Loved Interstellar? Here are 6 old school space movies you’ll love too
Finding a good sci-fi film about space exploration is difficult. It must balance realism and imagination while presenting captivating circumstances. Recent years provided successful titles like Interstellar, Sunshine and Moon. However, several old school gems deserve attention.
These six films represent the best of pre-Star Wars space exploration. They are essential viewing for any fan of the genre.
A Trip to the Moon (1902)
This 1902 French silent film goes back to the beginning of cinema. Director Georges Méliès was a prolific special effects innovator. He discovered the substitution stop trick and other early effects. Heavily influenced by Jules Verne, the story follows scientists on a trip to the moon. It is one of the first sci-fi films and remains highly influential. It lacks modern dialogue but the creativity is remarkable for a film over 100 years old. It is iconic for a reason.
Destination Moon (1950)
Destination Moon follows astronauts on a difficult journey to the moon and back. It was the first major US sci-fi film to portray the technicalities of space exploration. Another film, Rocketship X-M, was rushed into production in 18 days to beat it to theaters. Destination Moon used material from Robert A. Heinlein. He also served as a technical advisor. The film features spectacular visuals and earned an Academy Award for Visual Effects.
Forbidden Planet (1956)
This was the first sci-fi film set entirely on another world. It also showed humans traveling in a starship. A crew investigates a colonized planet only to find two remaining inhabitants. The film includes romance and talking robots. Many consider it the best sci-fi film of all time. Even those who generally dislike the genre tend to enjoy it.
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Stanley Kubrick’s masterpiece is the uncontested king of space exploration films. Co-written by Arthur C. Clarke, it incorporates beautiful imagery and scientific accuracy. No other film handles these themes with the same power. It is essential viewing for anyone interested in the genre.
Solaris (1972)
Andrei Tarkovsky directed this adaptation of Stanis?aw Lem’s 1961 novel. A psychologist travels to a space station to investigate why the crew has lost their minds. Solaris is a journey into the human psyche. It is a polarizing film. Those who appreciate a slow pace and a sense of creeping anxiety will find it rewarding.
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Forbidden Planet. Now that is a movie that so deserves a decent remake.
Solaris is by one of the most consistently amazing directors of all time, Andrei Tarkovsky. Please check out his other films as well, like Mirror, Stalker, Offret, Andrei Rublev, and Ivan’s Childhood. He hasn’t made a bad film, so any of his is worth a watch
For my money, Silent Running is among the most intelligent and entertaining sci-fi films of the 1970.
Hated interstellar. Just a love story in space. But love a lot of these movies. Especially Solaris.
If you ask me the sentimentality and Hollywood style story telling stop Interstellar from being a classic, which is a shame because it had so much potential.