The Best '50s Space Movies

The best '50s space movies play up the general feeling of Cold War Communist paranoia that seemed to pervade every fiber of the nation during that decade. Many 1950s sci-fi movies also touched on the fear induced by the creation of the atomic bomb.

Though the most famous version of H.G. Well’s War of the Worlds is the radio play created by Orson Welles (which many actually believed to be true), the version listed here is actually the very first film version. The apocalyptic alien attack in the film mirrors the feeling of impending, nuclear doom that Americans felt throughout the post-WWII era, and the alien invasion itself was meant to represent the spread of Communist alliance.

Other great space movies from this decade include The Day the Earth Stood Still, Flight to Mars, and Forbidden Planet. Vote up the best '50s space movies below, and be sure to let us know what you think in the comment section.