View Poll Results: Favorite decade for sci-fi movies, 80’s or 90’s?
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Favorite decade for sci-fi movies, 80’s or 90’s?
08-08-20, 12:30 AM
#1
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Favorite decade for sci-fi movies, 80’s or 90’s?
80’s:
Escape from New York
The Terminator
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
Star Wars: Return of the Jedi
Predator
War Games
RoboCop
Blade Runner
David Cronenberg’s The Fly
2010
Dune
Aliens
The Running Man
The Last Starfighter
John Capentar’s The Thing
E.T.
Back to the Future
etc...
90’s:
Jurassic Park
The Matrix
Total Recall
12 Monkeys
Contact
Total Recall
The Fifth Element
Terminator 2: Judgement Day
Independence Day
Starship Troopers
Men in Black
Stargate
Gattaca
Event Horizon
Demolition Man
Dark City
The Arrival
Johnny Mnemonic
Flatliners
Delicatessen
Virtuosity
etc...
Escape from New York
The Terminator
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
Star Wars: Return of the Jedi
Predator
War Games
RoboCop
Blade Runner
David Cronenberg’s The Fly
2010
Dune
Aliens
The Running Man
The Last Starfighter
John Capentar’s The Thing
E.T.
Back to the Future
etc...
90’s:
Jurassic Park
The Matrix
Total Recall
12 Monkeys
Contact
Total Recall
The Fifth Element
Terminator 2: Judgement Day
Independence Day
Starship Troopers
Men in Black
Stargate
Gattaca
Event Horizon
Demolition Man
Dark City
The Arrival
Johnny Mnemonic
Flatliners
Delicatessen
Virtuosity
etc...
Last edited by OldBoy; 08-08-20 at 09:19 AM.
08-08-20, 12:38 AM
#2
DVD Talk Special Edition
Re: Favorite decade for sci-fi movies, 80’s or 90’s?
Don't forget the Star Trek movies.
08-08-20, 03:20 AM
#3
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Favorite decade for sci-fi movies, 80’s or 90’s?
You left out Terry Gilliam's Brazil (1985), which through inclusion alone makes the 80s a solid victory for me. Also Outland (1981), Runaway (1984), Innerspace (1987), The Hidden (1987), Enemy Mine (1985), Dreamscape (1984), Alien Nation (1988)...
80s sci-fi had their ups and downs but they never needed to fall back on overpowering CGI to prop up their stories
80s sci-fi had their ups and downs but they never needed to fall back on overpowering CGI to prop up their stories
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ddrknghtrtns (08-08-20)
08-08-20, 04:54 AM
#6
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Favorite decade for sci-fi movies, 80’s or 90’s?
80's had two of the original trilogy atar wars. movies so no contest.
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John Pannozzi (08-10-20)
08-08-20, 08:03 AM
#9
Re: Favorite decade for sci-fi movies, 80’s or 90’s?
Off the top of my head:
1980s:
Phoenix 2772
Toward the Terra
Mobile Suit Gundam movie trilogy
Space Adventure Cobra
Be Forever Yamato
Final Yamato
Galaxy Express 999
Adieu Galaxy Express 999
Urusei Yatsura: Beautiful Dreamer
Urusei Yatsura: Remember My Love
Urusei Yatsura: Lum the Forever
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind
Arcadia of My Youth
Laputa: Castle in the Sky
Ai City
Wicked City
Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack
Akira
1980s:
Phoenix 2772
Toward the Terra
Mobile Suit Gundam movie trilogy
Space Adventure Cobra
Be Forever Yamato
Final Yamato
Galaxy Express 999
Adieu Galaxy Express 999
Urusei Yatsura: Beautiful Dreamer
Urusei Yatsura: Remember My Love
Urusei Yatsura: Lum the Forever
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind
Arcadia of My Youth
Laputa: Castle in the Sky
Ai City
Wicked City
Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack
Akira
08-08-20, 08:08 AM
#10
DVD Talk Special Edition
Re: Favorite decade for sci-fi movies, 80’s or 90’s?
