read “Something Wicked This Way Comes” do it, it’s sheer poetry by a writer who is a master of language.
December 31st, 2008 at 8:47 pm
I have only heard of half the movies on this list and have seen none of them. I now know what I’ll be doing this weekend.
December 31st, 2008 at 9:03 pm
Charly spelled his name wrong. Wait, nevermind, he was retarded.
December 31st, 2008 at 9:28 pm
Can I go against the flow an cast an anti-vote for “Planet of the apes”? I saw this when I was a kid and the “shock ending” spoiled the entire movie for me.
Look at the f—ing moon, you moron! Recognise it?
My mother wasn’t impressed by my language then, either. 8-(
“Fantastic Voyage” and “Voyage to the bottom of the sea” weere other ones where even my childish my suspension of disbelief was stretched beyond breaking point.
On the plus ide, however, I didn’t know there was a movie of “Flowers for Algernon”. I’ll look it up. It’s a wonderful story.
December 31st, 2008 at 11:31 pm
Another list of films that I want to get around to watching. The only one that I actually have seen from it is Fantastic Voyage. I own 2001 just haven’t gotten around to watching it yet.
December 31st, 2008 at 11:34 pm
You wrote, Space Odyssey “resides on a level far above most other sci-fi movies of any decade”.
I think it is true rather to the Russian movie Solaris, directed by A. Tarkovsky.
Have you seen it?
January 1st, 2009 at 1:22 am
Freca: I was told that the movie Solaris was the Russian response to Space Odyssey.
January 1st, 2009 at 2:18 am
I love sci-fi, but am I the only one who doesn’t ‘get’ Space Odyssey? I’ve seen it a couple of times, but it’s awesomeness eludes me. I just don’t get why it’s so popular, apart from how kubrik stayed faithful to the science of space travel.
The rest of the list, of the ones I’ve seen, I agree with; it makes me want to track down the ones I haven’t!
January 1st, 2009 at 2:20 am
I haven’t seen any of these. I think I maybe missing out on some good films from the past…..
January 1st, 2009 at 2:20 am
I used to hate these lists.
But I guess my New Year’s resolution is to watch a LOAD of old movies. The AFI list of 100 great films is nice, and I’ve picked many to watch from there, but this list gives me some of the science fiction ones that I need to watch.
So now, I love these lists!
January 1st, 2009 at 4:56 am
Planet of the Apes!!!!!
“I’m a seeker too. But my dreams aren’t like yours. I can’t help thinking that somewhere in the universe there has to be something better than man. Has to be.” – Astronaut George Taylor
Just a classic 60’s film. How classic?
Excellent list! Keep them coming.
January 1st, 2009 at 9:52 am
2001 is a good movie but the book is absolutely fantastic. There are some changes in the story from the movie – the early ape scenes are greatly expanded and explained out with very graphic depictions – for example.
Also – the movie does a poor job of depicting events at the conclusion (after Dave goes “into” the monolith). This is likely due to technical and budget limitations of the time (I’d love to see a CGI remake!). The book has incredible depictions of what happens to Dave from that point to the conclusion of the story. It’s A.C. Clarke at his absolute best.
The movie leaves a huge portions up for interpretation – the book does not do this at all. It reads as a fully developed story.
I see a lot of “2001 SPace Odyssey Analysis” type editorials on the net – just read the book!
BTW: The book was written simultaneously with the movie and released shortly after the movie was released. Clarke and Kubrick loosely collaborated on the story from an earlier Clarke short story called “The Sentinel.”
-C
January 1st, 2009 at 11:18 am
130. ChuChu353: But Segue, that Creeping Terror theme is the earworm that will not die!!!! LOL
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Well, I *did* give it an award, didn’t I? Even if it was the worst/worst. I have to admit it is a movie I have seen more than once, my love of sci-fi movies overcomes matters of taste.
January 1st, 2009 at 11:59 am
Happy New Year Listversers! Just wanted to thank JayFray for the entertaining site, STL Mo for the list, and of course to boost the comment total.
