100 essential SF B-movies, as chosen by you!

[Kester Pelagius]

35. The Shape of Things to Come - If you've seen the Buck Roger's in the 25th Century Episode "Planet of the Slave Girls" then you MUST watch this movie.  If you've never seen the episode then you MUST rent it along with this movie.  Jack Palance stars in both.  His character is almost identical.  The circumstances are almost identical, save here he's threatening New Washington (which is located on the MOON!) with robot design knock-offs taken from Disney's The Black Hole.  I kid you not!  If you liked Cosmos: War of the Planets, Star Odyssey, or any of Alfonso Brescia's spaghetti space opera's then you'll want to see this.  It's just as wacky, though the costumes are slightly better.  (No silly caps.)

 

[Scott123]

I nominate The Giant Gila Monster ... great 50s cheesy flick. Couple of my others already made the list.

[Psycho Circus]

33. Attack Of The Killer Tomatoes

[JaseSF]

32. Monster Zero: Godzilla, Rodan and Ghidrah become pawns of Devo-like aliens from the Planet X in their attempt to take over the Earth. An inventor's noise making device unexpectedly proves to play a key part in the upcoming battle for the Earth.

[JJ80]

No.31 - "Horror Of The Blood Monsters" + circa 150 other titles. Directed by anti-genius Al Adamson this starts out like a vampire horror film with a gang of bloodsuckers stalking humans in backalleys at night. Then it becomes a space adventure, then develops into a lost world/caveman escapade! It features John Carradine, psychedelically tinted monster and action footage from at least three other movies (naturally including "One Million B.C") and a cheesy opening narration by one "Brother Theodore"!

[JaseSF]

# 30. PAJAMA PARTY (1964): Yes it's a beach party movie only this film actually features Tommy Kirk as a Martian on a mission to scout the best means of invasion...soon he finds himself distracted by babes in bikinis in particular the one and only Annette Funicello. All in all, it's actually Susan Hart who steals the show here with her sexy dancing. Other notables appearing include Elsa Lanchester, Buster Keaton, Dorothy Lamour, Teri Garr, Frankie Avalon and Don Rickles.

[Kester Pelagius]

# 30. PAJAMA PARTY (1964): Yes it's a beach party movie only this film actually features Tommy Kirk as a Martian on a mission to scout the best means of invasion...soon he finds himself distracted by babes in bikinis in particular the one and only Annette Funicello. All in all, it's actually Susan Hart who steals the show here with her sexy dancing. Other notables appearing include Elsa Lanchester, Buster Keaton, Dorothy Lamour, Teri Garr, Frankie Avalon and Don Rickles.

I'm not sure I've seen this one and since you saved it for the top 30 I might as well ask (before my head explodes)  . . .

PAJAMA PARTY?

You've identified the genre as "beach party movie", none of which were serious movies by any stretch of the imagination, to the best of my recollection.  Fun family oriented tongue-in-cheek comedies, maybe.   Is the "martian" more than just a punch line, a joke element, sort of like how they used to portray beatniks and hippies?  I mean what is "science fiction" about this movie?

For example PRINCESS WARRIOR had a light sabre duel at the beginning (before becomng totally cheapjack crap) and BEACH BABES FROM BEYOND used recycled stock footage of space ships et al.  What are the science fiction elements here?  Are there techno gadgets?  Futuristic SFX?  UFOs?  What elevates this "beach party movie" to the rarefied heights of SF?

Please tell me it's more than just some dorky comedian dressing up in a cheapjack silver lamé "spacesuit" and calling himself an martian; because you know I'm going to look for this now and watch it.  (Have to.  It has Don Rickles in it!)  Anyway I'll round the list out by officially nominating. . .

29. BEACH BABES FROM BEYOND - It's sort of like SLAVEGIRLS FROM BEYOND INFINITY, only set on a beach and sans the homage to THE DEADLY GAME so, uhm, lots of, t, and, a, uhm. . . binkini's. . .

 

[Allhallowsday]

D'okay... METROPOLIS sits elbow to elbow with THE ASTOUNDING SHE MONSTER and FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE SPACE MONSTER... and FORBIDDEN PLANET sits next to CLASS OF NUKE 'EM HIGH...    Now PAJAMA PARTY?

If your list was intended to simply be essential Science Fiction, then at least a few are missing, and as I'd already stated, "B" should BE defined... hey, but that's just my opinion.    

Here's one that might meet any criteria: THE INVISIBLE RAY (1936)

[Kester Pelagius]

D'okay... METROPOLIS sits elbow to elbow with THE ASTOUNDING SHE MONSTER and FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE SPACE MONSTER... and FORBIDDEN PLANET sits next to CLASS OF NUKE 'EM HIGH...    Now PAJAMA PARTY?

I gave up trying to figure these nominations out a long while ago.  I am going to look for this "Pajama Party" flick though because I am curious to see how a "beach party movie" manages to not only qualify as SF but as "essential" SF viewing.

If our list was intended to simply be essential Science Fiction, then at least a few are missing, and as I'd already stated, "B" should BE defined... hey, but that's just my opinion.    

