Genre-defining sci-fi films that pushed the envelope

Genre-defining sci-fi films that pushed the envelope





Sci-fi films are back in the spotlight again thanks to Christopher Nolan's latest, Interstellar. Nolan is a huge fan of Stanley Kubrick and his film has many references to Kubrick's own 2001: A Space Odyssey, which has been described as one of the best sci-fi films of all time and set a benchmark. Here are a few more sci-fi gems that we won't be forgetting any time soon... 

 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY
What was special: Technical brilliance that was well ahead of its time.
Stanley Kubrick's vision in this film was both magnificient as well as genre-defining. Never before had such a film been attempted. And yet, the film was not about laser gun battles and space ships exploding but more of a philosophical kind that inspired as much discussion as the universe inspires wonder. There were obvious references to the inevitability of human evolution as well as the dangers of relying too much on technology . And so, Kubrick proved to be well ahead of his time.There was something different about his film -depth and passion. Perhaps that is why this film is considered essential for anyone with a casual or academic interest in film in general or science fiction in particular.


STAR WARS: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
What was special: Creating a new ecosystem of fantasy alien worlds and characters.
This film managed to overcome `the curse of the sequel' which essentially is about the fact that sequels never manage to live up to the buzz or profitability that the first film made. There are plenty of such examples. But this one spawned a million memes in the present day -right from the opening scene despicting the Hoth battle to the famous dialogue between Darth Vader and Luke, where he tells Luke that he is his father, The Empire Strikes Back is simply unforgettable when it comes to sci-fi films.


PREDATOR
What was special: Arnold's brand of action blended with alien sci-fi thrills.
This is one of Arnold Schwarzenegger's best-known films and deserves mention as it blended sci-fi with Arnie's own brand of action. The sense of dread that the film evoked -that of the hunting party becoming the hunted -as well as the slashergore element made this one a big hit. The screenplay is tight, the script is economical, Arnie's quips are all in place and the final battle sequence between him and the alien makes for some gripping cinema.


THE ABYSS
What was special: The underwater special effects and aliens.
James Cameron again pushed the boundaries of cinema with the famous alien sequence that had a u d i e n c e s enthralled at the time. Seen today , it still elicits admiration and wonder. It was this `wow factor' as well as the drama that is played out when the crew are inside the oil rig that is deep underwater.The portrayal of the descent into the abyss in the submersible was also chilling.


E.T.
What was special: The alien was a good guy for a change.
E.T. managed to tread the fine line between sweetness and sweetness overload. We also see a very young Drew Barrymore in here in one of her early screen appeareances. screen appeareances.Utterly captivating and also unique, this was a sci-fi film that didn't treat aliens as some sort of entity that one should be terrified of. Here, we saw an alien that cured things and conquered with kindness, so to speak. The children in this film are not afraid of E.T. himself in the least; it is only the adults who are suspicious. This film was a massive hit and is essential viewing in Steven Spielberg's canon of films.



STAR WARS
Plenty of adjectives have been used to describe George Lucas's iconic and groundbreaking series of films. More accessible than Kubrick's magnum opus, the first one had crossover appeal with kids as well as adults. It presented alien worlds in a manner that had not been seen on screen ever before.While Odyssey made you pause and reflect, this one left you fascinated with its pure, unabashed fun. And it also managed to build a galaxy-spanning ecosystem of imaginary worlds.


ALIEN
What was special: The first sci-i film to have a female actor play such a badass role
The idea of a crew aboard a spaceship somewhere far out in the galaxy being stalked by a hideous monster isn't new. But the film made waves with the idea of a tough female lead (Ripley) brilliantly portrayed by Sigourney Weaver.


GRAVITY
What was special: Apart from the superb performances, the immersive effects.
Sandra Bullock won an Oscar for her role in this fantastic film the portrayed the cold, dark reality of space in a manner that had never been seen (or `experienced', rather) on screen before. The film is the closest you can come to being in space, while on planet Earth.


EVENT HORIZON
What was special: It very effectively combined horror with deep space sci-fi.
This one deserves mention as although it wasn't as much of a monster hit compared to the other movies in this list, it has in time grown in stature to become something of a cult favourite. And how can we forget the fact that Event Horizon melded sci-fi and horror so effectively (also it also was one of, if not the first sci-fi films to mention things like `Event Horizons') so as to give you a fortnight's worth of scares.