There weren’t a lot of good sci-fi movies in the 60’s, at least not compared to the 50’s. The only omission I can think of right now is SECONDS.
January 1st, 2009 at 1:19 pm
I really don’t care what anyone says…Santa Conqueres the Martians is a great film with such great moments like….
….oh and there’s….uh….
but that line! At the end! when….um….
….yeah the movie sucks…
January 1st, 2009 at 2:13 pm
The movie, Them, from 1954, wasn’t included in the 50’s list, probably due to the fact that it wasn’t a “serious” movie. It was just a good movie. A scary movie.
I remember learning from that movie, at a very tender age, that the smell of formic acid was a sign of ants. It also lead me to conduct some experiments on ants; encasing them in blobs of wax to see if they’d survive the time it took for the wax to harden (they did), taking one away from a line of ants and creating a “clean circle” around the solo ant to see how long it would take him to find his way out and back to his buddies (usually a fairly long time in ant-time).
Strange childhood memories.
January 1st, 2009 at 3:01 pm
Sweet List, I would have liked to see Doppelgänger (Journey to the far side of the Sun)from ‘69. I’m glad to see Space Odyssey as #1, it of course being one of Kubrick’s best works ever, and the book, although a bit different is a great book. Dr. Strangelove, of course another Kubrick, if fairly Sci-Fi, but I suppose not in the general sense that appeals to the contemporary crowd. Alphaville and Time Machine are also some pretty sweet movies. This is a nice addition to the rest of the “Sci-Fi Movies” series you seem to have going, and a nice compliment to the serious 50’s list, keep the “decade based Sci-Fi movie lists” a comin’
January 1st, 2009 at 3:30 pm
‘Them’ is on one of the cable classic movie channels tonite!
think i’ll watch it for the umpteenth time.
January 1st, 2009 at 4:14 pm
151. Cyn: You lucky ducky! It doesn’t seem to be on here. Even if it were, it would probably be preempted by a football game.
So far today we have traded times; he gets a football game, then I get Twilight Zone, he gets a football game, then I get Twilight Zone.
During football, I work on my photographs. Or come here. Anyway, it’s a win/win situation.
January 1st, 2009 at 4:24 pm
Was I a victim of some mad scientist’s experiment or did I actually see an ad for Scientology atop this page? I’ve got no problem with that as long as they are paying Jamie.
January 1st, 2009 at 4:50 pm
Taze: I made a little research and concluded you were right, Solaris was a kind of response to Space Odyssey.
I found a tiny mistake or what in the preface of Clarke’s written book: he writes that the rate of living and ever lived people is 1:30 – according to the most recent research it is only 1:16
January 1st, 2009 at 5:03 pm
I’m a big fan of last man on earth type movies. So, naturally The Last Man on Earth is an especially awesome classic. Omegaman with with late, great Heston was superb as well.
January 1st, 2009 at 5:15 pm
yup
January 1st, 2009 at 6:25 pm
Can we get to 200 comments already?
ah well… even if I don’t win or even have the chance I love this site
January 1st, 2009 at 6:50 pm
Finally! La Jette gets some recognition.
January 1st, 2009 at 7:40 pm
neat neat neat. ill have to watch some of the mentioned movie now!
January 1st, 2009 at 8:14 pm
This is a great list! I personally would add _The Face of Another_, directed by Teshigahara Hiroshi and based on the novel by Abé Kobo.
January 1st, 2009 at 8:48 pm
It’s not a great movie, but I loved The Lost Continent when I was a boy.
