When it comes to science fiction cinema, it’s generally thought that the 1970s or 1980s were the decades in which the genre really took off, so to speak. We may be partial to the ’70s, with its Star Wars and its Alien. Or we may, following Gizmodo, fawn over the ’80s - Blade Runner, The Terminator, and so much more. But both of these decades owe something to the more modest, unassuming sci-fi of the ‘60s.

A time of great change - especially when it comes to international cinema - the 1960s were a truly spectacular time for film. The French New Wave had its heyday, and Hollywood began to give way to the younger mavericks of the New Hollywood. These artistic movements rubbed off on the genre of science fiction. Though fun, schlocky, “B-movie” sci-fi was still being made in the ‘60s, major auteurs began to try their hand at the genre. And it would never be the same again. These are the best science fiction films of the 1960s, ranked.

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8 Fahrenheit 451 (1966)

     Rank Film Distributors

Based on Ray Bradbury’s classic novel, Fahrenheit 451 is a sparkling sci-fi adaptation from French auteur François Truffaut. It was a larger scale production than Truffaut was used to, but he did a fine job capturing the spirit of Bradbury’s dystopian world. If not always technically competent, Fahrenheit 451 is a marker of the state of science fiction cinema in the 1960s. In particular, it showcases the increasing ambitiousness of directors working with the genre.

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7 Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964)

     Toho Co

A classic Japanese monster, or “kaiju,” movie, Mothra vs. Godzilla is the best in a series of Godzilla films that were released in the 1960s. Though we wouldn’t quite say that the special effects hold up today, they represent the pinnacle of Toho’s kaiju production efforts at the time. Its nonstop monster-on-monster (and military-on-monster) action doesn’t hurt either. Depending on the level of your Godzilla fandom, you can either watch the series chronologically, or skip straight to this one.

6 Alphaville (1965)

     Athos Films

Leave it to the French to bring science fiction and arthouse sensibilities together in one picture. Part futuristic sci-fi dystopia and part shadowy noir, Alphaville is Jean-Luc Godard’s contribution to a burgeoning genre. It’s a long way from Star Wars, to be sure, but Godard is able to conjure the future without relying on special effects or constructed sets (per Pop Matters). Lead actors Eddie Constantine and Anna Karenina (Godard’s longtime muse) give the film its human center, meaning you may like it even if you don’t like sci-fi.

5 La Jetee (1962)

     Argos Films

La Jetée is an early example of time travel done right. It centers on a post-World War III project to send someone back in time to prevent the conflict. But don’t expect a standard narrative film here. French director Chris Marker chose to create La Jetée using only still images - so instead of recorded footage we get photographs spliced together in sequence. Sometimes, its rapid editing suggests movement where there is none. It’s fitting, we think, that a movie about a radical scientific experiment is so radically experimental.

4 Seconds (1966)

     Paramount Pictures

John Frankenheimer’s Seconds is a film that asks: What if we could be someone else? What if we became someone else and then changed our minds? Like an episode of The Twilight Zone, Seconds follows its ideas to their logical (and perhaps illogical) conclusions. It’s a concept-heavy film that nevertheless probes deeply into human realities. It carries with it a stern reminder to be careful what you wish for, because you might just get it.

3 Planet of the Apes (1968)

     20th Century Fox

When we talk about classic sci-fi, we must invariably mention Planet of the Apes. Based loosely on a novel of the same name, it’s a richly imagined version of a world overrun by (surprise!) apes. Beyond its iconic costuming and special effects work, the film’s heart lies in its investigation of humanity. It prompts us to think about our place in the universe, our treatment of animals and plant life, and our ceaseless tendency towards destruction and violence. Spawning a mammoth film franchise, the original Planet of the Apes deserves all the praise we can give it and more.

2 Night of the Living Dead (1968)

     Continental Distributing

Yes, George Romero’s Night of the Living Dead is both a horror film and a science fiction film. Remember the reason behind the dead returning to life? Well, it’s thanks to radiation from an exploded Venus space probe. With its classic sci-fi setup and iconic horror aesthetics, Night of the Living Dead brings together two genres that seem like a match made in heaven. And in Romero’s vision, they are. We have him to thank for all the zombie media to follow.

1 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

     MGM

This is it - 2001: A Space Odyssey - the greatest of all ’60s sci-fi and one of the most influential films ever made. In Kubrick’s hands, science fiction attains the level of high art. Every frame is meticulously crafted; every set or model is rendered in stunning detail. It’s one of the few sci-fi movies to regularly top “best films of all time” lists; and watching it today, it’s easy to see why. No other film from this period has aged as gracefully in terms of effects work, and few (if any) have surpassed it in terms of aesthetic grandeur. It is, in short, a cinematic masterpiece and the best science fiction movie of the 1960s.