Classic Dystopian Films for the Sci-Fi Geek

Above (clockwise): Metropolis (1927), Mad Max (1979), Planet of the Apes (1968), Gattaca (1997)

A dystopia is defined as “an imagined place or state in which everything is unpleasant or bad, typically a totalitarian or environmentally degraded one.” What makes dystopias so interesting—and a corner stone of the sci-fi genre—is the fact that they are often the representation of a path our current world could take. If the wrong person is in power, what might happen to the world we now know? If we run out of resources, how will we cope? Here are just a few classic dystopian films every fan of the genre should watch.

Metropolis
1927

Considered one of the first feature length movies in the sci-fi genre, Metropolis is a dystopian staple. Directed and written by Fritz Lang and his wife Thea von Harbou, the silent film is set in the year 2026 in the city of Metropolis where the divide between the rich and the poor is only growing by the day. That is until Freder, the son of the city’s master meets an inventor named Rotwang who has built a robot with the intention of bringing down the city. Metropolis is notable for its special effects, Art Deco visuals and themes that are heavily influenced by the First World War.

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Tags: dystopia, dystopian films, Sci-Fi, science fiction

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