Science Fiction: 316

2001: A Space Odyssey (1984) is a groundbreaking science fiction film, directed and produced by Stanley Kubrick. The screenplay, co-written by Kubrick and renowned science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke, draws inspiration from Clarke’s 1951 short story The Sentinel as well as other works. The story begins in a prehistoric veld where a tribe of hominins is forced to leave their water source by a rival tribe. The following day, they discover the presence of an alien monolith amongst them. Through this ...

Planet of the Apes (1968), an American science fiction film by Franklin J. Schaffner, is loosely based on Pierre Boulle’s 1963 novel. Astronauts Taylor, Landon and Dodge emerge from an extended hibernation following a space voyage at near-light speed. According to Taylor’s theory attributed to scientist Hasslein, the time dilation effect has caused only 18 months to pass for the astronauts despite 701 years having elapsed on Earth since their journey began in 1972. The clock aboard the ship shows time advancing at a rate of approximately one day per minute, ...

Gene Roddenberry’s American science fiction TV series, Star Trek (1966–1969), chronicles the voyages of USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) and its crew. This show, which started an entire media franchise, later became known as Star Trek: The Original Series (TOS). Set in the 23rd century, it follows the exploits of the Enterprise crew on a five-year mission to discover new worlds, life forms, and civilizations; all while venturing into uncharted territory. The ship is under the command of handsome and daring Captain James Tiberius ‘Jim’ Kirk. His two closest confidants are Commander Spock, a ...

The British science fiction film First Men in the Moon (1964), directed by Nathan Juran, was distributed by Columbia Pictures and adapted from H. G. Wells’ 1901 novel of the same name by screenwriter Nigel Kneale. Set in 1964, the United Nations launches a rocket flight to the Moon with a multi-national group of astronauts who believe they will be the first explorers on the lunar surface. However, upon their debut moonwalk, they come across a battered Union Jack flag and a handwritten note dated 65 years prior, ...

The Outer Limits (1963–1965), an American TV show, aired on ABC from September 16, 1963 to January 16, 1965 at 7:30 PM Eastern Time every Monday. Often compared to The Twilight Zone, it focused more on science fiction rather than fantasy or supernatural elements. Each episode was a standalone story with surprise endings. During its first season, the show gained a devoted fan base. Some dedicated viewers even brought their TVs with them when they were away so they wouldn’t miss an episode. However, the second season didn’t do as well in ratings after moving to Saturday nights and competing against Jackie ...

The Time Machine (1960) is an American post-apocalyptic science fiction film set in the late 19th century, based on H. G. Wells’ novel of the same name. On January 5, 1900, four friends gather at their inventor friend George’s home in London for dinner. However, when George suddenly appears looking worn out and fatigued, he shares his experience with them. Days earlier, at their New Year’s Eve dinner, George had mentioned his theory that time could be considered the fourth dimension. He then reveals a small scale model of a time machine and demonstrates how pressing a lever causes it to vanish in an ...

The American science fiction horror anthology television series, The Twilight Zone (1959–1964), was created and presented by Rod Serling for CBS. It aired from October 2, 1959 to June 19, 1964, spanning five seasons. Each episode tells a standalone story centered around characters grappling with odd or unsettling events, often referred to as ‘the Twilight Zone’. The show was known for its surprise endings and underlying morals. While primarily science-fiction, the series also delved into fantasy and horror through its paranormal and Kafkaesque elements. In fact, the phrase ‘twilight zone’ has ...

H.G. Wells’ Invisible Man, also known as The Invisible Man (1958–1960), was a British black-and-white science fiction television series that aired on ITV and CBS in the United States. It had a run of two seasons with 26 half-hour episodes. While loosely based on Wells’ 1897 novel, it deviated from the original by changing the main character’s name to Dr. Peter Brady, who remained a sane man rather than a power-hungry lunatic like in the book and film adaptation. Other characters from the novel did not make an appearance in the series. The show follows the ...

