The modern era of science fictionmoviesis about using as many impressive special effects as possible. That makes it easy to forget that only a few decades ago, making ascience fictionmovie was a lot more complicated because the special effects had to be practical as opposed to computer-generated.
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Despite the obvious limitations involved with bringing the genre to the big screen in the bygone days of the 20th century, there were plenty of brave and creative attempts that have been lost to the broken bunny ears of time. The 1960s were especially prolific when it came to science fiction movies, with both literary adaptations and original scripts paving the way for the explosion of the genre in the next decade.
7Master Of The World (1961)
Master of the Worldis based on two Jules Verne novels,Robur the Conquerorand the sequel,Master of the World.It was intended to capitalize on the success ofAround the World in 80 Days.There are some big names here, with Vincent Price playing the hero Robur and Charles Bronson as a government agent investigating a volcanic eruption.
There seems to be a common threadin Jules Verne novels of a brilliant but troubled main character who strives for the salvation of humanity in questionable and even fanatical ways, and Robur is no exception. His end is tragic but heroic, and his good ship, the Albatross, earned him a place in science fiction history.
6Thunderbirds Are Go (1966)
The movie is based on the iconic television series of the same name, but the plot, characters, and storyline are completely different. The television show was about an international rescue team, but the movie is about an ill-fated mission to Mars.
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The plot isn’t just about the drama of the first human mission to Mars in the year 2065, but also some interesting political intrigue in the form of sabotage and constant technical problems. From a special effects point of view, it’s a stellar use of marionettes and miniatures that inspired a lot of modern science fiction on both television and in theaters.
5Fantastic Voyage (1966)
Contrary to popular belief,Fantastic Voyageisn’t based on an Isaac Asimov novel. Asimov was commissioned to write a novelization of the movie, which was actually based on a short story by writers Otto Klement and Jerome Bixby.
The story takesthe idea of space travel and turns it inward, making the concept of miniaturization humanity’s final frontier. It makes a good case, focusing on the benefits a successful mission would have on medical advances. There’s also an interesting Cold War era plot in the background, so it’s not just the science that keeps the viewer interested.
4Day Of The Triffids (1963)
The whole concept of “attack of the killer plants” doesn’t have the same impact with an audience accustomed to wars and explosions on an intergalactic scale, which might be whyThe Day of the Triffidsfell off the radar. Many students have seen this movie because the novel is a common sight on high school reading lists.
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It looks like a typical alien invasion thriller, but there’s a lot more going on that includes genetic engineering and bio-weapons. The movie changes the plot slightly but keeps with the original spirit of the books by portraying the Triffids as a malevolent, invading force, including the twist at the end when it’s revealed they didn’t come from another planet at all.
3The Last Man On Earth (1964)
Based on a novel calledI Am Legend,this novel hadanother, more modern adaptationwith the same title in 2007 and yet another calledOmega Manin 1971. The black and white version is mostly forgotten, but it has an eerie, chilling quality that viewers shouldn’t overlook.
The plot is a faithful adaptation that shares the major plot points but changes some details like names and places. Dr. Robert Morgan is the main character instead of Robert Neville from the book, but the infected woman that seeks him out later is named Ruth in both versions. The ending, in which humanity gives way to the next dominant race, remains the same.
2The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes (1969)
Even Classic Disney got in on the up-and-coming sci-fi movie trend, and this is a fun comedy based on a premise that was new at the time. There was a remake of this movie that was released in 1995, but it starred Kirk Cameron, was made for television, and there’s nothing to forget because nobody saw it.
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The movie stars Kurt Russel as Dexter Reilly, a student who gets a nasty electric shock while installing a computer of dubious origins. The result is that he becomes a “human computer.” Disney fans count this movie as part of the Medfield College cycle, along with several other movies from this era that took place on this fictional campus. They includeAbsent-Minded Professor,Son of Flubber,and various sequels toThe Computer Wore Tennis Shoes.
1Quatermass And The Pit (1967)
Quatermass and the Pitis a science-fiction story that might have inspired a variety of later movies and TV shows. It includes modern tropes that viewers would recognize fromThe X-Files,The Thing,orClose Encounters of the Third Kind.It’s better known by its American title,Five Million Years To Earth.
The plot is based on the BBC series and includes a mix of forensic science, alien lore, and occult beliefs for good measure. It starts with the discovery of a mysterious object during the excavation of a new tunnel for the London Underground which turns out to be an alien spaceship. Ancient humans are also interred with the ship, and before long, Quatermaster has uncovered the ship’s Martian origins along with their influence on humanity’s evolution.
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