I was born in 89 and i have great memories of Terminator 2, Fifth Element , The Matrix and Jurassic Park is the reason I love movies and all those movies because of my family owning a rental store and i remember peoples excitement. So for that the 90s are my favorite but as far as quality movies I think the 80s would win for originiality and they used practical effects and didnt crutch on effects to make up for the lack of story.
08-08-20, 08:21 AM
#11
Re: Favorite decade for sci-fi movies, 80’s or 90’s?
I'll see that and raise Star Trek II, III, and IV (The Genesis Trilogy), Blade Runner, Aliens, The Terminator, The Abyss, Robocop, Back to the Future I and II, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, They Live, Nineteen Eighty Four (with John Hurt), 3 great sci-fi horror movie remakes (The Thing, The Fly, and The Blob), Videodrome, Repo Man, The Brother from Another Planet--and those are just the ones I can think of off the top of my head. What decade can go toe-to-toe with that in terms of sci fi movies? The 70s and 90s and had its share of good stuff, but I mean, come on...
Last edited by PatD; 08-08-20 at 10:02 AM.
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John Pannozzi (08-10-20)
08-08-20, 08:50 AM
#12
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Favorite decade for sci-fi movies, 80’s or 90’s?
80s for actual content. 90s for production values, even though a lot of it hasn't aged well as the CGI is very obvious. 80s movies used LOTS of practical effects and those hold up very well.
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John Pannozzi (08-10-20)
08-08-20, 11:31 AM
#14
Re: Favorite decade for sci-fi movies, 80’s or 90’s?
The 90’s had I Come in Peace, Directed by Craig Baxley. Ooooohlala. That might be the game changing title not mentioned to defeat the 80’s. I mean flying CDs as a projectile weapon... thats beating the 80s at its own game.. ok, probably not but it was aka Dark Angel as it’s alternative title or was it vice versa. I like The sound of I come in peace better, anyhow.
08-08-20, 01:24 PM
#15
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Re: Favorite decade for sci-fi movies, 80’s or 90’s?
The 90’s had I Come in Peace, Directed by Craig Baxley. Ooooohlala. That might be the game changing title not mentioned to defeat the 80’s. I mean flying CDs as a projectile weapon... thats beating the 80s at its own game.. ok, probably not but it was aka Dark Angel as it’s alternative title or was it vice versa. I like The sound of I come in peace better, anyhow.
08-08-20, 02:29 PM
#17
Re: Favorite decade for sci-fi movies, 80’s or 90’s?
That’s a pretty good sleeper title to add to the 90s underdog resume. I would like to sprinkle a dash of Soldier into the mix as well with Kurt Russell programmed to be the ultimate killing machine. I think the 90s can stretch this battle into game 7 with the overconfident and concieted 80’s.
08-08-20, 02:46 PM
#18
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Favorite decade for sci-fi movies, 80’s or 90’s?
I've got to go with the 80's here.
The 90's had some really good movies, and a lot of fun, entertaining stuff, but the 80's had fun movies AND movies of more substance. Sometimes the same movies (fun and substance).
The 90's had some really good movies, and a lot of fun, entertaining stuff, but the 80's had fun movies AND movies of more substance. Sometimes the same movies (fun and substance).
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John Pannozzi (08-10-20)
08-08-20, 03:29 PM
#19
Re: Favorite decade for sci-fi movies, 80’s or 90’s?
There were some classics in the 80s and 90s, and the 80s are the better of those 2 choices, but the *best* decade for SF was the 50s:
Invasion of the Body Snatchers
The Day the Earth Stood Still
Gojira
The Incredible Shrinking Man
Forbidden Planet
Them!
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
The Fly
The Curse of Frankenstein
The War of the Worlds
The Thing from Another World
Journey to the Center of the Earth
1984
Creature from the Black Lagoon
Monkey Business
The World, The Flesh, and The Devil
The Quatermass Xperiment
Quatermass 2
X The Unknown
Revenge of Frankenstein
The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms
When Worlds Collide
The Blob
Earth vs. The Flying Saucers
I Married a Monster from Outer Space
Not of This Earth
Rodan
Destination Moon
It Came from Beneath the Sea
Donovan's Brain
This Island Earth
The Crawling Eye
It! The Terror from Beyond Space (shares lots of similarities to Alien)
Kiss Me Deadly
A Journey to the Beginning of Time
The Man in the White Suit
On the Beach
And many, many more.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers
The Day the Earth Stood Still
Gojira
The Incredible Shrinking Man
Forbidden Planet
Them!