January 1st, 2009 at 9:57 pm
just watched ‘THEM!’ again. it was in b & w but the title was red..wonder if it was recently colorized.
also..the little girl that was traumatized from the first attack. mute. and carrying the doll. just wondering about one of the Alien movies in which there was a lone survivor that was a mute little girl ..w/ i think just a doll’s head. i vaguely remember something written about that was indeed a reference or maybe a homage to Them. anyone know?
and yes, i do think Them holds up well even now. buncha actors that later became better known were in it too.. James Arness and even Leonard Nimoy had a bit part.
oh! good idea for a list…recent movies w/ references or homages to old scifi movies. could break it down by decade maybe…
January 1st, 2009 at 10:06 pm
Not sure of #9 La Jette since most people have probably never seen or heard of it(including me – although I am going to try and find it on the net). I also loved Day of the Triffids because it gave me nightmares as a kid. The Andromeda Strain was considered Sci-Fi, but I think it missed the mark in this genre.
January 1st, 2009 at 10:40 pm
I would have counted myself as a moderate fan of science fiction, but have only seen two of these. The first time I saw 2001 I thought WTF???? Did anyone ever actually understand the ending purely from watching it? (BTW we’re now into 2009 and nowhere near the imagined 2001, let alone the imagines 2010.)
As well as the novelisation of Fantastic Voyage, Asimov also wrote another novel, separate but similarly titled and based on the same premise. With more years of technology to draw from and not being tied to the movie, he was able to be more speculative and more detailed. (BTW I just glanced at the wikipedia article. Asimov’s birth date is given as “c 2 January” (today in most parts of the world, as I write), with a footnote explaining lack of records, Julian and Gregorian calendars etc.)
January 2nd, 2009 at 12:05 am
I think the movie you are thinking of Cyn is Aliens. Newt initially is mute and carries only a dolls head although she does begin to takl after she trusts Ripley. I don’t know anything about the homage thing but now that you know the movie maybe there is somewhere you can look it up.
January 2nd, 2009 at 1:24 am
OK. I thought I would expand my horizons and view La Jette. I think I wasted a half hour of my life. It is called a film, but is a sequence of Black and White photographs with narration. I can see how 12 monkeys was based on this, but 12 Monkey is actually compelling. The film (or narration with photographs) is definitely different, it definitely does not belong on this list. I do not want others to waste their time viewing this movie and would recommend creating a Sci-Fi 1970 list of their own.
STL Mo – I am not dissing you, I agree with most of your list, this choice is just too far out there!
January 2nd, 2009 at 1:30 am
Great list, I might pick up *cough pirate* some of these movies sometime!
January 2nd, 2009 at 1:42 am
Tried looking at Alphaville and could not find it on the net. May be a good movie or short , but does not belong on the list of this title.
STL Mo – I respect most of your list but the Alphaville and La Jette do not belong. They may be personal favorites to you, but do not belong on a list created for the world to see. There are many more movies from the 60’s that deserve on this list. Make it a list of ten and leave out the two I mentioned above, and the list may fly (with some personal preferences substituting).
Happy New Year!
January 2nd, 2009 at 1:51 am
168 Shadow: You picked just the two non-English language movies to eliminate from the list so that it would be more perfectly the one created for the world?
)))
January 2nd, 2009 at 3:17 am
Hat131: “Sci-fi is about IDEAS”
Absolutely true.
And this is why more recent sci-fi movies are of less value in general. Less or absolutely no ideas, more and more decoration, more and more childishness instead.
January 2nd, 2009 at 6:51 am
165. JwJwBean
thanx.
actually was hoping to inspire a listmaker w/ a new idea. or maybe a trivia list of about more recent movies w/ obvious references to old ones.
and thinking of Alien..how many groundbreaking movies like Alien ’spawned’ sequels and how many..might make another good list.
January 2nd, 2009 at 7:52 am
Sci-fi is definitely about ideas, and great “what ifs,” which is why I like it so. I’ve a cousin who writes sci-fi (cyberpunk and post-cyberpunk, mainly); so, I pump the genre whenever possible.
And I once heard it said that according to Kubrick, if you understood the end of 2001, then he failed. You aren’t supposed to understand it.
Or something like that.
January 2nd, 2009 at 9:11 am
Cyn # 171: Ohh I like those list ideas. Maybe some of the new up and coming commenters would love to take a stab at those topics.
