Science fiction has always been one of the most popular and prolific genres in all of cinema, and the ’80s weren’t an exception to the rule. Several of the best sci-fi movies of all time — the best of them perhaps even among the greatest films ever made, period — came out at some point during the ’80s, a decade characterized by the rise of escapist high-concept blockbusters.
Whether it was an auteur-driven arthouse movie like Mauvais Sang or a crowd-pleasing blockbuster like Aliens, you could always rely on filmmakers during the ’80s to deliver strong sci-fi work. Imaginative, original, and taking full advantage of the technological capabilities afforded by the times, the decade’s best sci-fi masterpieces see the genre at its peak.
10
‘Mauvais Sang’ (1986)
Mauvais Sang, which translates to Bad Blood, was the famous French cult auteur Leos Carax‘s second feature film. It’s set in a Paris where a deadly virus has come to infect people who have loveless sex, and in it, a lonely pariah tries to steal a potent antidote but falls for the mistress of his partner-in-crime. It’s one of the most underappreciated sci-fi gems of the 20th century as a whole, made when Carax was only 25 years of age.
Like the rest of Carax’s divisive work, Mauvais Sang may prove a bit too exotic for some, but its romantic tone, poetic story, and unforgettable visuals make it a must-see for diehard fans of science fiction. Moody, bizarre, and masterfully Godardian (a quality that has defined pretty much all of Carax’s filmography), it’s a movie that deserves far more love than it typically gets.
9
‘Brazil’ (1985)
There are plenty of movie masterpieces that feel like being in a nightmare, but few push that feeling to the extent that Brazil does. Directed and co-written by Terry Gilliam of Monty Python fame, this Kafkaesque, absurdist, dystopian dark comedy has been compared to George Orwell‘s 1984 many times. It’s a well-earned comparison.
The movie’s sense of satire is brilliant in how it pokes fun at bureaucracy, technocracy, and mass government surveillance, themes that are still as relevant today as they were back in the ’80s. It’s a cult classic unlike any other, filled with audacious camerawork and supported by a wild sense of humor. It’s a social farce, the likes of which only a Monty Python alum could have possibly pulled off.
Steven Spielberg has been the master of modern popcorn movies ever since he pretty much invented the concept of a summer blockbuster with 1975’s Jaws. That movie was the highest-grossing film of all time until Star Wars took its record just two years later, but in 1982, Spielberg reclaimed the record with the timeless alien invasion classic E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.
It’s one of the best crowd-pleasing sci-fi movies ever, a family-friendly gem often recognized among the greatest and most influential American films of the ’80s. It’s a touching coming-of-age tale, a delightfully sweet alien film, and unapologetically Spielbergian. With a marvelous cast and an exciting story, this unparalleled portrait of childlike innocence is pure ’80s Hollywood magic.
7
‘Akira’ (1988)
Directed by Katsuhiro Otomo and based on Otomo’s own 1982 manga of the same name, Akira is one of the most groundbreaking anime films ever made. Set in a dystopian metropolis, this cyberpunk masterpiece has a story that differs greatly from that of its source material, but in tone and in what made the manga appealing, it nails every element.
It’s also one of the most important movies that changed modern animation forever, as it is largely credited not just as a hugely influential work, but as one of the movies that helped popularize anime and Japanese culture in the West. Violent, fast-paced, and endlessly imaginative, this tour-de-force cult classic is a must-see for all those who appreciate the art of anime filmmaking.
6
‘The Fly’ (1986)
Canadian auteur David Cronenberg is one of the most important horror filmmakers of all time, the father of the body horror subgenre as a whole. And as far as Cronenberg’s body horror goes, it doesn’t get much more iconic, influential, or better than The Fly. Jeff Goldblum slowly transforming into a fly-man mutation doesn’t exactly sound like an appealing premise on paper, but Cronenberg’s execution is so faultless that the movie ends up being an absolute masterpiece.
