5 Great Sci-Fi Movies From the 1960s That Everyone Forgets About

The sci-fi genre is one that has been capturing audiences’ collective imagination for decades. Science fiction is an incredibly diverse genre that features stories spanning from the most speculative of fiction to stories that are as plausible as they are insidious and horrifying. The very best sci-fi movies have earned themselves a lasting place in cinematic and pop culture history, with many of them considered pivotal entries into the genre that have inspired many other sci-fi stories since their release. The scope of sci-fi makes the parameters of the genre incredibly broad, which ultimately leads to even great sci-fi movies occasionally being overlooked.

The 1960s were a hugely important decade for the sci-fi genre, particularly in terms of movie and TV releases. The ten-year span saw the release of many great films, some of which have come to be considered great sci-fi masterpieces, but there were also several others that don’t get the recognition they deserve. In fact, some of the very best sci-fi movies of the 1960s are all too often forgotten, despite being some of the most exciting movies in the genre at a time when sci-fi was rapidly evolving into the dominant force it is today.

5) The Last Man on Earth (1964)

Though it may not be counted among the sci-fi movies that aged incredibly well, The Last Man on Earth remains an excellent piece of ’60s science fiction. The first adaptation of the novel I Am Legend by Richard Matheson, The Last Man on Earth stars Vincent Price as the sole survivor of a plague that has turned the rest of humanity into undead vampire-like creatures. An early example of the sort of apocalyptic story that would later become a sci-fi staple, The Last Man on Earth is thought to have been an inspiration behind the iconic Night of the Living Dead, which was released four years later in 1968.

4) Quatermass and the Pit (1967)

1967 saw the release of Quatermass and the Pit, released in the US under the title Five Million Years to Earth. Based on the classic sci-fi series of the same name, Quatermass and the Pit concerns the discovery of ancient human remains alongside a mysterious artifact that appears to be extra-terrestrial in origin. An early example of the ancient aliens trope that has become far more popular in recent decades, Quatermass and the Pit is an excellent sci-fi movie from the 1960s that was plainly ahead of its time and deserves to receive far greater attention from modern audiences.

3) The Damned (1962)

Another piece of British science fiction from the 1960s, The Damned is another of the genre’s great movies that doesn’t get the love it deserves. It’s an incredibly bleak piece of sci-fi horror that taps into many of the tropes of the era, including radioactive children clearly inspired by Cold War paranoia. It may not seem particularly innovative by today’s standards, but The Damned is still a great piece of science fiction that remains every bit as tense and entertaining even decades after its initial release.

2) The 10th Victim (1965)

The 10th Victim isn’t a movie that’s as well remembered as it perhaps deserves, but it is still a great piece of 1960s sci-fi. A joint production between Italy and France, the movie is likely best-known to audiences for starring Ursula Andress, who had previously played a prominent role in the 1962 James Bond movie Dr. No. Set in the year 2079, The 10th Victim concerns a world in which war is avoided by a government-endorsed program in which global contestants take on the role of either the Hunter or the Victim. Considered a forerunner of many modern works of dystopian fiction, The 10th Victim undeniably deserves far greater attention from modern sci-fi fans.

1) Seconds (1966)

The 1960s saw the release of many great sci-fi movies that everyone forgets about, but Seconds stands out as one of the most notable examples. Taking sci-fi ideas and spinning them into a deeply psychological horror movie, Seconds follows a disillusioned middle-aged banker who undergoes an experimental procedure to give him an entirely new identity and look. Though Seconds maintains a dedicated cult following, only a relative few modern sci-fi fans have even heard of the film, which is a genuine travesty, as it’s one of the 1960s best and most overlooked science fiction movies.

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