January 2nd, 2009 at 9:27 am
2001: A Space Odyssey and planet of the Apes, are the 2 greatest Scifi movies in 1960, i just got the Planet of the apes collection , and i just finished watching them
AWSOME AWSOME AWSOME
better than the 2000s movie
January 2nd, 2009 at 11:52 am
shadow: If you couldn’t find “Alphaville” on the net and therefore couldn’t watch it, how can you possibly claim that it doesn’t belong on this list? And earlier you warned people against “wasting” their time by watching “La Jetee.” Presumptious in both cases. Of course a list of this sort is going to be somewhat subjective, so argue a film’s inclusion on its own merits (once you’ve seen it), not on the assumption that your own subjective preferences are superior to the author’s. No disrespect, seriously.
January 2nd, 2009 at 1:55 pm
“Get your “dirty” stinking paws off me, you damn dirty ape!”? Did you ever see this movie? How could you get that one wrong?
January 2nd, 2009 at 4:48 pm
I really like the list but would have liked the addition of Night of the Living Dead (1968), a film directed by George A. Romero (Screenplay writer of Dawn of the Dead (2004))
“This is like the flood that happened during Noah’s time, or the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah! We ARE being punished for our sins! The dead are rising, and Judgment Day is upon us!” – Reverend John Hicks
PS: Interesting that the word “zombie” is not once employed within the film.
January 2nd, 2009 at 5:34 pm
In the 60s the German tv series “Spaceship Orion” was very popular in Europe, let us not forget to mention it
January 2nd, 2009 at 5:46 pm
What?! not at 200 yet?
One of my favorites on that list is Fantastic Voyage.
Gruesome thinking about Donald Pleasence stuck in that ship while the white blood cell starts eating away at the glass bubble around his head. His fear knowing that he is about to be eaten alive.
Scary….
January 2nd, 2009 at 5:56 pm
The American tv series “Time Tunnel” was made in the sixties, wasn’t it?
January 2nd, 2009 at 6:04 pm
Yes it was made in the sixties. It was a great show. I remember watching re-runs on Encore a few years back.
January 2nd, 2009 at 6:30 pm
How about the original Little Shop of Horrors, and Thirteen Ghosts and Barbarella
January 2nd, 2009 at 7:13 pm
182. ChrisK74: How about the original Little Shop of Horrors…
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Hooray! Someone else who remembers one of my favorite movies, with a Jack Nicholson who couldn’t be more than 24 or 25. It was directed by Roger Corman in two days, using a cast of actors he was used to working with, because it was a left over set and due for demolition two days hence. That was all the time they had.
What came out of it was a cult hit, never a box office winner it nevertheless won a place in the hearts of millions over the years.
January 2nd, 2009 at 10:14 pm
Madmex – apparently, some of Donald P’s screams were real, because the liquid was burning his eyes/skin, but he couldn’t wipe the stuff away. They kept the shot, though.
January 2nd, 2009 at 10:54 pm
#177 vadalus:
“Night of the Living Dead” never refers to them as zombies because technically, they aren’t. Instead, they’re “ghouls.” It was only after Romero and his many imitators that the popular culture at large began to refer to these creatures as zombies. Before that zombies were understood to be people deliberately brought back from the dead to serve as a kind of slave labor.
January 2nd, 2009 at 11:11 pm
Lots of Sci-Fi on the tube during the 60’s: The Twighlight Zone, Outer Limits, Dr. Who, Lost in Space, Star Trek, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, The Invaders, Land of the Giants, Time Tunnel, The Jetsons, My Favorite Martian.
January 2nd, 2009 at 11:25 pm
I never knew there was another movie like the “I am Legend” from Will Smith’s movie. I always thought it was a lot like Omega Man with Charleston Heston, I’ll have to find the Vincent Price movie, he is one of my favorite actors of that era. You learn something new everyday. Thanks for the lists.
