The 1950swere an incredible time for sci-fi cinema, and many of the most acclaimed releases from the era are still mind-blowing today. As a time filled with fear and anxiety, sci-fi films from this period often dealt with the fallout of post-WWII politics, the anxieties of Cold War tensions, and overbearing fears of mutually assured destruction in the event of a nuclear attack. All of these tense and terrifying themes found their way into sci-fi filmmaking, as the endless storytelling potential of aliens, space, and technological advancement made them the perfect vehicle to reflect society’s woes back at viewers.
Many of thebest sci-fi films of the 1950sare still incredibly effective today, and their influence has had a ripple effect on modern movies. With some iconic releases being remade for new generations of viewers, often it’s tough to beat the original, and audiences would be better off jumping into the wealth ofunderappreciated cult classicsand hidden gems just waiting to be rediscovered from this highly creative era. Whileissues like McCarthyism and fear of the other have certainly crept into many of these films, these innate anxieties were part of what gave them their timeless quality.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers
Cast
Invasion of the Body Snatchers is a science-fiction horror film directed by Don Siegel. The story follows Dr. Miles Bennell, who discovers that the residents of his small town are being replaced by emotionless alien duplicates. As the phenomenon spreads, Bennell desperately tries to uncover the truth and warn humanity about the impending invasion. The film is noted for its themes of paranoia and loss of identity amidst growing societal fears.
The sinister alien takeover seen inInvasion of the Body Snatchershas not lost any of its innate power because of how psychologically unnerving it was. As this film by futureDirty Harrydirector Don Siegel showcased aliens replacing humans with identical copies that maintain the memories of physical traits of the person it assimilated, the true horror in this story was never knowing who was an extraterrestrial and who wasn’t. As an excellent adaptation of the novel by Jack Finney,Invasion of the Body Snatcherswas a powerful representation of the Cold War fears and McCarthyism of the 1950s.
With eternal themes of mistrust and suspicion,Invasion of the Body Snatchersdidn’t rely on over-the-top special effects and, for this reason, has truly stood the test of time. Althoughremakes were madein 1978, 1993, and 2007, it’s still the original that stands as the definitive adaptation for the way it powerfully addressed the social and political context of its era. As a true classic of 1950s sci-fi,Invasion of the Body Snatchersis a must-watch release.
The Fly
The Fly is a 1958 science fiction horror film directed by Kurt Neumann. The story focuses on scientist André Delambre, who invents a matter transportation device. While testing the apparatus on himself, an unexpected incident leads to a transformation that spirals into a gripping mystery involving his family.
Although many modern viewers will be more familiar with David Cronenberg’s interpretation of this short story by George Langelaan starring Jeff Goldblum, the first adaptation ofThe Flyfrom 1958 was well worth checking out. As the story of a scientist who unwittingly turns into a grotesque human-fly hybrid,The Flysaw the atomic makeup of a person combined with an insect after a common housefly flew into the molecular transporting machine the scientist André Delambre had invented.
With a ludicrously revolting concept,The Flywas a forebear to the kind ofintense body horrorthat Cronenberg would spearhead in the subsequent decades, and it still has the power to have viewers shaking in fear. By leaning into the excesses of the best of B-movie horror while also boasting allegorical resonance about the dangers of playing God,The Flytapped into innate fears around technological progress and its cost to humanity.
Forbidden Planet
Forbidden Planet is a 1956 science fiction film directed by Fred M. Wilcox. The story follows Commander John J. Adams and his crew as they explore the distant planet Altair IV, where they encounter Dr. Morbius and his daughter. The film is notable for its early depiction of advanced technology and is often regarded as a milestone in the genre, featuring groundbreaking special effects and a unique electronic music score.
As one of the greatest sci-fi releases of the 1950s, it’s impressive just how muchForbidden Planetholds up all these decades later. With an isolated setting that brings to mind William Shakespeare’sThe Tempestanda great early performance from Leslie Nielsen, the interstellar exploitation ofForbidden Planetwas the first film to depict a man-made faster-than-light spacecraft, which has become a common tenet of subsequent sci-fi cinema.