Riddle me this how does an hack opus like "Vampire Men of the Lost Planet" get a nod as "essential" SF viewing but not Al Adamson's CINDERELLA 2000?  That's the Al Adamson flick I'd have gone with.  :shrug:

That said. . .

27. Event Horizon

[Allhallowsday]

D'okay... METROPOLIS sits elbow to elbow with THE ASTOUNDING SHE MONSTER and FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE SPACE MONSTER... and FORBIDDEN PLANET sits next to CLASS OF NUKE 'EM HIGH...    Now PAJAMA PARTY?

I gave up trying to figure these nominations out a long while ago.  I am going to look for this "Pajama Party" flick though because I am curious to see how a "beach party movie" manages to not only qualify as SF but as "essential" SF viewing.

If our list was intended to simply be essential Science Fiction, then at least a few are missing, and as I'd already stated, "B" should BE defined... hey, but that's just my opinion.    

Riddle me this how does an hack opus like "Vampire Men of the Lost Planet" get a nod as "essential" SF viewing but not Al Adamson's CINDERELLA 2000?  That's the Al Adamson flick I'd have gone with.  :shrug:

That said. . .

27. Event Horizon

Of course, "our" list.   

So, how does #28 THE WAR OF THE WORLDS (1953) also get overlooked? 

[JaseSF]

To be truly honest, I don't think of WAR OF THE WORLDS, FORBIDDEN PLANET, THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL, METROPOLIS, THE TERMINATOR, INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS, SILENT RUNNING or FIVE MILLION YEARS TO EARTH as "bad". In fact, all of them would probably make my essential 100 good SF films. One could make a case to say that they are "B-movies" (at least in essence).

So O.K. PAJAMA PARTY is a questionable inclusion but it's a Beach Party movie that does feature a Martian character. It's cheesy as heck and my favourite of all the Beach Party films. In many wars, the film MARS NEEDS WOMEN (1966), also starring Tommy Kirk, is largely based upon the same concepts although is more clearly in the Sci-Fi genre perhaps. It's an arguable point. If everyone would prefer to replace it with MARS NEEDS WOMEN, I'd be satisfied with said change. Although truth be told, PAJAMA PARTY is a lot more fun to watch.

[Kester Pelagius]

So, how does #26 THE WAR OF THE WORLDS (1953) also get overlooked? 

The same way #24 STAR CRYSTAL does?

[Kester Pelagius]

To be truly honest, I don't think of WAR OF THE WORLDS, FORBIDDEN PLANET, THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL, METROPOLIS, THE TERMINATOR, INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS, SILENT RUNNING or FIVE MILLION YEARS TO EARTH as "bad". In fact, all of them would probably make my essential 100 good SF films. One could make a case to say that they are "B-movies" (at least in essence).

Remember what I said in the first post they don't have to be "bad" for this list.  Just essential SF B-movies, meaning these should be the sort of movies that YOU love so much you'd recommend to friends, neighbors, an strangers on the street. 

Keyword: SF  (science fiction, science fantasy, et al)

So O.K. PAJAMA PARTY is a questionable inclusion but it's <...> cheesy as heck and my favourite of all the Beach Party films. In many wars, the film MARS NEEDS WOMEN (1966), also starring Tommy Kirk, is largely based upon the same concepts although is more clearly in the Sci-Fi genre perhaps. It's an arguable point. If everyone would prefer to replace it with MARS NEEDS WOMEN, I'd be satisfied with said change. Although truth be told, PAJAMA PARTY is a lot more fun to watch.

Does anyone second this motion?

As I've never seen the movie I abstain.

[Allhallowsday]

So O.K. PAJAMA PARTY is a questionable inclusion but it's <...> cheesy as heck and my favourite of all the Beach Party films. In many wars, the film MARS NEEDS WOMEN (1966), also starring Tommy Kirk, is largely based upon the same concepts although is more clearly in the Sci-Fi genre perhaps. It's an arguable point. If everyone would prefer to replace it with MARS NEEDS WOMEN, I'd be satisfied with said change. Although truth be told, PAJAMA PARTY is a lot more fun to watch.

Does anyone second this motion?  As I've never seen the movie I abstain. 

I don't blame you!  I've seen both films, and I think they're equally... uhm, "bad." 

To be truly honest, I don't think of WAR OF THE WORLDS, FORBIDDEN PLANET, THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL, METROPOLIS, THE TERMINATOR, INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS, SILENT RUNNING or FIVE MILLION YEARS TO EARTH as "bad". In fact, all of them would probably make my essential 100 good SF films. One could make a case to say that they are "B-movies" (at least in essence).

Bad?  Bad?!?      The list was "SF B-movies" and I'd already lost the case about films on the list that I didn't think were either "bad" or, more to the point, "B"!! 

[JaseSF]

Hmm well I have to admit to some confusion with regards to this thread. I thought what was wanted was "so bad they're good" type films or "films you just gatta see to believe" instead of genuine good SF B-Movies. If we're supposed to go that route, a lot of 1950s SF certainly qualifies even THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD (a film I thought too good to name here) which features James Arness as the vegetable monster.