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
The Fly
The Curse of Frankenstein
The War of the Worlds
The Thing from Another World
Journey to the Center of the Earth
1984
Creature from the Black Lagoon
Monkey Business
The World, The Flesh, and The Devil
The Quatermass Xperiment
Quatermass 2
X The Unknown
Revenge of Frankenstein
The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms
When Worlds Collide
The Blob
Earth vs. The Flying Saucers
I Married a Monster from Outer Space
Not of This Earth
Rodan
Destination Moon
It Came from Beneath the Sea
Donovan's Brain
This Island Earth
The Crawling Eye
It! The Terror from Beyond Space (shares lots of similarities to Alien)
Kiss Me Deadly
A Journey to the Beginning of Time
The Man in the White Suit
On the Beach
And many, many more.
Last edited by BobO'Link; 08-08-20 at 03:34 PM.
08-08-20, 04:38 PM
#20
Inane Thread Master, 2018 TOTY
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Re: Favorite decade for sci-fi movies, 80’s or 90’s?
That’s a pretty good sleeper title to add to the 90s underdog resume. I would like to sprinkle a dash of Soldier into the mix as well with Kurt Russell programmed to be the ultimate killing machine. I think the 90s can stretch this battle into game 7 with the overconfident and concieted 80’s.
08-08-20, 05:19 PM
#21
Re: Favorite decade for sci-fi movies, 80’s or 90’s?
Really close poll! 
As mentioned in another thread, the 90s were a very good decade for sci-fi. But the 80s were by far my favorite. Probably a function of having grown up in the decade, but more movies (especially the first half of the decade) just have a magical feeling for me.
As mentioned in another thread, the 90s were a very good decade for sci-fi. But the 80s were by far my favorite. Probably a function of having grown up in the decade, but more movies (especially the first half of the decade) just have a magical feeling for me.
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John Pannozzi (08-10-20)
08-08-20, 05:43 PM
#22
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Favorite decade for sci-fi movies, 80’s or 90’s?
As much as I love the 90s movies, a lot of its sci-fi movies were marred by terrible CG and horrible virtual reality and techno/cyber thrillers (The Net, Virtuosity, Johnny Mnemonic, etc.) that aged so poorly they were questionable by the time they hit home video.
The 80s were really the last decade before CGI took over completely so although they may have some imperfect special effects, they somehow enhance the nostalgia factor for a lot of sci-fi. Practical effects just look better in general, which seems to have been conveniently forgettable by the 90s.
The 80s were really the last decade before CGI took over completely so although they may have some imperfect special effects, they somehow enhance the nostalgia factor for a lot of sci-fi. Practical effects just look better in general, which seems to have been conveniently forgettable by the 90s.
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John Pannozzi (08-10-20)
08-08-20, 05:48 PM
#24
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
Re: Favorite decade for sci-fi movies, 80’s or 90’s?
From watching a lot of scifi again from my youth, I've come to the conclusion that most of it was "tainted" by the rose-tinted glasses of nostalgia. Most scifi movies were rather mediocre or outright crap/weird, when I was watching them without any nostalgia bias taint.
In regard to 80s or 90s, the genuine "gold" in scifi was actually some books in the "cyberpunk" genre. Stuff like the earlier books of William Gibson, Bruce Sterling, etc .... By the mid-late 1990s, the cyberpunk genre more or less burned itself out, with very few decent movies to show for (ie. Johnny Mnemonic, etc ...). IMHO the "last hurrah" of cyberpunk, was the first Matrix movie.
In regard to 80s or 90s, the genuine "gold" in scifi was actually some books in the "cyberpunk" genre. Stuff like the earlier books of William Gibson, Bruce Sterling, etc .... By the mid-late 1990s, the cyberpunk genre more or less burned itself out, with very few decent movies to show for (ie. Johnny Mnemonic, etc ...). IMHO the "last hurrah" of cyberpunk, was the first Matrix movie.
08-08-20, 05:57 PM
#25