List of Science-fiction Films of The 1950s

A list of science fiction films released in the 1950s. These films include core elements of science fiction, but can cross into other genres. They have been released to a cinema audience by the commercial film industry and are widely distributed with reviews by reputable critics.

This period is sometimes described as the 'classic' era of science fiction theater. Much of the production was in a low-budget form targeted at a teenage audience. Many were formulaic, gimmicky, comic-book style films. They drew upon political themes or public concerns of the day, including depersonalization, infiltration, or fear of nuclear weapons. Invasion was a common theme, as were various threats to humanity.

Two of the films from this decade, The War of the Worlds (1953) and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954) won Academy Awards, while Destination Moon (1950) and The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957) won Hugo Awards.


1950 • 1951 • 1952 • 1953 • 1954 • 1955 • 1956 • 1957 • 1958 • 1959
1950
Title Director Cast Country Sub-Genre/Notes
Destination Moon Irving Pichel Warner Anderson, John Archer, Tom Powers
Flying Disc Man from Mars Fred C. Brannon Kent Fowler, Gregory Gaye Serial film
The Flying Saucer Mikel Conrad Mikel Conrad, Pat Garrison, Hanz von Teuffen
The Invisible Monster Fred C. Brannon Stanley Price, Richard Webb, Aline Towne, Lane Bradford Serial film
Prehistoric Women Gregg G. Tallas Laurette Luez, Allan Nixon, Joan Shawlee
Rocketship X-M Kurt Neumann Lloyd Bridges, Osa Massen, John Emery
Two Lost Worlds Norman Dawn, Norman Kennedy James Arness, Laura Elliott
1951
Title Director Cast Country Sub-Genre/Notes
Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man Charles Lamont Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Nancy Guild
Captain Video: Master of the Stratosphere Spencer Gordon Bennet, Wallace Grissell Judd Holdren, Gene Roth Serial film
The Day the Earth Stood Still Robert Wise Michael Rennie, Patricia Neal, Hugh Marlowe, Sam Jaffe
Five Arch Oboler William Phipps, Susan Douglas, James Anderson
Flight to Mars Lesley Selander Marguerite Chapman, Cameron Mitchell, Arthur Franz
Lost Continent Sam Newfield Cesar Romero, Hillary Brooke, Chick Chandler
Lost Planet Airmen Fred C. Brannon Tristram Coffin, Mae Clark, I. Stanford Jolley
The Man from Planet X Edgar G. Ulmer Robert Clarke, Margaret Field, Raymond Bond
The Man in the White Suit Alexander Mackendrick Alec Guinness, Joan Greenwood, Cecil Parker, Michael Gough, Ernest Thesiger
Mysterious Island Spencer Gordon Bennett Richard Crane, Marshall Reed, Karen Randle, Ralph Hodges Serial film
Superman and the Mole Men Lee Sholem George Reeves, Phyllis Coates, Jeff Corey
The Thing from Another World Christian Nyby Margaret Sheridan, Kenneth Tobey, Robert Cornthwaite
Unknown World Terrell O. Morse Bruce Kellogg, Marilyn Nash, Jim Bannon, Otto Waldis
When Worlds Collide Rudolph Mate Richard Derr, Barbara Rush, Peter Hansen, John Hoyt
1952
Title Director Cast Country Sub-Genre/Notes
Alraune Arthur-Maria Rabenalt Hildegarde Neff, Erich Von Stroheim
April 1, 2000 Wolfgang Liebeneiner Hilde Krahl, Joseph Meinrad, Curd Jürgens
Captive Women Stuart Gilmore Robert Clarke, Margaret Field, Gloria Saunders
The Jungle William A. Berke Rod Cameron, Cesar Romero, Marie Windsor
Radar Men from the Moon Fred C. Brannon George Wallace, Aline Towne, Roy Barcroft Serial film
