The 1950s were the Golden Age for science fiction movies. Whereas the majority of modern science fiction films are merely blockbuster spectacles, the science fiction films of the 1950s were culturally significant representations of a rapidly changing society. The Atomic Age, the Space Race, and rampant technological advancements all contributed to public interest in the sci-fi genre.
Throughout the 1950s, the science fiction genre was also used to explore contemporary social issues such as race relations, the Second Red Scare, and the nuclear family's pursuit of the American Dream. Many of the greatest sci-fi films ever made were produced in the 1950s.
10 The Thing From Another World (1951)
Based on John W. Campbell's novella "Who Goes There?" The Thing from Another World concerns a group of U.S Air Force members and scientists who uncover a crash-landed flying saucer and humanoid in Arctic ice. The film is notable for its controversial production that has resulted in decades of debates pertaining to whether Howard Hawks or Christian Nyby directed the film.
The Thing from Another World has received substantial critical analysis over the years, with many scholars indicating The Thing was a metaphor for the communist threat in the United States. Other critics have drawn parallels between the film's narrative and society's fear of scientists' capabilities in the Atomic Age. Campbell's novella was adapted again in 1982 with John Carpenter's The Thing.
9 The War Of The Worlds (1953)
The War of the Worlds was the first of several film adaptations of H. G. Wells' seminal novel of the same name about an alien invasion of Earth. The story had previously been adapted into a radio program in 1938 by Orson Welles and his Mercury Theatre, which infamously resulted in mass panic, as many listeners believed the broadcast to be a factual occurrence.
The National Film Registry has cited The War of the Worlds as an important work that captured the apocalyptic paranoia of the Atomic Age during the early years of the Cold War. Following the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, society became well aware of the instability of world politics, which now could result in the destruction of the entire human race.
8 It Came From Outer Space (1953)
Directed by Jack Arnold, arguably the greatest science fiction director of the 1950s, It Came from Outer Space tells the story of an amateur astronomer and his fiancé who discover a spaceship that crash-landed on Earth. It Came from Outer Space was Universal Pictures' first film shot in 3D.
Most science fiction films portray aliens as villains, however, It Came from Outer Space portrays them as peaceful creatures. In the film, the humans are the ones who display violent and aggressive tendencies, making It Came from Outer Space a fascinating exploration of human nature. The film has also been interpreted as anti-communist propaganda, with the aliens representing the Soviet menace.
7 Creature From The Black Lagoon (1954)
A foundational sci-fi horror monster movie, Creature from the Black Lagoon is yet another classic 1950s film directed by Jack Arnold. The film follows a group of scientists as they try and capture a prehistoric creature in the Amazon jungle.
Originally shot in 3D, Creature from the Black Lagoon has been praised for its exquisite underwater sequences and the master craftsmanship that went into the creation of the Gill-man costume. The success of the film led to two sequels and an appearance by the Gill-man on an episode of The Colgate Comedy Hour, where he appeared alongside the iconic comedy duo Abbott and Costello.
6 Invention For Destruction (1958)
One of the most aesthetically distinctive films ever produced, Karel Zeman's Invention for Destruction focuses on an evil millionaire who plans to use a super-explosive device to conquer the world. The film combines live action with multiple forms of animation and is based on several works by Jules Verne, particularly the novel Facing the Flag.
Invention for Destruction is renowned for its unique visual style, which replicates the Victorian line engravings that would be found in original copies of Verne's novels. To achieve its extraordinary special effects, Zeman utilized a wide variety of techniques, including miniatures, matte paintings, and several types of animation, such as traditional, cut-out, and stop-motion.
5 Forbidden Planet (1956)
In Forbidden Planet, a starship crew is tasked with investigating the silence of a distant planet's colony. Forbidden Planet marked the debut of Robby the Robot, who would go on to be a pop culture icon, appearing in dozens of television shows and films over the past seven decades.
Forbidden Planet is a pioneering work of science fiction cinema for several reasons. It is one of the first films set entirely on another planet in interstellar space, it features one of the first examples on film of humans traveling faster than the speed of light, and it is one of the first films to contain an entirely electronic musical score.
4 Invasion Of The Body Snatchers (1956)
Aliens invade Earth using pods to turn themselves into replicas of captured humans in Don Siegel's Invasion of the Body Snatchers. The remake of the film, released in 1978, is widely considered one of the greatest remakes of all time.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers has been hailed as the apex of using the sci-fi genre as a vehicle for exploring America during the McCarthy Era. The film has also been analyzed as a rumination on conformity in the postwar United States as well as an examination of the loss of individualism in communist systems.
3 The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957)
Jack Arnold's third legendary science fiction film of the 1950s, The Incredible Shrinking Man, is about Scott Carey, who, after being exposed to radiation, begins to shrink. Special effects techniques such as forced perspective, oversized sets, mattes, split screen, and rear projection were all used to great effect in the film.
On top of its impressive visual achievements, The Incredible Shrinking Man is one of the most thought-provoking sci-fi films of the 1950s. Its themes related to the fears of the Atomic Age were common during the 1950s. However, the film additionally asks its audience to contemplate existential questions related to the meaning of life and man's place in the universe. The Incredible Shrinking Man also deconstructs notions of masculinity in postwar society.
2 The Day The Earth Stood Still (1951)
Directed by prolific Hollywood filmmaker Robert Wise, The Day the Earth Stood Still is a condemnation of the nuclear arms race between the United States, the Soviet Union, and their respective allies. The film's narrative revolves around Klaatu, an alien who visits Earth in order to deliver an ultimatum, learn to live peacefully, or be destroyed for being a danger to other planets.
Upon its release, The Day the Earth Stood Still was only a moderate box office success. However, it now ranks among the greatest films of the 1950s. The film was inducted into the National Film Registry in 1995 and has been named one of the greatest films of all time by the American Film Institute and The New York Times.
1 Godzilla (1954)
The greatest of all 1950s sci-fi movies, Godzilla is a kaiju film about a giant, dinosaur-like creature that is born into existence as a result of American nuclear weapon testing. Godzilla astutely encapsulates the fear of the Atomic Age and the possibility of nations continuing to abuse superweapons.
While plenty of Hollywood films address the issues of atomic weaponry, none can obtain the same level of emotional resonance as Godzilla, a film produced by a country and a people that experienced the horrors of nuclear arms firsthand. Godzilla would go on to become a blockbuster multimedia franchise that has been recognized by the Guinness World Records as the longest-running franchise in film history.