January 3rd, 2009 at 12:23 am
Smith’s “I Am Legend,” Heston’s “The Omega Man,” and Price’s “The Last Man On Earth” are all based on Richard Matheson’s book “I Am Legend.” Price’s version is closest to the book and superior in many other ways, but the book is better than all three. Matheson also wrote “A Stir Of Echoes” (I have an autographed, numbered copy of that one), “What Dreams May Come,” and “The Shrinking Man,” all of which became movies, as well as many episodes of “The Twilight Zone.”
January 3rd, 2009 at 12:47 am
From out the 12 movies listed, as a 48 years old Middle-European
- I saw 6 movies
- I heard about further 3 movies
- not even heard about 3 movies.
January 3rd, 2009 at 1:41 am
I just got high and watched 2001…blu-ray…and it blu-my mind….
January 3rd, 2009 at 3:20 am
I haven’t seen any of these, but i want to now :]
January 3rd, 2009 at 6:40 am
c’mon – can’t we get 8 more comments???
January 3rd, 2009 at 8:45 am
I liked the most recent I Am Legend but I can’t believe they changed the ending! The director’s original was a million times better…
January 3rd, 2009 at 10:15 am
In the 60s and 70s people were much more optimistic about future (notwithstanding The Planet of the Apes), this is reflected in the golden age of science fiction literature and movies. People were convinced future would bring us an enormous development in science and in the well being of everyday people. We expected a limitless perspective.
Recently in the 2000s the future is not that any more what it was earlier…
Fantasy – what took the place of science fiction – turns away from the future and science and turns to the past and mysticism.
There is a lot of self confidence in the science fiction of the 60s – that’s why it attracts me so much.
January 3rd, 2009 at 10:16 am
No “Journey to the Far Side of the Sun”??? Come on!
January 3rd, 2009 at 11:58 am
sweet…2001 is my favourite movie!
January 3rd, 2009 at 12:44 pm
It’s too bad the new version of the Planet of the Apes didnt do as well as the original.
January 3rd, 2009 at 12:59 pm
Burton’s remake failed because it spent to much time inserting “comedic” bits (using that term loosely) and because it included an ending that left most users baffled.
January 3rd, 2009 at 1:37 pm
IMO sci-fi movies and TV shows were better in the 50’s and 60’s because they relied on story telling more than special effects. Compare and contrast the two versions of THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL.
January 3rd, 2009 at 1:57 pm
Absolutely true re: movies then and now, especially when it comes to remakes. They changed “The Day the Earth Stood Still”
so much that they should have made an entirely new movie with a new title that, while still alluding to the original, wouldn’t have pretended to be a remake. As if that’s not depressing enough, there have long been plans percolating to do a remake of “Fahrenheit 451.” Supposedly, Mel Gibson owns the rights. Imagine how THAT will turn out.
January 3rd, 2009 at 4:31 pm
200. Hat:…there have long been plans percolating to do a remake of “Fahrenheit 451.” Supposedly, Mel Gibson owns the rights. Imagine how THAT will turn out.
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Too depressing to contemplate! Mr. Bradbury wrote the perfect story in “Fahrenheit 451”, even the original movie was a bastardization of the truth. Gibson would turn it into a megalomaniacal wunderkind of his own, leaving Mr. Bradbury’s perfect story by the curbside for the junkman.
January 3rd, 2009 at 6:01 pm
2001, you have got to be kidding! It’s like saying A clockwork Orange is a good movie. SciFi was dead until Star Wars rejuvinated it.
January 3rd, 2009 at 9:51 pm
The Twilight Zone series does not deserve this neglection
January 4th, 2009 at 1:53 am
Maybe it is disputable, still my humble opinion is that spectacular visual effects are a kind of dead end in the sci-fi movies – in particular when they are made as an attempt to replace genuine ideas and content. Written books have the advantage to offer the reader the opportunity to use hisher inner movie, his imagination which personalizes him the experience.
It is another question that less and less people read.
January 5th, 2009 at 5:51 am
Romero: I may be mistaken, but I believe 1977 was not during the decade of the 60’s.
