Now is a great time to stock up on your favoritesci-ficlassics! For those who still cherish their physical media collection (because you never know how long something is going to stick around on a streaming service),Amazon has some great dealson old-schoolsci-fimovies that helped to make the genre it is today. Retro sci-fi has a very particular vibe to it that calls back to a time of practical effects and pulpy poster art, so these films are great additions to any massive sci-fi fan’s collection!
There are movies on sale from the 1980s to as far back as the 1960s, and we’ve picked out the most well-known and iconic films for this list, so you can easily add the staples to your collection. If you’ve been missing these speculative fiction classics, now is the perfect time to catch up!
Lost In Space
Based on the 1960s television show of the same name (which itself was adapted fromThe Swiss Family Robinson),Lost In Spacetells a tale where Earth’s fate is in the hands of one all-American family. On their journey to start a new colony, they run into problems and find themselves in danger from aliens and a plotting villain.
Contact
This iconic film comes from director Robert Zemeckis and follows Dr. Ellie Arroway, a scientist who finds evidence of extraterrestrial life out in the universe and makes first contact. This film is a must-watch for genre fans, not least because of the impeccable talent in front of the camera. Jodie Foster and Matthew McConaughey star in the lead roles.
Forbidden Planet
This is the perfect pick if a fan wants to go retro with their next sci-fi movie night!Forbidden Planetis a sci-fi classic that pioneered many elements that have become staples in the genre. Those include space travel in a light-speed spaceship and the traveler’s arrival on a planet in a whole other solar system.There’s even a robot character — the first on film to be human-like and have a personality!
The Abyss
James Cameron directed this sci-fi adventure film from 1989, which follows an American search and recovery team who, along with an oil platform crew, search for a missing submarine. However, the deeper they go into the ocean, the more unexpected things they find. This movie was nominated for 4 Academy Awards and won for Best Visual Effects.
Demolition Man
This film stars Sylvester Stallone and Wesley Snipes, playing two characters who were sentenced to cryogenic freezing. When evil crime lord Simon Phoenix (Snipes) escapes after being thawed for a parole hearing, he finds a world where crime has been virtually eliminated. Now that society cannot deal with him, they must also thaw out John Spartan (Stallone) to help capture Phoenix once again.
Logan’s Run
This retro sci-fi classic takes place in a society that looks like a total utopia but is revealed to be a chilling dystopia. The illusion is created by controlling resources and population, which means killing people once they reach the age of 30. The story follows Logan 5, whose job has been to eliminate those who attempt to escape death, but who is now facing his own termination.
The Time Machine
Based on H.G. Wells' classic novel of the same name,The Time Machinefollows an inventor who creates a device that allows him to travel to the future. Instead of a futuristic society, he finds that mankind has split itself into two species, the peaceful Eloi and the more aggressive Morlocks, who live underground and feed on the Eloi. This story is incredibly iconic and is probably well-known to big fans of the genre.
The Postman
This post-apocalyptic adventure movie stars Kevin Costner and takes place in the near-future (at least, for 1997) of 2013. It’s 16 years after the apocalypse, and plague ravages the United States, when a nomadic drifter comes across the uniform of a postal service worker and inspires the hope for a “Restored America.” It’s a classic dystopian hero’s journey with a legendary near-3 hour run-time.
Purgatory
It’s not often that you see sci-fi and westerns mix so obviously, but it’s a lot of fun when they do. This film follows a group of outlaws who find a mysterious town in a hidden valley where the residents resemble dead Western heroes but reject vices like swearing, alcohol, and violence.Purgatoryexplores what it means to become a legend and what that says about human values.
Innerspace
This classic sci-fi comedy from 1987 explores the human body — quite literally! When a marine is scientifically shrunken and injected into the body of a hypochondriac store clerk, he must find a way out and outwit the people who shrunk him in the first place. Directed by Joe Dante,Innerspacestars Dennis Quaid, Meg Ryan, and Martin Short.
The Island of Dr. Moreau
H.G. Wells is known for creating some of the most important works in the sci-fi genre, andThe Island of Dr. Moreauis certainly no exception. This 1996 adaptation follows a U.N. negotiator (played by David Thewlis) who becomes stranded on an island inhabited by a mad scientist (Marlon Brando) who creates horrifying hybrid creatures of humans and animals.
Batman 4 Film Collection
While some 20th-centuryBatmanmovies are criticized for being cheesy, they do a great job of capturing that campy comic book feeling on screen, and they feel like spiritual successors to retroBatmancartoons. For anyone who’s a fan of these films, why not pick up this multi-pack set that includes 4 iconicBatmanmovies:Batman,Batman Returns, Batman Forever,Batman and Robin? By the end of this sequence, the films are certainly drawing on the sci-fi and fantasy parts of the legend of the Dark Knight.
B-Movie Prices for A-List Classics
No matter what kind of sci-fi floats your spaceship, there are some fantastic deals and discounts here, so grab these movies while they’re still available! Don’t forget to check out Amazon’s30-day trial of Primeif you’re not already signed up, so you can take advantage of their fast and free shipping.
Amazon is constantly updating its prices based on what’s in stock, so these deals might not stick around forever. It’s best to get them right away if any of these sci-fi classics catch your eye, as you don’t want them to disappear before experiencing these strange new worlds!
FAQs
What Was The First Sci-Fi Movie?
The first science fiction film is considered to be Georges Méliès’A Trip to the Moonin 1902. Sci-fi, along with horror, was a genre that helped early filmmakers push the boundaries of the new medium. Drawing on influences like Jules Verne and H. G. Wells, Méliès' movie has a 9-minute run-time if viewed at 24 frames per second (roughly the speed of modern movies).
Has A Sci-Fi Movie Ever Won A Best Picture Oscar?
While the fantasy genre has managed to grab the major Academy Award thanks to Peter Jackson’sReturn of the Kingin 2003, the Best Picture award has eluded sci-fi movies. There have been prominent nominees in recent years, including Denis Villeneuve’sArrival(2016) andDune(2021). However, the closest was probably Alfonso Cuarón’s Gravity (2013). While Cuarón picked up the Best Director award, the film was beaten to the top prize by Steve McQueen’s12 Years a Slave.