Red Planet Mars Harry Horner Peter Graves, Andrea King, Orley Lindgren
Untamed Women Merle W. Connell, James R. Connell Mikel Conrad, Doris Merrick, Richard Monahan
Zombies of the Stratosphere Fred C. Brannon Judd Holdren Serial film
1953
Title Director Cast Country Sub-Genre/Notes
Abbott and Costello Go to Mars Charles Lamont Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Mari Blanchard
Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Charles Lamont Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Boris Karloff
The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms Eugene Lourie Paul Christian, Paula Raymond, Cecil Kellaway
Cat-Women of the Moon Arthur D. Hilton Sonny Tufts, Victor Jory, Marie Windsor, Carol Brewster
Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the Universe Harry Keller, Franklin Adreon, Fred C. Brannon Judd Holdren, Aline Towne Serial film
Donovan's Brain Felix E. Feist Lew Ayres, Gene Evans, Nancy Davis
Four Sided Triangle Terence Fisher Barbara Payton, John Van Eyssen, Percy Marmont
Invaders from Mars William Cameron Menzies Jimmy Hunt, Arthur Franz, Helena Carter
It Came from Outer Space Jack Arnold Richard Carlson, Barbara Rush, Charles Drake
The Lost Planet Spencer Gordon Bennet Judd Holdren, Vivian Mason, Michael Fox Serial film
The Magnetic Monster Curt Siodmak Richard Carlson, King Donovan, Harry Ellerbe
Mesa of Lost Women Herbert Tevos, Ron Ormond Jackie Coogan, Richard Travis, Allan Nixon, Mary Hill
The Neanderthal Man Ewald Andre Dupont Robert Shayne, Doris Merrick, Richard Crane
Phantom from Space W. Lee Wilder Ted Cooper, Rudolph Anders, Noreen Nash
Port Sinister Harold Daniels James Warren, Lynne Roberts, Paul Cavanagh
Project Moonbase Richard Talmadge Donna Martell, Hayden Rorke, Ross Ford
Robot Monster Phil Tucker George Nader, Claudia Barrett, Selena Royle
Spaceways Terence Fisher Howard Duff, Eva Bartok, Alan Wheatley
The Twonky Arch Oboler Hans Conried, Billy Lynn, Gloria Blondell, Janet Warren
The War of the Worlds Byron Haskin Gene Barry, Ann Robinson, Les Tremayne, Lewis Martin
1954
Title Director Cast Country Sub-Genre/Notes
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Richard Fleischer Kirk Douglas, James Mason, Paul Lukas
Crash of Moons Hollingsworth Morse Richard Crane, Sally Mansfield, Robert Lyden, Scotty Beckett, Patsy Parsons
Creature from the Black Lagoon Jack Arnold Richard Carlson, Julia Adams, Richard Denning, Antonio Moreno
Devil Girl from Mars David MacDonald Patricia Laffan, Hugh McDermott, Adrienne Corri
Gojira Ishirō Honda Akira Takarada, Momoko Kôchi, Takashi Shimura
Gog Ivan Tors Richard Egan, Constance Dowling, Herbert Marshall
Killers from Space W. Lee Wilder Peter Graves
Monster from The Ocean Floor Wyott Ordung Anne Kimball, Stuart Wade, Dick Pinner
Riders to the Stars Richard Carlson William Lundigan, Herbert Marshall
Snow Creature W. Lee Wilder William Phipps
Stranger From Venus Burt Balaban Patricia Neal, Helmut Dantine, Derek Bond
Target Earth Sherman A. Rose Richard Denning, Kathleen Crowley, Virginia Grey
Them! Gordon M. Douglas James Whitmore, Edmund Gwenn, Joan Weldon, James Arness
Tobor the Great Lee Sholem Charles Drake, Karin Booth, Billy Chapin
1955
Title Director Cast Country Sub-Genre/Notes
The Beast with a Million Eyes David Kramarsky Paul Birch, Lorna Thayer, Dona Cole, Dick Sargent
Bride of the Monster Edward D. Wood, Jr. Bela Lugosi, Tor Johnson, Tony McCoy, Loretta King
