1950s Sci-Fi Movies That Are Actually Still Worth Watching

So fire your ray gun and spin up your flying saucer. We're digging into the past to find the nine 1950s sci-fi movies that are still worth streaming. We watched all of them!

Where To Stream Them

Free on the Internet Archive:
The War of the Worlds (1954)
Godzilla (1954)
The Day The Earth Stood Still (1951)
This Island Earth (1955)
Them! (1954)
Plan 9 From Outer Space

Rent Or Buy On Amazon:
Forbidden Planet (1956)
The Blob (1958)

Available On Disney+:
20,000 Leagues Under The Sea

[williamThatGuy]

Nice, you only forgot 1951s "The Thing From Another World." And 1956s "Invasion of the Body Snatchers." Thanks for reminding me of watching movies with my grandfather.

[Serai]

Hard to believe "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" isn't on here. One of the best allegories about mind control ever made.

[randallphobia]

Forbidden Planet is one of my all time favorite movies.
The Day the Earth Stood Still is an excellent allegory.

[nigelikin]

For me, one of the greatest sci-fi films of the 1950's is The Incredible Shrinking Man. So well made and the ending when he discovers his place in the universe, always has me in tears

[krakow]

"Forbidden Planet" is one of my all-time faves. The 1953 War of the Worlds is STILL scary.

[WayneMueller-iewu]

I'll put Forbidden Planet and The Day the Earth Stood Still up against any modern piece of commercialized schlock we have today.

[kronos-]

I think 1951s "The Thing from Another World" should have made the list.

[CraigCholar]

Being a gent of the ancient variety, I first saw all of these movies in 60s while growing up. I loved 'em all then, and love 'em all now. A few movies worth a mention are Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Journey to the Center of the Earth, and the Quatermass Xperiment. Lastly, thanks for using an actual human to read the narration. Much appreciated!

[ADeCosa]

Although its first release was in London in the middle of 1960, I'd still include the classic "Village of the Damned". British sci-fi was always thought-provoking, and VotD is a standout!

You forgot The Thing From Another World.
Well written, well acted, well directed and scary as hell.

[snsdkbopper]

Invaders From Mars has always been one of my favorite Sci Fi movies from the 50s.

[starlost]

Here are a few others, Conquest of Space, Destination Moon, When worlds Collide, Invasion of the Saucer Men, It Came from Outer Space and The Incredible Shrinking Man . These are all movies I grew up on. Keep up the good work, would like to see more lists of classic movies.

[MathersS-ol]

The Day the Earth Stood Still was also written during the time of the 'red scare' when one a select group of those in control of the country were seeing their enemies everywhere and would go to any ends to justify what they were doing. I recommend this movie to any sci-fi fan as it also explores how panicky and easily manipulated we are as a species and how there are those in power (or want power) that exploit that for their gains. This 1951 movie is timeless in its writing and still very very relevant today.

[Phase]

I watched the 1951 "War Of the Worlds" again for about the 100th time; but this time on the new 65" flat screen. WOW! It's STILL blows the boring Speilberg remake right out of the water. The sound of the martian eye/heat ray gun turning slowly, ping, ping, ping .... still gives me chills. (A guitar chord played backwards I believe).
A personal favourite: "The Monolith Monsters". A meteor lands in the desert. It consumes water. And people are mostly water. The effects that went into seeing giant crystalline monoliths growing and crashing and growing again scared the bejesus out of me as a kid. Sadly, living in Australia showing on TV were few and far between, and stopped altogether with the introduction of colour in 1974; thank goodness for DVDs. and later BDs. Always get a hard copy.

[artdonovandesign]

I see that all of us here are of a certain age. ('52 here.)
I LOVED these films. I Loved the people, the magnificent sets and the stellar props - with a hint of deco design.
Forb. Planet.
Day the Earth.
This Island Earth. Etc.
The 50s were so alive with those Americans who came back from WWll. (My Dad fought in Italy and France.) The Generation that _created_ these films truly were
*The Greatest Generation*

[bja]

+++ You forgot "When Worlds Collide" [1951] and also "The Thing From Another World" [1951] - two of the greatest sci-fi films of the 1959s +++

[polemeros]

I saw the blob when I was 10 years old. I could not sleep for a week. Scared the hell out of me. The big monster movies like Godzilla always let you know when the beast was coming. It was big and loud. But the blob was absolutely silent and could enter your bedroom under the door and devour you alive. A great film like, them. And the best of them all, forbidden planet. I have a copy of that, and I watch it at least once a year. What’s astonishing is that Leslie Nielsen, who made his name as a comedian, comes across as a very believable leading man.Great effects, great story, a wonderful film.

[lancecampbell]

Thing from another world and When Worlds collide are two more great ones. Well acted, a lot of issues covered and beautifully filmed

[normanriggs]

THEM and Forbidden planet are the best!! The day the earth stood still is right with. them. GOOD TIMES!!

[annnichols]

I still enjoy watching "The Deadly Mantis", "The Giant Claw" (snicker), "Tarantula", "The Crawling Eye, " "It Conquered the World", "It Came From Outer Space", and "The Monolith Monsters" (thank you, Svengoolie).