Science fiction films are filled with iconic moments that have ingrained themselves into our culture. Even people who don’t watch science fiction films, and may never have seen any of the movies on this list, will likely know at least half of the moments listed here, and they are iconic enough that I was able to find every single one on YouTube.
It’s hard to pick out just 20 moments from a genre as large and varied as this, and there’s any number that didn’t make the cut, which probably means that, in true sci-fi fashion, I’ll have to write a sequel.
Please note: I am not including super-hero films in this list. Those are really their own genre. So don’t come here expecting to see Iron Man or The Avengers. Nor are the Indiana Jones movies on here, since those aren’t even remotely sci-fi (except the last one). I am also limiting myself to only one scene from any given movie. If I didn’t, let’s face it, most of this would be made up of Star Wars and Alien films. So that in mind, let’s get started!
20. Soylent Green’s Secret Ingredient! (Soylent Green, 1973)
For reasons very unclear to me, people are perpetually worried about overpopulation, this despite the fact that you could fit everyone alive on Earth today into a space the size of Texas and give every family a house with a small yard. Anyhow, this population concern was very much on people’s minds back in the 1970s, and that produced this classic sci-fi film.
“Soylent green is people!” shouts out Charlton Heston’s character at the end of the film. Yes, it’s the far-off future of 10 years from now, where food has somehow become so scarce that people are eating people (there’s a song in there somewhere. “People…people who eat people…”). It’s really a very silly premise, but it works well as a movie and is really one of the great moments in sci-fi films.
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9 Comments
Great list. Number ten is one of my favourite scenes of all time. Breathtaking stuff.
Great list, agree with a lot of the selections. Glad the Enterprise scene from Star Trek The Motion Picture is in there.
Where’s “tears in the rain” from Blade Runner
Good point, some of the best dialogue ever written in that scene.
Here’s the thing: I didn’t like “Blade Runner”. At all. I saw it theatrically back in 1997 or 1998, and was left with zero memories of any notable scenes. I am aware that this makes me an outlier. :)
I disagree on many of your comments (I liked Prometheus and absolutely admire 2001) but I admit this is a great great list. Although of course it could have been much longer.
Brilliant list on the whole, though I cannot overlook the omission of ‘Blade Runner’ and the ‘tears in rain’ scene. At least you have a genuine reason though, in that you don’t like the film…it’s my absolute favourite film though, so bar that one missing entry – good job!
Take out Star Trek: First Contact and The Fifth Element and you’ve got a respectable list. I do agree that having no mention whatsoever of Blade Runner is inexcusable.
What Blade Runner?