January 5th, 2009 at 9:12 am
Wow, what a suprise. I knew 2001 was gonna get #1 just from reading the title of this list and it’s a Stanley Kubrick movie. I already had a huge argument with someone else on another list about this. Great visual effects, but I can’t sit through that movie more than once.
January 5th, 2009 at 5:35 pm
Just so everyone knows out there, Fahrenheit 451 is an awful movie that made me cringe. Don’t watch it. It isn’t worth it.
January 6th, 2009 at 1:42 am
yeah Smily, Farenheit 451 is a really bad film. It shouldn’t be on this list, the book was great and that’s the only reason this movie still gets watched. otherwise great list.
January 6th, 2009 at 1:45 am
I liked it anyway.
January 6th, 2009 at 9:05 am
have not watched any of the movies…interesting read…
January 6th, 2009 at 8:41 pm
“The Reluctant Astronaut” with Don Knotts–A very complex plot. Not for the un-scientific mind.
January 7th, 2009 at 1:08 am
Planet of the Apes is way under appreciated, nice job at #2. Its aged really well but no one seems to act as if it has. I feel like its shrugged off as hokey nowadays. I think its kind of relevant to the whole “intelligent design” debacle going on right now too. And how about Solaris?
January 7th, 2009 at 1:26 am
Opps, Solaris is from ‘72. And I’d have to agree with everyone slamming the new Planet off the Apes. I wonder why a talented and original directer (and “idea man”) like Burton would take a classic like Planet of the Apes and make a cheap junk adventure movie (with NO heart) out of it. I was EXTREMELY disappointed by it because I thought Tim Burton could really do something cool with it.
January 7th, 2009 at 8:14 am
kazorek:
Clearly Tim Burton has been overrated. I too used to think he was a keen innovator with a cool style. And clearly he’s made some true gems. But it appears his talent has grown tired and old over the years, and perhaps the truth is that he was really just a very limited talent in the first place–able to do well when pigeonholed into a certain kind of project (Nightmare Before Christmas, for instance) but not up to it at other times (even the original Batman, viewed now, has some big flaws… over the years its become more style than substance, particularly when viewed next to the two recent films).
January 8th, 2009 at 9:07 am
Did you consider “Robinson Crusoe on Mars”(1964)for the list? It’s been a long time since I’ve seen it but I remember it being well received/reviewed.
January 8th, 2009 at 3:49 pm
Randall: Agreed. I overshot it a little, Burton doesn’t really need 3-adjective praise. Haha. His remake did, however, come out some time ago; when, I think, expectations for his films in general were a little higher. I actually feel a little spiteful toward him for some of his recent releases. It seemed like he was really good at showing how pretty ugly things can be, I felt betrayed after watching the new Apes movie because he did the exact opposite of that; tried to make an ugly thing pretty.
January 8th, 2009 at 4:02 pm
I was just thinking about this so I wanted to say it too. The worst part about the new The Planet of the Apes movie is how comfortable you are with the apes. Apart from the suits, they are pretty much the same as the humans, you feel like its a movie with people in make-up (really good makeup, but still makeup). In the original you feel as though they are very different from humans; going through, perhaps, their own distinct enlightening period. Maybe it all boils down to the humans being able to talk in the sequel.
January 23rd, 2009 at 11:38 pm
It’s “La jetée”, not “La jette”.
April 26th, 2009 at 9:07 pm
What about Soilent Green or Omega Man?????????
Both right up there with Planet of the Apes
April 26th, 2009 at 9:51 pm
@Pliskin #219: Both of those are from the 70’s. There’s another list for sci-fi movies of the 70’s.
August 20th, 2009 at 8:43 am
I can’t believe you gave props to “I Am Legend” (an apalling film) and neglected to mention “The Omega Man”.
September 8th, 2009 at 9:12 am
I don’t really think 2001 is worth watching if you haven’t read the book. Without knowing what is going on, the 2omin opus of flashing lights is a bit long and pointless.
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