Creature with the Atom Brain Edward L. Cahn Richard Denning, Angela Greene, S. John Launer
Conquest of Space Byron Haskin Walter Brooke, Eric Fleming, Mickey Shaughnessy
Day the World Ended Roger Corman Richard Denning, Lori Nelson, Paul Birch, Touch Connors
Godzilla Raids Again Motoyoshi Oda Hiroshi Koizumi, Minoru Chiaki
It Came from Beneath the Sea Robert Gordon Kenneth Tobey, Faith Domergue, Donald Curtis
King Dinosaur Bert I. Gordon Douglas Henderson, Patti Gallagher
Monster Snowman Ishirō Honda Akira Takarada, Akemi Negishi
The Quatermass Xperiment Val Guest Brian Donlevy, Jack Warner, Richard Wordsworth, Margia Dean
Revenge of the Creature Jack Arnold John Agar, Lori Nelson, John Bromfield, Nestor Paiva
Tarantula Jack Arnold John Agar, Mara Corday, Leo G. Carroll, Nestor Paiva
This Island Earth Jack Arnold, Joseph Newman Jeff Morrow, Faith Domergue, Rex Reason
1956
Title Director Cast Country Sub-Genre/Notes
1984 Michael Anderson Edmond O'Brien, Jan Sterling, Michael Redgrave, Donald Pleasence
The Beast of Hollow Mountain Edward Nassour, Ismael Rodríguez Guy Madison, Patricia Medina, Carlos Rivas
The Black Sleep Reginald Le Borg Basil Rathbone, Akim Tamiroff, Herbert Rudley, Patricia Blake, Lon Chaney, Jr., John Carradine, Bela Lugosi, Tor Johnson
The Creature Walks Among Us John Sherwood Jeff Morrow, Rex Reason, Leigh Snowden
Earth vs. the Flying Saucers Fred Sears Hugh Marlowe, Joan Taylor, Donald Curtis, Morris Ankrum
Fire Maidens from Outer Space Cy Roth Anthony Dexter, Susan Shaw
Forbidden Planet Fred Wilcox Walter Pidgeon, Anne Francis, Leslie Nielsen
The Gamma People John Gilling Paul Douglas, Eva Bartok, Leslie Phillips
Godzilla, King of the Monsters! Terrell O. Morse, Ishirô Honda Raymond Burr, Takashi Shimura, Akira Takarada, Kenji Sahara, Momoko Kochi
Indestructible Man Jack Pollexfen Lon Chaney, Jr., Max Showalter, Marian Carr
Invasion of the Body Snatchers Don Siegel Kevin McCarthy, Dana Wynter, King Donovan
It Conquered the World Roger Corman Peter Graves, Beverly Garland, Lee Van Cleef
The Man Who Turned to Stone László Kardos Victor Jory, William Hudson -
The Mole People Virgil Vogel John Agar, Cynthia Patrick, Hugh Beaumont, Nestor Paiva
The Phantom from 10,000 Leagues Dan Milner Kent Taylor, Cathy Downs, Michael Whalen
Sora no Daikaijū Radon Ishirō Honda Kenji Sahara. Yumi Shirakawa, Yoshifumi Tajima
Uchūjin Tokyo ni Arawaru Koji Shima Keizo Kawasaki, Toyomi Karita, Bin Yagasawa
World Without End Edward Bernds Hugh Marlowe, Nancy Gates, Rod Taylor
X the Unknown Leslie Norman Dean Jagger, Edward Chapman, Leo McKern
1957
Title Director Cast Country Sub-Genre/Notes
20 Million Miles to Earth Nathan H. Juran William Hopper, Joan Taylor, Frank Puglia, John Zaremba
The 27th Day William Asher Gene Barry, Valerie French, George Voskovec
She Devil Kurt Neumann Albert Dekker, Jack Kelly, Mari Blanchard
The Amazing Colossal Man Bert I. Gordon Glenn Langan, Cathy Downs, William Hudson
The Astounding She-Monster Ronnie Ashcroft Jeanne Tatum, Ewing Brown, Robert Clarke
Attack of the Crab Monsters Roger Corman Richard Garland, Pamela Duncan, Russell Johnson
Beginning of the End Bert I. Gordon Peter Graves, Peggie Castle, Morris Ankrum
The Black Scorpion Edward Ludwig Richard Denning, Mara Corday, Carlos Rivas
The Brain from Planet Arous Nathan H. Juran John Agar, Joyce Meadows, Robert Fuller
The Cyclops Bert I. Gordon James Craig, Gloria Talbott, Lon Chaney, Jr.