By introducing robots that were more than simple tin cans,Forbidden Planetwas a trailblazing release in the way that it depicted artificial intelligence and even helped spearhead a new type of movie scoring as it utilized an entirely electronic soundtrack. With a futuristic feel and an exciting sense of fun,Forbidden Planetis still a mind-blowing release to this day and a testament to the creative endeavors of 1950s filmmakers who helped lay the groundwork for modern sci-fi cinema.
Godzilla
1954 Japanese film Godzilla follows Japan’s panic as ships are mysteriously sunk near Odo Island. An expedition discovers a giant monster, Godzilla, whose rampage threatens global destruction.
While modern viewers will be familiar with this giant kaiju creature from its iconic place within pop culture and the MonsterVerse extended universe, it’s important to look back to where it all began withGodzilla. This groundbreaking sci-fi movie was highly influenced by the nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, as Godzilla himself came to represent the destructive power of the United States against Japan. With intense political relevance and a unique story that saw this prehistoric creature awoken from his slumber,Godzillanot only holds up today but has endured as a popular IP throughout the decades.
WhileGodzillahas come to represent many things throughout the years, as his antihero role addressed the US as both an ally and foe, the original 1954 movie was more about Japan’s reckoning with the dire devastation that they had faced during WWII just a few years before. AlthoughGodzilla’sspecial effects leave a lot to be desired today, it’s still mind-blowing just how impactful this film was as it led a sprawling franchise with dozens of Japanese sequels, several American versions, and a litany of spin-off media.
620,000 Leagues Under The Sea (1954)
Directed by Richard Fleischer
Despite being made so long ago,20,000 Leagues Under the Seahas not lost any of its mind-blowing powerand remains one of Disney’s greatest live-action movies. With Kirk Douglas as Ned Land, this adaptation of Jules Verne’s classic adventure was an awe-inspiring feat of special effects at the time, and it was filmed entirely in Technicolor. As one of the earliest showcases of Walt Disney Productions' creative talents outside of the world of animation, the depiction of its giant squid alone was enough to gain this movie a place in film history.
With an astounding performance from Douglas, who was joined by James Mason as Captain Nemo,20,000 Leagues Under the Seawas an epic showcase of the rapidly developing power of cinema and the creativity of art directors and cinematographers.20,000 Leagues Under the Seatook genre filmmaking to a new level as it featured underwater shots and a sense of adventure that was balanced with an infectious sense of humor. This groundbreaking film brought Verne’s classic story to life like it had never been seen before, and it still holds up perfectly to this day.
When Worlds Collide
When Worlds Collide is a 1951 sci-fi film directed by Rudolph Maté. The film follows scientists who discover that a rogue star named Bellus and its orbiting planet are on a collision course with Earth. As global destruction looms, a plan is devised to build a space ark to transport a select group of humans to safety on the passing planet Zyra, challenging humanity to confront its survival instincts and ethical dilemmas.
The understandable anxieties of the post-war population and the underlying threat of nuclear destruction run through many sci-fi movies of the 1950s. This was certainly the case forWhen Worlds Collide, which told the story of humanity facing imminent destruction as a rogue star was discovered to be on a collision course toward Earth and set to wipe out humanity. With seemingly no means of preventing this disaster, plans were made to build a space ark and transport men and women to a new planet.
While the special effects don’t fully hold up today, the innate power of this film was due to it putting characters and story first. As a survival story that realistically depicts mankind’s reaction to its potential demise, this doomsday tale was ultimately an analog for the sinister side of human nature as selfish people come to the forefront and try to put themselves ahead of others. As a thought-provoking early sci-fi film,When Worlds Collideaddressed the same destructive themes that filmmakers are still attracted to today, as proven by Adam McKay’s similar 2021 disaster movieDon’t Look Up.
X the Unknown
X the Unknown, released in 1956, follows an American scientist and a British investigator as they confront a mysterious, energy-consuming subterranean monster awakened by radiation experiments. The creature wreaks havoc on a remote Scottish village, leading to a series of radiation-related incidents and radioactively burned victims.
X the Unknownwas a Hammer Film release that helped solidify the studio’s reputation not just for horror films but for movies that leaned into sci-fi elements. As the story of a radioactive, mud-like creature terrorizing the residents of a rural Scottish village,X the Unknowndealt with underlying Cold War anxieties and the diminishing national identity of Britain as a result of the loss of power in the post-WWII era. Originally intended to be a sequel toThe Quatermass Xperiment, these plans were changed when that film’s writer, Nigel Kneale, denied permission (viaBFI) to use his characters.
