Sci-Fi was a pretty big deal when I was a kid.
Back then the Sunday afternoon creature feature was not to be missed. Godzilla and King Kong rated right up there on the sci-fi o-shit-o-meter — The 50’s and the 60’s were quite an era for sci-fi and those two decades had the shows to back that era up.
The sci-fi of today doesn’t even come close to the classics. Classic sci-fi was written with a great deal of talent and imagination. One didn’t need to use gratuitous sex, blood, and gore to make the point.
Sci-fi these days can be pretty dark — Writers and producers lacking any real imagination that recycle the ideas and the concepts of bygone years trying to make a buck at the box office aren’t really very impressive.
Matching the genius behind shows like the Twilight Zone, Alfred Hitchcock, Outer Limits, and even My Favorite Martian isn’t something the writers of today are known for.
Even the creators of Star Trek knew there was no sound in space — The lack of creativity says that there is sound in space because the story lines are so poorly written that sound is about the only thing that can hold the attention of the audience.
You don’t need blood, guts, and violence to put on a good show.
Below, you’ll find my short list of what real sci-fi looks like:
It Came from Beneath the Sea (1959)
A submarine gets caught in the tentacles of a massive sea creature that’s heading for San Fransisco Bay leaving a wave of destruction in it’s wake.
*starring Kenneth Tobey, Faith Denergue, Donald Curtis, Ian Keith, and Harry Lauter.
H.G. Wells – First Men on the Moon (1964)
Convinced they are the first men on the moon, three astronauts discover evidence of a lunar landing decades earlier and track down it’s sole survivor.
*starring Edward Judd, Martha Hyer, Lionel Jeffries, Mike Mallison, Norman Bird, Hugh McDermott, and Betty McDowall.
Earth vs. the Flying Saucers (1956)
The U.S. military realizes it’s most advanced weapons are no match for an invading army of aliens determined to enslave earth — and time is running out.
*starring Hugh Marlow, Joan Taylor, Donald Curtis, and Morris Anrum.
Space Probe Taurus (1965)
Four scientists head toward the planet Tyros, but the force of another planet causes them to land on it’s ocean floor where they are attacked by monster crabs.
*starring Francine York, James E. Brown, Baynes Barrow, and Russ Fender.
Invisible Invaders (1959)
Spine tingling excitement builds with each narrow escape in this sci-fi thriller about a nightmarish attack on earth that begins when aliens inhabit human corpses.
*starring John Agar, Jean Byron, John Carradine and Philip Tonge.
The Flight that Disappeared (1961)
Three pentagon-bound atomic scientists are detoured to another dimension beyond radar range where time doesn’t exist. Here they are put on trial by a jury of the future for their potential involvement in the creation of a dangerous and destructive weapon.
starring Craig Hill, Paula Raymond, and Dayton Lummis.
The Blob (1958)
After discovering a mass of alien slime that grows and engulfs people, two teenagers try to warn incredulous adults of the threat.
*starring Steve McQueen, Aneta Corseaut, and Earl Rowe.
This was just a short list. As most of you already know, there are way more true sci-fi classics floating around out there from the 50’s and 60’s that have weathered the test of time and continue to prove their place in history as true sci-fi.
Have any sci-fi favorites you’d like to share?
Sound off in the comments below and tell me about them.