The Deadly Mantis Nathan H. Juran Craig Stevens, William Hopper, Alix Talton
From Hell It Came Dan Milner Tod Andrews, Tina Carver, Linda Watkins
The Giant Claw Fred Sears Jeff Morrow, Mara Corday, Morris Ankrum
Half Human Ishirō Honda, Kenneth G. Crane John Carradine, Morris Ankrum
The Incredible Shrinking Man Jack Arnold Grant Williams, Randy Stuart, April Kent
Invasion of the Saucer Men Edward L. Cahn Steve Terrell, Gloria Castillo, Frank Gorshin, Lyn Osborne
The Invisible Boy Herman Hoffman Richard Eyer, Philip Abbott, Diane Brewster
Kronos Kurt Neumann Jeff Morrow, Barbara Lawrence, John Emery, George O'Hanlon
The Land Unknown Virgil Vogel Jock Mahoney, Shawn Smith, William Reynolds
The Monolith Monsters John Sherwood Grant Williams, Lola Albright, Les Tremayne
Monster from Green Hell Kenneth G. Crane Jim Davis
The Monster That Challenged the World Arnold Laven Tim Holt, Audrey Dalton, Hans Conried
The Mysterians Ishirō Honda Kenji Sahara, Yumi Shirakawa, Momoko Kochi
The Night the World Exploded Fred Sears Kathryn Grant, William Leslie, Tristram Coffin
Not of This Earth Roger Corman Paul Birch, Beverly Garland, Morgan Jones
Quatermass 2 Val Guest Brian Donlevy, John Longden, Sid James
The Strange World of Planet X Gilbert Gunn Forrest Tucker, Gaby Andre, Martin Benson
The Unearthly Brooke Peters John Carradine, Myron Healey, Allison Hayes
The Unknown Terror Charles Marquis Warren John Howard, Mala Powers, Paul E. Richards, May Wynn
1958
Title Director Cast Country Sub-Genre/Notes
Attack of the 50 Foot Woman Nathan H. Juran Allison Hayes, William Hudson, Yvette Vickers
Attack of the Puppet People Bert I. Gordon John Agar, Michael Mark, Jack Kosslyn
The Blob Irvin Shortess Yeaworth, Jr. Steve McQueen, Aneta Corsaut, Earl Rowe
The Brain Eaters Bruno Ve Sota Ed Nelson, Alan Frost, Jack Hill
The Colossus of New York Eugène Lourié Ross Martin, Mala Powers, Charles Herbert
The Day the Sky Exploded Paolo Heusch Paul Hubschmid, Fiorella Mari, Gerard Landry, Dario Michaelis
Doroga K Zvezdam Pavel Klushantsev Georgi Solovyov
Earth vs. the Spider Bert I. Gordon Ed Kemmer, Gene Persson, Gene Roth
The Electronic Monster Montgomery Tully Rod Cameron, Mary Murphy, Meredith Edwards
The Fabulous World of Jules Verne Karel Zeman Lubor Tokos, Jana Zatloukalová
Fiend Without a Face Arthur Crabtree Kynaston Reeves, Marshall Thompson, Terry Kilburn
The Fly Kurt Neumann Vincent Price, Patricia Owens, Herbert Marshall
Frankenstein 1970 Howard W. Koch Boris Karloff, Tom Duggan, Jana Lund
From the Earth to the Moon Byron Haskin Joseph Cotten, George Sanders, Debra Paget
The H-Man Ishirō Honda Yumi Shirakawa, Kenji Sahara, Akihiko Hirata
I Married a Monster from Outer Space Gene Fowler Tom Tryon, Gloria Talbott, Ken Lynch
It! The Terror from Beyond Space Edward L. Cahn Marshall Thompson, Shawn Smith, Kim Spalding
The Lost Missile Lester William Berke Robert Loggia, Ellen Parker, Philip Pine
Missile to the Moon Richard E. Cunha K. T. Stevens, Richard Travis, Lisa Simone
The New Invisible Man Alfredo B. Crevenna Arturo de Córdova, Ana Luisa Peluffo, Raúl Meraz
