Science fiction has been a popular genre for decades, and really lets our imaginations soar. Whether the movie is set on a distant planet or on a spaceship, it’s thrilling to see characters explore the universe, while still showing a human side of things that audiences can relate to. One interesting part of watching sci-fi movies – especially ones from long ago – is seeing how those movies pictured the future, and whether any of their visions have come to pass. Along with the imagined futures of travel and technology, food is also prominent in many sci-fi movies. Some movies invented completely different kinds of food, while others updated typical food with technological innovations. Here’s an exploration of some of the best-looking food in sci-fi movies, in no particular order.
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6 Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster – The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (1981)
BBC Two
Based on the novel by Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is a 1981 miniseries that Adams created. It stars Simon Jones as Arthur Dent, a man saved from Earth’s destruction and sent out into space with an alien friend. Featured in the miniseries is the Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster, an alcoholic drink with the title of “Best Drink in Existence.” In the book, it’s described as “expensive and bad for the head,” and the 1981 version presents an expensive-looking drink with a greenish-gold color in a fancy glass. It’s pretty and enticing, a drink worthy of its title.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
5 Romulan Ale – Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
Paramount Pictures
Nicholas Meyer’s Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is a sequel to the original Star Trek movie. This movie focuses on the characters from the original series as they take on their deadly foe, Khan. Romulan Ale is a strong alcoholic drink with a distinctive blue color that sets it apart and makes it cool. It is actually said to be illegal in the film, which makes the drink even more enticing and interesting. A blue liquor is a perfect example of an elevated normal drink, and has a special and powerful look to it.
4 Blue Bantha Milk – Star Wars (1977)
20th Century Fox
This blue milk made its debut in George Lucas’ Star Wars, which kicked off the long-running franchise. Before Mark Hamill’s Luke Skywalker becomes a Jedi and embraces his destiny, he eats with his aunt and uncle, featuring the blue milk. It appears thicker than our normal milk – almost like a milkshake – and comes in a pretty light blue color. It’s exciting and different, but still desirable to audiences. It has remained a popular piece of Star Wars – so popular that, according to Nerdist, Disney World created a version for their Galaxy’s Edge theme park.
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3 Microwave Chicken – The Fifth Element (1997)
Gaumont Buena Vista International
The Fifth Element is directed by Luc Besson, with Bruce Willis starring as a 23rd century taxicab driver who must team up with a young woman named Leeloo (Milla Jovovich), to recover stones that will protect Earth from an attack. Aside from the movie’s memorable fashion – which features, according to Grailed, 1,000 costumes – there’s also a memorable food scene. For lunch, Leeloo puts a food pill in the microwave, and opens it to reveal a full roast chicken. It’s a blend of a typical meal with futuristic science behind it, a way for the audience to recognize the food and marvel at its convenient creation.
2 Dehydrated Pizza – Back to the Future Part II (1989)
Universal Pictures
Back to the Future Part II is Robert Zemeckis’ sequel to the beloved 1985 film. It sees Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) lead Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox), and his girlfriend, Jennifer (Elisabeth Shue), into the future to help their children. At the McFly family’s future home, dinner is served in the form of a dehydrated pizza. This pizza dinner is probably the closest to something we’d eat in the present, but with a high-tech twist. What starts out as a small, dehydrated pizza from a packet spends a few seconds in the hydrator and emerges as a steaming, full-sized pizza topped with peppers and pepperoni. The movie takes something familiar and updates it into an enviable instant pizza that would be a dream come true for people.
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1 Noodle Bar – Blade Runner (1982)
Warner Bros.
Director Ridley Scott adapted Philip K. Dick’s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? into the hit Blade Runner. The movie stars Harrison Ford as Rick Deckard, a detective who hunts down Replicants with artificial intelligence. Early in the movie, Rick visits a noodle bar. The bowl of noodles he eats seems to be simple, and something audiences can recognize even in the futuristic setting. The appeal lies in the bar itself, with its cyberpunk aesthetic and memorable neon dragon sign. It captures the futuristic, neo-noir vibe of the movie perfectly, and creates an intriguing place that anyone would want to eat at.