The Fly is thematically profound and has well-written characters and story beats, but of course, the majority of its charm lies in the execution of what’s on the page. It’s the jaw-dropping special effects and makeup work, Goldlum and Geena Davis‘ potent performances, and Cronenberg’s relentlessly grotesque and violent direction that make this one of the most intense movies of the ’80s.
5
‘The Thing’ (1982)
John Carpenter is another filmmaker who has been crucial to the history of horror. In fact, if there were a Mount Rushmore of horror movie directors, Carpenter’s face would perhaps be the most essential to carve on the side of that mountain. To understand why, people could watch his entire filmography and have a hell of a good experience; but if they didn’t have that sort of time, a single masterpiece would suffice: The Thing, a remake of 1951’s The Thing from Another World, sticking closer to the novella that inspired both movies, John W. Campbell Jr.‘s Who Goes There?
Full of revolutionary visual effects and exceptional performances, ‘The Thing’ is still absolutely terrifying all these many years later.
Where the 1951 film was much more overtly about Cold War paranoia thematically, Carpenter went for a broader thematic study of the kind of distrust and public psychosis that characterized the era. Full of revolutionary visual effects and exceptional performances, The Thing is still absolutely terrifying all these many years later.
4
‘Aliens’ (1986)
With 1979’s Alien, Ridley Scott revolutionized sci-fi horror forever. Seven years later, visionary Canadian filmmaker James Cameron came out with a sequel, this time focusing more on the action-driven storytelling that he has always specialized in. Thus, Aliens came into being, one of the few sci-fi sequels that many people consider even better than their predecessors.
It’s one of the best horror blockbusters ever, bolstered by a tour-de-force performance by the marvelous Sigourney Weaver. It works as well as it does because it first takes the time to build up the complex, entertaining dynamics between its characters. Once those have been established, Cameron jumps headfirst into the action, delivering one of the most enthralling sci-fi flicks of not just the ’80s, but the 20th century as a whole.
3
‘Blade Runner’ (1982)
It wasn’t just Alien that Ridley Scott revolutionized science fiction with. There was also, of course, Blade Runner. Quite famously, this adaptation of Philip K. Dick‘s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? was a failure in every sense of the word upon release. Over time, though, it started growing a dedicated cult following. Eventually, that following grew so tremendously large, and retroactive praise for the movie grew so universal, that cinephiles today consider it a sci-fi classic as mainstream as any other.
It’s one of those classic sci-fi movies that are still masterpieces today, a richly philosophical and detailed study of what makes us human that has aged like fine wine. The villains are amazing, the dialogue is genius, Harrison Ford‘s lead performance is one of the best of his career, and the brilliant world-building makes this not only one of the best sci-fi movies ever, but also one of the best neo-noirs of all time.
2
‘Back to the Future’ (1985)
Sci-fi movies don’t need to be artsy to be absolutely perfect, and Robert Zemeckis proved that in 1985 with Back to the Future. This is a popcorn blockbuster through and through, but one so impeccably made in virtually every single department that it’s difficult to find any fault in it. That makes it one of the best sci-fi movies to watch over and over again.
Where can one even begin singing Back to the Future‘s praises? Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd‘s timeless performances, the script’s perfect sense of structure and pacing, the thrilling third act, Alan Silvestri‘s iconic score — it’s all some of the best work that has ever gone into any sci-fi film. In more ways than one, Back to the Future is the poster boy of ’80s science fiction.
1
‘Star Wars: Episode V — The Empire Strikes Back’ (1980)
The Star Wars franchise is by no means pure science fiction. If anything, it perhaps belongs even more strongly to the fantasy category. But this legendary space opera has become the face of sci-fi across all of pop culture for a reason — several great reasons, in fact. Among those reasons, one stands out as the best piece of Star Wars media ever made: Episode V — The Empire Strikes Back.
It’s far and away one of the best movie masterpieces of the last 50 years, a perfect example of a sci-fi epic that does things right in every single department. The visuals, the music, the acting, the characters, the story — the whole thing feels engineered in a lab for maximum entertainment, and it works wonderfully. The Empire Strikes Back is one of the most iconic Hollywood movies of all time, and it’s certainly the peak of ’80s sci-fi.