Night of the Blood Beast Bernard Kowalski Michael Emmet, Angela Greene, John Baer
Queen of Outer Space Edward Bernds Zsa Zsa Gabor, Laurie Mitchell, Eric Fleming
Space Master X-7 Edward Bernds Robert Ellis, Bill Williams, Lyn Thomas
Teenage Cave Man Roger Corman Robert Vaughn, Leslie E. Bradley, Frank de Kova
Teenage Monster Jacques R. Marquette Anne Gwynne, Stuart Wade
The Trollenberg Terror Quentin Lawrence Forrest Tucker, Laurence Payne, Janet Munro
Varan the Unbelievable Ishirō Honda Tsuruko Kobayashi, Kôzô Nomura, Ayumi Sonoda
War of the Colossal Beast Bert I. Gordon Sally Fraser, Dean Parkin, Roger Pace
War of the Satellites Roger Corman Susan Cabot, Richard Devon, Eric Sinclair
1959
Title Director Cast Country Sub-Genre/Notes
The 30 Foot Bride of Candy Rock Sidney Miller Lou Costello, Dorothy Provine, Gale Gordon
4D Man Irvin Shortess Yeaworth, Jr. Robert Lansing, Lee Meriwether, James Congdon
The Angry Red Planet Ib Melchior Gerald Mohr, Les Tremayne, Nora Hayden
The Atomic Submarine Spencer Gordon Bennet Arthur Franz, Dick Foran, Brett Halsey
Attack of the Giant Leeches Bernard Kowalski Jan Shepard, Gene Roth, Yvette Vickers
Battle Beyond the Sun Mikhail Kozyry Aleksandr Shvorin, Ivan Pereverzhev
Battle in Outer Space Ishirō Honda Ryo Ikebe, Koreya Senda
The Cosmic Man Herbert Greene Bruce Bennett, John Carradine, Angela Greene
First Man into Space Robert Day Marshall Thompson, Marla Landi, Bill Edwards
Giant Gila Monster Ray Kellogg Don Sullivan, Lisa Simone, Fred Graham
Gigantis the Fire Monster Paul Schreibman Hiroshi Koizumi
Have Rocket, Will Travel David Lowell Rich Jerome Cowan, Anna-Lisa, Curly Joe DeRita
The Head Victor Trivas Michel Simon, Horst Frank, Christiane Maybach
Herrin der Welt William Dieterle Martha Hyer, Lino Ventura, Wolfgang Preiss, Gino Cervi
The Hideous Sun Demon Robert Clarke Robert Clarke, Patricia Manning, Nan Peterson
Invisible Invaders Edward L. Cahn John Agar, Jean Byron, Philip Tonge, Robert Hutton, John Carradine
Journey to the Center of the Earth Henry Levin Pat Boone, James Mason, Arlene Dahl, Diane Baker
The Killer Shrews Ray Kellogg James Best, Ken Curtis, Ingrid Goude
The Manster George Breakston, Kenneth G. Crane Peter Dyneley, Jane Hylton, Satoshi Nakamura, Terri Zimmern
The Man Who Could Cheat Death Terence Fisher Anton Diffring, Christopher Lee
The Monster of Piedras Blancas Irvin Berwick Les Tremayne, Forrest Lewis, John Harmon
Monster on the Campus Jack Arnold Arthur Franz, Joanna Cook Moore
On the Beach Stanley Kramer Gregory Peck, Ava Gardner, Fred Astaire
Plan 9 from Outer Space Edward D. Wood, Jr. Bela Lugosi, Mona McKinnon, Gregory Walcott, Vampira
Return of the Fly Edward Bernds Vincent Price, Brett Halsey, John Sutton
Teenagers from Outer Space Tom Graeff David Love, Dawn Anderson, Harvey B. Dunn
The World, the Flesh and the Devil Ranald MacDougall Harry Belafonte, Inger Stevens, Mel Ferrer

Famous quotes containing the words list of, list and/or films:

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