From cult classics to charming family movies to bone-chilling horror, the '80s were a golden
age of fantastic alien films. If you're looking to revisit an amazing decade of entertainment,
then check out this must watch list of the best alien movies from the '80s.
The Thing follows a group of scientists stranded
at an isolated research base in the frozen landscape of Antarctica. Unfortunately, the
scientists have company. Their unwelcome guest happens to be an alien that crash-landed on
Earth thousands of years ago. The crew soon realizes that the creature can
copy any living being, and with this monster among them, it's every man for himself.
"When this thing attacked our dogs, it tried to digest 'em. Absorb them. And in the process
shape its own cells to imitate them." Their own paranoia might be their downfall,
if the alien doesn’t get them first. That's what makes watching The Thing so terrifying.
Whether it’s running from the alien or fighting amongst themselves, the tension between the
crew members and their sense of unease never let up. After watching the harrowing final
scenes of the movie, you might just catch yourself looking over your shoulder, wondering
who you can really trust.
The thought of descending into the deepest parts of the ocean is frightening enough,
but what if you encountered an alien spaceship waiting for you at the bottom? This is the
terrifying concept that director James Cameron explores in his science fiction film The Abyss.
When a crew of investigators is sent in to salvage a sunken American submarine and discover
what happened, a member of the team spots something unusual. What starts as a strange
light moving around the ocean floor leads to the realization that these explorers are
surrounded by an entity beyond their understanding. As the mystery unravels, the crew doesn't
know whether or not this otherworldly being could pose a threat. This uncertainty and
the difficulty of their mission risks turning members of the team against each other, which
could result in disaster miles below the ocean's surface.
The plot of The Abyss draws you in, but the special effects really make this film stand
out. James Cameron was a pioneer when it came to experimenting with computer generated special
effects. Although some scenes may look a bit dated now, the film was groundbreaking on
a technical level. The stunning, surreal visuals of the deep will stay with you long after
the final scenes.
Aliens begins with Ripley, waking up from stasis, 57 years after the events of Alien.
When questioned about the events leading up to her long sleep, her employers are in disbelief
when she tells them what happened to her and the deadly xenomorphs she had to face. Well,
too bad: there's a strange planet that's suddenly gone dark, and they want her to lead a team
to investigate. Ripley warns the powers that be of the risk
they face, but her employers are skeptical that any more of these creatures exist. But
when she winds up on the deserted planet with a group of gung-ho space marines, she comes
face-to-face with her worst nightmare: A planet filled with the same terrifying monsters she
fought before. The first Alien film brought a strong, complex
female protagonist to the big screen, and it would've been a shame to wrap up her story
after just one movie. In Aliens, Ripley is even more empowering, and fans get to see
a different side of her as she fights alongside hardened soldiers. Aliens turns Ripley into
one of the greatest action heroes of all time.
Somewhere in the jungles of Central America, an elite American mercenary team is on a mission
to rescue a foreign official and his aide. These mercenaries soon discover that they've
got a bigger problem on their hands when an unseen threat begins stalking them through
the jungle. They're being hunted, and this predator's
ability to track its prey with thermal imaging and to cloak itself completely leaves them
nowhere to hide. It will take everything they have to survive their battle with an enemy
unlike anything they've encountered before. Predator is a brilliant combination of both
slasher and action genres, and it was pretty horrific for the actors as well. From being
bitten by red ants to passing out due to heat, the cast endured extreme conditions during
filming, and it shows in the intensity of their performances.
When a random drifter, credited only as "Nada,"
arrives in Los Angeles, it feels like something strange is in the air. On Nada's second night
in the city, a hacker takes control of the television stations.
"They are safe as long as they are not discovered. That is their primary method of survival.
Keep us asleep. Keep us selfish. Keep us sedated." Nada happens upon the meeting of an underground
group connected to the hacker, and he snags a pair of special glasses from their stash.
When he puts them on, he discovers that the citizens of Los Angeles are not who they seem
to be. They Live will prompt you to think critically
about the systems that shape our lives, and reflect on how we're influenced to make choices
by factors beyond our control. The film has plenty of action, too. A six-minute-long fight
scene between Nada and his skeptical buddy Frank, is often cited as one of the best in
cinema.
In 1977, the space probe Voyager 2 carried a golden record into space with messages proclaiming
that human beings are a peaceful species and welcomed visitors to Earth. In John Carpenter’s
film Starman, an alien ship intercepts the probe, and the crew decides to take humanity
up on its offer. Naturally, their arrival doesn't go as planned,
and the ship is shot down by the military. The sole survivor of the crash clones the
body of a recently deceased man so he can blend in on this strange planet he has become
stranded on. The Starman takes on the dead man's name Scott, and connects with his widow
Jenny who is initially terrified of the alien and his strange powers.
However, Jenny eventually realizes that Scott has no ill-intent and begins to fall for him.
Together, they set off on a cross-country adventure to help the Starman return to his
home planet. The idea of an on-screen alien romance could
have come across as gimmicky or cringe-inducing, but Carpenter handles this narrative with
sensitivity. Scott and Jenny form a genuine bond, and you end up rooting for them to stay
together somehow, even though these star-crossed lovers are from two completely different worlds.