The War of the Worlds (1953) is an American science fiction thriller film directed by Byron Haskin. It is the first of several feature film adaptations of H. G. Wells’ 1898 novel with the same title. A large object crashes near the small town of Linda Rosa, California, where Dr. Clayton Forrester, an atomic scientist, investigates and meets Sylvia Van Buren and her uncle, Pastor Collins. The three then attend an evening square dance but soon return to the crash site where they witness a hatch unscrewing and falling off of the object. As three men try to make contact ...

The American science fiction film, The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951), was produced by Julian Blaustein and directed by Robert Wise for 20th Century Fox. Upon a flying saucer’s arrival in Washington, D.C., it quickly becomes surrounded by the United States Army. A humanoid emerges from the spacecraft and assures that he comes ‘in peace and with good will’. However, his unexpected opening of a small device leads to being shot and injured by a jittery soldier. Suddenly, a towering robot appears from the saucer and effortlessly destroys the ...

The American horror film, The Invisible Man’s Revenge (1944), directed by Ford Beebe and written by Bertram Millhauser, follows the story of a mentally unstable Robert Griffin. After escaping from a Cape Town institution where he was committed for murdering two orderlies, Griffin becomes fixated on seeking revenge against the Herrick family. One evening, Sir Jasper Herrick and Lady Irene are inspecting their daughter Julie’s new boyfriend, journalist Mark Foster, when Julie and Mark suddenly leave. Left alone in the residence, Robert seizes the opportunity to ...

Invisible Agent (1942), an American action and spy film directed by Edwin L. Marin with a screenplay written by Curt Siodmak, follows the story of Frank Griffin Jr. He is the grandson of the original Invisible Man, who now operates a print shop in Manhattan using the name Frank Raymond. Late one night, four armed individuals enter his shop and reveal their identities as foreign agents working for the Axis powers. Among them are Conrad Stauffer, an S.S. lieutenant general, and Baron Ikito, a Japanese agent. They demand to obtain the invisibility formula and threaten harm if it is not handed over. Despite managing to flee ...

The American science fiction comedy film, The Invisible Woman (1940), was directed by A. Edward Sutherland. It follows wealthy lawyer Richard Russell as he funds Professor Gibbs, a dotty old inventor, in creating an invisibility device. The first person to test the machine is Kitty Carroll, a former department store model who had been fired from her job. With the successful use of the device, Kitty seeks revenge on her cruel ex-boss, Mr. Growley. Meanwhile, as the Professor and invisible Kitty visit Russell’s lodge, gangster Blackie Cole enlists his dim-witted henchmen–including ‘Hammerhead’ ...

Directed by Joe May, The Invisible Man Returns (1940) is an American horror science fiction film that follows the story of Sir Geoffrey Radcliffe. Despite being wrongfully convicted for the murder of his brother Michael, Radcliffe is sentenced to death. In a desperate attempt to prove his innocence, Dr. Frank Griffin, brother of the original invisible man, administers an invisibility drug to Radcliffe. With his execution looming, Radcliffe mysteriously disappears from his cell. Meanwhile, Detective Sampson of Scotland Yard begins to piece together the truth while Radcliffe races against time to find the real murderer ...

The British sci-fi film Things to Come (1936) was produced by Alexander Korda, directed by William Cameron Menzies, and written by H. G. Wells. John Cabal, a businessman, resides in Everytown in southern England in 1940 and is unable to enjoy Christmas due to the possibility of war reported on the news. Harding, his guest, shares his concerns while Pippa Passworthy remains optimistic, believing that the war may not happen or if it does, it will propel technological advancements forward. However, an air raid that night leads ...

The American science fiction horror film, The Invisible Man (1933), was directed by James Whale and produced by Universal Pictures. On a snowy evening in the English village of Iping, a stranger with bandaged face and dark goggles arrives at The Lion’s Head Inn. Despite demanding to be left alone, the stranger has caused chaos and fallen behind on rent due to his research. In response, Mrs. Hall sends her husband to evict him, but the stranger angrily throws Mr. Hall down the stairs. When confronted by a policeman and locals, he removes his bandages and goggles, revealing his invisibility. With maniacal laughter, ...