Science fiction as a genre can trace its roots to early mythology and fantasy works. One of the oldest examples is A True Story by the 2nd-century Greek satirist, Lucian. The genre saw few additions until the Scientific Revolution when works such as Johannes Kepler’s Somnium and Margaret Cavendish’s The Blazing World were born. Following this, we see an expansion of the genre with novels like Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, Jules Verne’s Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, and many additions to the genre by H. G. Wells, who many consider to be the father of the contemporary science fiction genre.

With the genre’s emphasis on technology, the new medium of film in the early 20th century was a perfect fit. One of the first films to align itself with the science fiction aesthetic was Georges Méliès’s 1902 film, A Trip to the Moon. The effects employed in this film inspired the works of many future filmmakers and set off a series of films with a unique and peculiar look and feel, all utilizing practical effects and “trick photography.” Here are the best special effects in early 20th-century films, ranked.

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8 Homunculus (1916)

     Deutsche Bioscop GmbH

Although this is a serial film, it still received a theatrical release in six parts between 1916 and 1917. This German silent film was directed by Otto Rippert, with Fritz Lang serving as one of his assistants at the time. Homunculus is written by Robert Reinert and follows a scientist’s creation of a living, human-like, creature called a Homunculus, and its subsequent rampage while the scientist hunts to capture and destroy it. The special effects featured in this film are few, but there are some interesting techniques used in some of the more action-heavy sequences. The real aesthetic accomplishment here is the set design; the film features a handful of beautiful buildings and structures as well as some captivating landscape shots.

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7 Flash Gordon (1936)

     Universal Pictures

This 1936 serial film was shown in 13 separate segments and was directed by Frederick Stephani. Originally based on the comic strip created by Alex Raymond in 1934, the chapters follow Flash as he defends Earth from the evil emperor Ming. The series features spaceships, alien landscapes, and futuristic weapons. The set design is wonderfully done, and the different chapters utilize a lot of material from other universal productions of the same time including a laboratory from The Invisible Ray and a dance segment from The Midnight Sun.

6 Frankenstein (1931)

Frankenstein is a film directed by James Whale and is originally based on Mary Shelly’s 1818 novel. The film was a box-office success, in part from Shelly’s gripping, and now well-known story, but also for its iconic make-up effects. The character, Frankenstein’s distinct and recognizable look can be attributed to the designer, Jack Pierce, who created the scarred skin and large foreheaded monster. Additionally, the scene in which Frankenstein is created garnered much attention for the electrical effects used, and the studio continued to use the machine for the subsequent Frankenstein films that were made.

5 Things to Come (1936)

     United Artists

Things to Come is a 1936 British film directed by William Cameron Menzies and written by H.G. Wells. The story here is based on some of Wells’ previous works including The Shape of Things to Come, A Story of the Days to Come, and The Work, Wealth and Happiness of Mankind. The film is a look at humankind anticipating, participating in, and following a world war that leaves much of civilization in shambles. The war scenes portrayed in this film are quite spectacular for the time, featuring warplanes, explosions, and abstract shots of futuristic machinery. Bauhaus experimental filmmaker László Moholy-Nagy was brought onto the project to produce some of the more technical compilations including a montage of industrial work shot similarly to a light show.

4 Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931)

     Paramount Pictures

This 1931 horror film was directed by Rouben Mamoulian and is based on the 1886 novella The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde written by Robert Louis Stevenson. The film follows a good-natured scientist who tests drugs on himself, which turns him into an evil creature. In this film, the most impressive special effect is the transformation of the scientist, Dr. Jekyll, into Mr. Hyde, which partially takes place onscreen without cuts. In combination with some impressive physical acting, you are able to see Dr. Jekyll’s skin tone change and bags form around his eyes, an effect produced by combining different shades of makeup and a series of color filters that could be used to expose the makeup. The film ultimately won an Academy Award and inspired a 1941 remake that also found success at the box office.

3 The Invisible Man (1933)

     Universal Pictures Corp.

This is another James Whale-directed horror film and is based on an H.G. Wells book of the same name. The film was released in 1933 and tells the story of a mad scientist who has discovered the ability to turn himself invisible and his plot to take over the world, starting with terrorizing and killing people. The process of creating the effect of the invisible man was kept secret at the time but consisted of the actor wearing all black and acting in front of a black background; these shots were then superimposed over the actual shots of the film where objects moving around the room were controlled with wires.

2 A Trip to the Moon (1902)

     Lobster Films

This is one of the earliest presentations of the science fiction genre in cinema and made a lasting impression on film-goers and the movie industry as a whole. The film was released in 1902 and directed by Georges Méliès. The film is reminiscent of a play with huge and detailed set pieces and many actors onscreen at once. The story is based on Jules Verne’s 1865 novel From the Earth to the Moon and the sequel Around the Moon, as it follows a group of astronomers’ expedition to the moon and the alien creatures they encounter there. The special effects in this film are numerous and consist of pyrotechnics, superimposition, and the “substitution splice technique” where the camera stops filming, something onscreen is replaced, and then the camera resumes operation. The film was one of the most popular of the 20th century and remains an influential piece of cinema history.

1 Metropolis (1927)

     Parufamet

Metropolis is a 1927 film directed by Fritz Lang and written by Lang and Thea von Harbou, who originally wrote a novel in 1925 with the same name. The class-conscious film takes place in a hugely industrialized city where the son of one of the city’s masters falls in love with a working-class woman. The special effects in this film are outstanding for the time. Lang utilizes miniature models of the futuristic city for establishing shots and uses mirrors to make it appear as though the city is occupied. The set and costume design is unique; the robot featured in the film was designed by sculptor Walter Schulze-Mittendorff and still holds up today. The film originally received mixed reviews, in part for its context within Germany at the time of release and praise from Nazi sympathizers. The film has since gained much praise for its technological feats and is regarded as one of the most influential films in existence.