While Alien is often credited as a major influence on the sci-fi horror film genre, it wasn’t the first of its kind. Because during the initial boom of sci-fi films in the 1950s and ‘60s, there were several that were more horror-themed rather than optimistic in tone.
These films captured audiences with riveting stories, never-before-seen technical accomplishments and some good old fashioned storytelling. Not all of the entries on this list are alien invasion films, but the level of tension and scares they managed to rack up are legendary in Hollywood. Here's just a few.
Updated on October 16th, 2020 by Derek Draven: We've added a few more dark sci-fi films with the same feel as the original Alien to this list. Some are very popular, while others have fallen a bit by the wayside. Now's the time to check them all out and see which ones truly delivered the scares.
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Though there's no terrifying alien creature to battle, there's no denying a spiritual kinship between 2001 and Alien. Both films went for the ultra-realistic approach when it came to what space travel could be like in the future. These were plausible universes with believable characters and real-world technology that seemed to make sense.
Stanley Kubrick's brilliant vision and masterful directorial style managed to influence sci-fi permanently, and the ripple effects would strike franchises such as Star Trek and Star Wars, as well as the Alien franchise.
Invasion Of The Body Snatchers (1978)
This remake of the classic 1956 film played on the same sense of paranoia as its predecessor, but the focus was placed more on the alien creatures themselves, and to better effect. It's still a terrifying and chilling story of humanity losing a silent war against a cunning invader.
There's no happy ending to the film, and that's entirely the point. By robbing the audience of respite, Invasion of the Body Snatchers leaves viewers with an unsettling paranoia that doesn't go away soon after the credits have rolled.
War Of The Worlds (1953)
Malevolent alien invaders were nothing new in pop culture or Hollywood movies, but War of the Worlds managed to douse them in a heavy coat of believability, and audiences reacted strongly. These marauding martians were impervious even to Earth's most devastating WMDs, making them one of sci-fi's most terrifying foes.
In the end, these aliens weren't stopped by a super-weapon or an act of last minute bravery, but by the very bacteria and viruses that humankind has developed an immunity against. It's a solemn reminder of just how vulnerable humanity is to nature's tiniest organisms.
The Andromeda Strain (1971)
The Andromeda Strain was particularly terrifying. This ultra-deadly extraterrestrial virus scared audiences to death when it debuted on film in 1971. It's a smart, edgy, and terrifying science fiction thriller that pits mankind against the tiniest of enemies, with the entire planet's survival hanging in the balance.
The tension in the film ratchets up way past bearable in the final act as the strain begins to mutate and grow. It's a race against time to put a stop to it before all hope is lost. Even decades later, The Andromeda Strain is positively terrifying.
The Thing From Another World (1951)
Though the idea of aliens invading Earth is nothing new, The Thing from Another World turned it into a horror story. Set at an Arctic research site, the movie follows a group of characters who get stalked by an alien creature.
If this set-up sounds familiar, that’s because it was popularized by John Carpenter’s 1982 remake. But The Thing from Another World arguably influenced Alien as well since both films have a claustrophobic premise.
Forbidden Planet (1956)
Among the early sci-fi films, Forbidden Planet left a legacy that influenced later works including Star Wars and Star Trek. Plot-wise, it’s about a space-faring crew that land on a planet where an invisible menace attacks them.
With that said, there are some similarities Forbidden Planet has to Alien. For instance, it has a robot character who plays an important role and the menace itself is a monster born from human error.
Night Of The Blood Beast (1958)
One of the most terrifying aspects of Alien is the insemination of Xenomorph eggs by the parasitic Facehuggers. But there was a Roger Corman-produced film that had a similar concept called Night of the Blood Beast.
Released in 1958, it follows the aftermath of a crashed rocket ship that brings back an unexpected alien passenger. On top of that, the ship’s piloting astronaut is carrying embryos of the alien’s offspring in an undead state.
It! The Terror From Beyond Space (1958)
In recent years, older film titles have been brought up as possible influences on Alien without confirmation from Alien’s screenwriter Dan O’Bannon. PopMatters magazine, for instance, cited It! The Terror from Beyond Space from 1958 as one such film with many similarities to Alien.
The plot focuses on a crew of astronauts bringing the survivor of a failed Martian expedition back to Earth. Unfortunately, they have to deal with an alien creature that snuck onboard.
First Spaceship On Venus (1960)
Also known as The Silent Star, this East German-Polish film has a multiethnic astronaut team travel to Venus where they discover the remnants of an ancient civilization. While there, they encounter many dangers including a mysterious black substance.
So in some ways, First Spaceship on Venus has more in common with Prometheus than Alien. But there are elements also seen in Alien, such as the multiethnic cast and the astronauts having a robot companion.
Planeta Bur (1962)
A Soviet Russian film, Planeta Bur has several informal titles and two re-edited American versions produced by Roger Corman. Like First Spaceship on Venus, the movie is about an expedition to the titular planet with the astronauts facing many perils.
This includes a carnivorous plant that resembles the Trilobite’s mouth in Prometheus and black reptilian creatures that look like Xenomorph precursors. Even the astronauts’ robot companion attacks them at one point like in Alien.
Planet Of The Vampires (1965)
Besides It! The Terror from Beyond Space, another older film with strong parallels to Alien is Planet of the Vampires. Italian in origin, this movie follows two ships that answer a distress call from an uncharted world covered in mist.
When the ships’ crew get there, they discover another ship full of large skeletal remains similar to the “Space Jockey” in Alien. Also, the crew get possessed by parasitic aliens that take over their bodies.
Queen Of Blood (1966)
On the surface, Queen of Blood looks like a typical campy 1960s sci-fi movie. But it has some genuinely creepy moments and notable actors involved, such as Basil Rathbone and a young Dennis Hopper.
Most prominently, though, it has elements similar to Alien such as having a humanoid creature attacking the crew of a ship with a woman saving the day. The humanoid creature even lays eggs, much like the Queen Xenomorph in Aliens.
The Green Slime (1968)
Co-produced by American and Japanese film studios, The Green Slime mixes sci-fi camp and goofy special effects. Set on a space station, the crew members have to not only deal with an oncoming asteroid but also a pandemic of living alien organisms.
The Green Slime’s similarities to Alien mainly come from its action scenes and claustrophobic environment. Still, it arguably predicts how the Alien franchise became more action-based than suspenseful in tone.
Dark Star (1974)
Apart from the terror of the unknown, another phobia Alien tackles is being isolated in space. But a prior film that captures the isolation aspect more is Dark Star.
Being John Carpenter’s first major film, it was co-written by him and Dan O’Bannon who wrote the screenplay for Alien as previously stated. The plot follows a crew of planet demolishers who deal with several malfunctions on their ship and an extraterrestrial pet that gets loose.