Sci-fi can be considered a somewhat niche genre compared to comedy or drama, but each decade nonetheless has an assortment of science fiction movies that appeal to everyone. They become perennial favorites in households, watched over and over again. For instance, the ’80s had Back to the Future, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, The Terminator, The Thing, and so on. These are movies that never get old. The same can be said of the 1990s’ Men in Black, Jurassic Park, and Galaxy Quest. The 1970s was no slouch of a decade in the excellent sci-fi arena either, and the following movies stand as some of the examples of the decade’s utterly rewatchable genre highlights.
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Granted, some of these aren’t for everyone. You can only really love and rewatch a David Cronenberg film if you can tolerate some nasty visuals. But the fact remains that they are sublime, and one viewing almost certainly will not be enough.
10) The Brood
The Brood isn’t just one of the 1970s more underrated horror films; it’s also one of the decades better sci-fi films. David Cronenberg was always great at blending those two genres, and this early work of his is far from an exception.
This is one unique movie. It functions as a bloody monster flick, sure, but it’s also an analysis of psychology and the dangers of a psychologist who goes about their job in an irresponsible manner. It also has a lot to say about obsessive motherhood, unstable relationships, and how taxing mental suffering can be on the body. The Brood is definitely a wild ride, and the climax is pretty icky to look at, but it’s a sublime companion piece to Videodrome or The Fly.
Stream The Brood on HBO Max.
9) Moonraker
Were this piece entirely grounded in subjectivity, Moonraker wouldn’t make the cut. It’s a film that really dives into seriousness even though its direct predecessor, The Spy Who Loved Me, succeeded because it took itself rather seriously. But there are still plenty of people out there who love Moonraker and watch it all the time. For that reason, it’s here.
It’s not hard to see why it’s so beloved, either. Roger Moore was still very much in his element as Bond at this point, it has a solid Bond Girl in Dr. Holly Goodhead, and a great villain performance by the late Michael Lonsdale. Even still, this is the Return of the Jedi of the 007 franchise. In one scene a young woman, Corinne, is being devoured by dogs just off screen and, in another, there’s a big, long Star Wars rip-off of a set-piece and a romance subplot for Richard Kiel’s Jaws.
Stream Moonraker on Netflix.
8) Close Encounters of the Third Kind
A genre-changing masterpiece from Steven Spielberg, Close Encounters of the Third Kind captures awe in a way not so dissimilar from Jurassic Park. It’s just, in this case, what’s causing the awe is universally friendly.
Close Encounters has managed to stand out even more as time has gone on because Hollywood keeps going back to the well of hostile alien movies. This one is very different. It’s more about the wonder that even the possibility of meeting extraterrestrial life instills in some people. We get excited because Richard Dreyfuss’ Roy Neary is so excited.
7) The Crazies
The remake may arguably be a little better, but George A. Romero’s The Crazies is still fantastic. Especially after COVID-19 it’s pretty impressive to realize just how well he captured the utter chaos that comes with not being prepared for a pandemic.
You might be wondering how this is rewatchable when something like Contagion isn’t (many find that it hits too close to home now). It’s mostly because The Crazies tosses a few balls in the air. One is a satirical indictment of bureaucratic red tape, the other is a tense survivalist narrative, and the other is a pretty interesting question mark about just what this “Trixie” virus is. You will never be bored in The Crazies, even on viewing three.
Stream The Crazies on Shudder.
6) Westworld
The Westworld show may have lost some steam as it went along, but the film upon which it’s based is still highly entertaining. It’s arguably rewatchable just to repeatedly take in how ahead of its time it was.
The central premise of being able to essentially live in a movie is compelling enough, but even more interesting now, at this stage of time, is its warning about the instability of AI. And one must give it to Yul Brynner, he was just as frightening as a soulless killing machine as Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Terminator.
5) The Omega Man
Neither The Omega Man nor I Am Legend are perfect executions of Richard Matheson’s I Am Legend novel, but they both have their charms. There’s just something about following one individual surviving in a greatly changed world that is endearing.
It’s primarily because we really get to know who this one individual, Robert Neville, is. He doesn’t want a war with these vampire-esque people, he just wants to get by. Even still, this movie in particular makes even that seem like a pipe dream. The Omega Man is also rewatchable because it’s undeniable Charlton Heston was fully in his element in two areas: biblical adaptations like The Ten Commandments and sci-fi like this, Soylent Green, and Planet of the Apes.
4) Terror of Mechagodzilla
The final entry of Godzilla’s 15-film Shōwa era, Terror of Mechagodzilla represented what the other four G-films of the ’70s represented: an even wackier disposition than what came before. This movie has a young woman who can telepathically communicate with an aquatic, screaming dinosaur. Oh, and she was once human but now has most of her innards replaced with machinery.
Really, any of the ’70s Godzilla films could have made this spot, though there’s an argument to be made that Godzilla vs. Hedorah is a bit too wild for its own good just as Godzilla vs. Megalon is a bit too silly for its own good. But Godzilla vs. Gigan, Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla, and Terror of Mechagodzilla? They’re all delightful kaiju films front to back.
Stream Terror of Mechagodzilla for free with ads on Tubi.
3) Invasion of the Body Snatchers
The best of the four Invasion of the Body Snatchers movies, Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) is dour, as well it should be, but that doesn’t stop it from being rewatchable. In fact, the characters feel so genuine that you actively want to spend more time with them before they’re ultimately turned into soulless renditions of their former selves.
This is a movie that manages to be genuinely frightening, even nearly 50 years later. You feel the walls closing in on you throughout the movie and, for those who can enjoy some paranoia-infused escapism it’s a classic.
Stream Invasion of the Body Snatchers for free with ads on Tubi.
2) Alien
The best of Ridley Scott’s several notable sci-fi films, Alien is one of the most claustrophobic nightmares ever committed to celluloid. The interior of the Nostromo is perfectly suited to disguise a Xenomorph. Its piping is black and smooth, stacked one atop the next…you feel as any one of them could be the Xeno’s head.
For that reason alone Alien is rewatchable. You’re always trying to spot the thing. But even more importantly the script is so sure to make the ship’s crew all stand apart as unique individuals. We like these people and we want them to get away from this alive. But they don’t, and it’s engrossingly dreadful to watch them meet their fates. Alien is too unforgettable for just one viewing.
Stream Alien on fuboTV.
1) Star Wars
Of course Star Wars, aka Star Wars: A New Hope, is in first place. It’s a list about ’70s sci-fi movies, what else would it be.
All of the original trilogy Star Wars movies are imminently rewatchable. At the time they introduced the audience to something entirely new and that wonder hasn’t really dissipated after 50 years, especially for younger audience members. Toss on a nostalgia appeal for anyone who grew up on them and the whole family can watch Star Wars over and over. The only thing about it that has aged is the digital nonsense George Lucas added back in ’97.
Stream Star Wars on Disney+.
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Official art by Bastien Lecouffe-Deharme -
A photo of the Retrovolt Arcade taken in 2017, showing several classic arcade cabinets and stools.