Alex Rogan lives with his family in a small
trailer park, and after being rejected for a scholarship feels like his life is destined
to go nowhere. There isn't too much to do in his small town, so he spends most of his
time playing the arcade game Starfighter. Alex becomes an expert, and eventually sets
the all-time high score. That's when his life starts to get interesting.
He's approached by a man named Centauri, the creator of the game. Centauri offers Alex
a prize for his victory: A ride in his incredible car. Alex accepts without realizing that he's
just agreed to a real, intergalactic battle with stakes much higher than the video game.
Centauri's car is actually a spaceship, and Alex is about to embark on the adventure of
a lifetime. What makes The Last Starfighter stand out
among its '80s peers? Alex is an "everyman," so it's easy to imagine yourself embarking
on a cosmic adventure with him. Plus, the addition of some very interesting alien designs
and a sense of '80s earnestness, The Last Starfighter is a fun film for science fiction
fans of all ages.
If you're in the mood for a flick that will make you laugh with its absurdity, Killer
Klowns from Outer Space is the perfect choice for movie night. The premise is pretty simple.
A group of aliens that look suspiciously like clowns land on Earth and decide to kill as
many humans as possible. Everything about Killer Klowns from Outer
Space is absurd. Their spaceship looks like a circus tent, and they kill their victims
in the most bizarre ways. The alien-clown's weapons are as weird as their motivations.
They use evil shadow puppets, deadly pies, popcorn guns, and even some truly terrifying
cotton candy to unleash terror on their unsuspecting victims.
Nothing about the movie should make sense, but somehow the combination of macabre circus
entertainers and science fiction creates a hilarious piece of cinema that's hard to look
away from. Killer Klowns from Outer Space was directed by the Chiodo brothers. And while
this low budget b-movie masterpiece was the only thing they ever directed, they definitely
created something truly memorable for the cheesy movie fan in all of us.
Ben Crandall tends to fall asleep after watching
science fiction movies at night. Whenever Ben dreams, he sees himself soaring above
the clouds. His flight is somehow made possible by a large circuit board below him. Ben sketches
diagrams of the circuit board from his dreams and shows them to his friend, Wolfgang Muller.
Wolfgang happens to be a child prodigy, and if anyone can help Ben bring his visions to
life, it's Wolfgang. "I tied in to my father's computer and the
modem and filled in some details on your drawing." "Mm. It's mostly guess work."
As the boys slowly figure out how to put together a space ship that just might launch them into
orbit, the authorities catch on. But Ben and Wolfgang refuse to give up on their quest
to explore the stars. Since this list is about alien movies, we suspect you've figured out
that Ben and his friends succeed in meeting a few strange creatures.
Explorers is a cult classic that found its audience after it left theatres with its unique
coming-of-age tale and stellar performances of its young stars.
When a quiet, law-abiding citizen robs a bank
and murders every security guard inside, Detective Thomas Beck is assigned the case. However,
the Los Angeles cop finds he has company when FBI Agent Lloyd Gallagher shows up on the
scene. Together, the two have to figure out what’s
causing otherwise normal people to become rampaging maniacs. Unfortunately for the bank
robber, he's become host to an evil alien presence, and once discovered, this parasitic
life form starts body-hopping, killing anyone who gets in its way.
The Hidden can't be defined by one genre. Whether you're interested in sci-fi, horror,
or action, you'll be drawn in by this film’s odd twists and turns. Just when you think
you know what's about to happen next, The Hidden turns your expectations upside down.
In Ron Howard's classic sci-fi movie Cocoon,
we learn about a group of aliens called the Antareans that lived on Atlantis. When the
lost kingdom sank, most of the Antareans went back to their home planet. However, they left
behind 20 cocoons at the bottom of the ocean. Now, the Antareans have come back to collect
the cocoons, and for temporary storage, they rent a home with a pool and "charge" the water
with their life force. When a couple of elderly residents from a
nearby retirement home sneak in for a swim, they realize that all of their aches and pains
have faded away. They feel young again and rejuvenated, and their newfound knowledge
leads to a life-changing decision. Within the sci-fi genre, Cocoon is a true
original. Every aspect of the film seems to break the mold for stories about aliens. Even
the fact that it’s centered around the lives of senior citizens with aspirations of life
after retirement is unique. The Antareans may be at the center of the movie, but Cocoon
is a human story at heart.
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is a beloved family film, and watching it today will make anyone
who grew up in the 80s feel nostalgia for their childhood. It's considered one of Steven
Spielberg's best movies, it often shows up on lists of the greatest films ever made.
The movie opens with a small group of aliens exploring a California forest. When a team
of government agents startles the explorers, the aliens flee. In their haste, they leave
one of their own behind. Not long after, a young boy named Elliott finds the frightened
castaway hiding in his tool shed. Elliott gains the trust of the extra-terrestrial,
and with the help of his siblings, they keep their new friend a secret. Although E.T. is
curious about life on Earth, he misses his home planet and longs to rejoin his people.
Can the kids help him get home before it's too late? Or will their secret be exposed
before they can fulfill E.T.'s wish? Check out one of our newest videos right here!
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