Looking back on science fiction movies can be hard sometimes. Unfortunately, many science fiction movies don’t age well, especially a lot of the sci fi movies from the 80’s.
However, their are also a TON of great movies from the 1980’s too. 1982 was a peculiarly and particularly good year for science fiction movies. Many of these sci-fi movies have become classics and cult classics.
So without further ado, here are seven (7) great science fiction films from 1982.
1) Blade Runner:
This movie seems to age better and better with every day. In many ways Ridley Scott’s epic tale of the future based on Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Phillip K. Dick, defined intelligent, 1980’s science fiction. The performances of Harrison Ford, Sean Young, Rutger Hauer and Darryl Hannah were incredible and the art direction and moodiness of this movie leave you with a very realistic feel for this industrial, cold future.
Blade Runner will be discussed and debated for many years to come–every version of it.
2) The Masters of Time:
Rene Laloux is the master of bizarre and fantastic, though provoking science fiction cartoons. He teams up with comic book legend and Heavy Metal Magazine superstar, Moebius to dish out a time bending tale of outer space travel, love, heroism, sacrifice and the proverbial philosophical questions of existence. It’s a great cartoon with some creepy villains and some serious time travel twists and turns. It’s a good trip.
3) The Thing:
John Carpenter’s The Thing was a scary movie to watch as a kid in the 80’s. It defines the horror science fiction genre with it’s nasty evil blood curdling alien rampage. Kurt Russel, Keith David, Wlifred Brimley and an all star cast of cinema veterans make this movie stand the test of time. This is one of the best sci-fi movies ever and in my opinion, certainly didn’t need a remake. The special effects of the time were cutting edge and have aged some but it doesn’t take away the awesomeness of this movie.
4) Swamp Thing:
Campy? Yes. BUT there is something so awesome about this Swamp Thing movie that makes the cheesiness lovable. The sad story of humanitarian scientist Doctor Alec Holland is a wonderful modern tale of Beauty and the Beast. Based on the popular DC comics character, Swamp Thing is an awesome 1980’s sci-fi movie that pays homage to those great creature feature science fiction films of the 1950’s. But those movies didn’t have Adrianne Barbeau, monsters and midget pigs.
5) Tron:
Jeff Bridges and Bruce Boxlightner. Two men that had no idea at the time they’d be a part of the revolutionary computer world that would go on to be such a classic, that finally gave birth to a sequel nostalgia twenty years later. Tron was groundbreaking science fiction movie in it’s design and imagining of the video game age that was still very new at the time the movie was made. To me it will always feel like a living Atari game and it will no doubt continue to live on. Great sci-fi movie and still visually impressive after all of these years.
6) Star Trek II – The Wrath of Khan
The best Star Trek movie EVER! KHAAAAAAN! It was juicy in plot, secrets and death. In this movie we saw the return of arch-villain Khan, the torturing of Chekov by an alien ear parasite, the reveal of Kirk’s illegitimate son and ultimately his death and the biggest kick to the nuts–the death of Mr. Spock. Bust on Shatner all you want but he was top notch in this movie. As far as science fiction movies go, this one had it it all as well as the crowning achievement in the Star Trek movie franchise by far.
7) Zapped:
Goofy comedy, sex, science fiction and high school nerds…how does that sound for an ass kicking combo? And an ass kicking science fiction comedy, this movie was. Zapped was great with Scott Baio and Willie Aames as two teenage dweebs trying to make it out of high school alive is a wonderful start for a movie. But it gets crazy when Baio’s nerdy character, Barney accidentally creates a formula that gives him telekinetic magic powers. No bra or panties are safe! Zapped is a great sci-fi goof-fest with an 80’s flavor that make sit even better now than in 82.
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