However, despite these setbacks,X the Unknownwas a spectacular film in its own right as it grimly fused sci-fi and post-war anxieties into a dark tale of unstoppable carnage. From radioactive victims to the horrifying depictions of its sinister creature,X the Unknownwas a darkly atmospheric story whose black-and-white imagery and claustrophobic aesthetic still hold up. As a precursor to later releases, like the far more campy horror classicThe Blob,X the Unknownhas maintained its thrilling power as much of the horror takes place off-camera.
Invaders from Mars
Invaders from Mars is a science fiction film directed by William Cameron Menzies. Released in 1953, it follows a young boy who witnesses a UFO landing and the subsequent mind control of the townspeople by alien invaders. As paranoia spreads, he attempts to uncover the truth with the help of a local scientist and a medical doctor. The film is noted for its dreamlike visual style and Cold War-era themes.
The eerie power ofInvaders from Marshas remained intact all these decades later, as this SuperCinecolor release looks remarkably modern for its time. What began with a young boy witnessing a flying saucer at night soon turned into a dark tale of mistrust and deceit as, after his father investigated, he returned a changed man. As seen through a child’s eyes,Invaders from Marsbecame all the more unnerving as the boy’s mother, neighbors, and everyone else in his life started to act strangely and dismiss his fears and anxieties.
As a frightening tale of alien invasion,Invaders from Marsinfluenced a whole generation of filmmakers, and references to this classic film can be seen in everything from Don Coscarelli’sPhantasmto Brad Bird’sThe Iron Giant. WhileInvaders from Marswas remade in 1986 byThe Texas Chain Saw Massacredirector Tobe Hooper, it’s a testament to the timeless power of the 1950s version that it’s remained the definitive depiction of this fear-inducing story.
The Quatermass Xperiment
The Quatermass Xperiment is a 1955 British science fiction horror film directed by Val Guest. The story follows Professor Quatermass, played by Brian Donlevy, as he investigates the disastrous aftermath of a space mission returning to Earth. The sole surviving astronaut exhibits strange and dangerous transformations, prompting Quatermass to unravel the mysteries of extraterrestrial contamination. The film is based on the BBC Television serial of the same name.
The Quatermass Xperimentwas also released under the titleThe Creeping Unknownand was a British sci-fi horror from Hammer Film Productions. After three astronauts went to space, only one returned inThe Quatermass Xperiment, although this was just the beginning, as the lone survivor soon started to mutate into an alien organism. As a dark and terrifying tale,The Quatermass Xperimentbecame all the more frightening when it was discovered that if the astronaut’s alien spawned, it would engulf the Earth and wipe out humanity.
The terror ofThe Quatermass Xperimentmeant it wasone of the few films to receive an X rating in the early 1950s, which restricted its viewers to those above the age of 16. As a truly influential film,The Quatermass Xperimentput Hammer on the map when it came to sci-fi horror releases, and this was followed by several sequels and thematically related films likeX the Unknown. As a pioneering release that’s still mind-blowing today, the sheer intensity ofThe Quatermass Xperimentmeant it had stood the test of time.
It Came from Outer Space
It Came from Outer Space, released in 1953, follows John Putnam and Ellen Fields as they witness a meteorite crash in Arizona. Upon closer inspection, Putnam discovers it is a spacecraft, leading him to face skepticism from the local community regarding its extraterrestrial inhabitants.
As an important release in the Golden Age of 3D cinema,It Came from Outer Spacefeatured an original story from the celebrated author Ray Bradburyabout an amateur astronomer and his fiancée discovering the crash site of a spaceship. However, rather than being taken seriously by the authorities, the man was branded a crackpot. Although, when things inevitably start going wrong and mysterious happenings begin to occur, this initial sense of disbelief soon turns hostile.
As a truly scary black-and-white release,It Came from OuterSpace was an accomplished thriller complete with a great performance, a strong script, and relevant themes that mimicked much of the same aspects that madeInvasion of the Body Snatcherssuch an enduring classic three years later. Underappreciated releases such asIt Came from Outer Spacehighlight just how much creativity and groundbreaking movies were being made duringthe 1950sand how their mind-blowing power has maintained its incredible effect so many decades later.
