List of science fiction films of the 1930s explained

This is a list of science fiction films that premiered between 1 January 1930 and 31 December 1939. In Phil Hardy's book Science Fiction (1983), the 1930s were described as a period where both science fiction literature and cinema were "in turmoil" and that by examining films of decade that "it is clear that Science Fiction, in no sense, can be seen as an ongoing genre in the thirties".

In the United States, films would use a science fiction plot device or character such as a mad scientist, but more closely resembled contemporary genres like horror, thriller and detective films. The films enhanced other genres such as melodrama (Six Hours to Live), Westerns (The Phantom Empire) and most predominantly horror films such as Frankenstein or Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Towards the middle of the decade, science fiction was prominent in low budget Poverty Row films and film series. European films such as End of the World and F.P.1 antwortet nicht and Things to Come continued the line of prophetic speculation of Fritz Lang's film Metropolis. Towards the end of the 1930s as the political climate was changing in Europe, films such as Bila Nemoc used science fiction elements to imagine the horrors of World War II.

Few films from the era have been nominated or won awards, these include Fredric March winning an Academy Award for Best actor for Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde while the film received nominations for best writing and cinematography. Gilbert Kurland was nominated for Best Sound Recording for Bride of Frankenstein

List

Title	Director	Release	Primary cast	Production country	Notes
			Wally Wales, Neva Gerber, Robert D. Walker	United States	Film serial with 10 chapters
Alraune			Brigitte Helm, Albert Bassermann, Harald Paulsen	Germany		^[1] ^[2]
Just Imagine			El Brendel, Maureen O'Sullivan, Marjorie White	United States		^[3] ^[4]
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Title	Director	Release	Primary cast	Production country	Notes
End of the World			Colette Darfeuil, Abel Gance, Victor Francen	France		^[5] ^[6]
Frankenstein			Colin Clive, Boris Karloff, Mae Clarke	United States		^[7]
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde			Fredric March, Miriam Hopkins, Rose Hobart	United States		^[8]
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Title	Director	Release	Primary cast	Production country	Notes
			Brigitte Helm	Germany, France		^[9]
Doctor X			Lionel Atwill, Fay Wray, Lee Tracy	United States	Science fiction horror^[10]
			Edmund Lowe, Irene Ware, Bela Lugosi	United States		^[11] ^[12]
			Warner Baxter, Miriam Jordan, John Boles	United States		^[13]
			Hans Albers, Sybille Schmitz, Paul Hartmann	Germany		^[14]
Island of Lost Souls			Charles Laughton, Richard Arlen, Leila Hyams	United States		^[15] ^[16]
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Title	Director	Release	Primary cast	Production country	Notes
Men Must Fight			Diana Wynyard, Lewis Stone, Phillips Holmes	United States		^[17]
It's Great to Be Alive			Raúl Roulien, Gloria Stuart, Edna May Oliver	United States		^[18] ^[19]
Deluge			Peggy Shannon, Sidney Blackmer, Lois Wilson	United States		^[20]
			Harry Piel, Fritz Odemar, Lissy Arna	Germany		^[21] ^[22]
			Conrad Veidt Jill Esmond Leslie Fenton	Germany		English version of 1932 German movie
			Claude Rains, Gloria Stuart, William Harrigan	United States		^[23]
"The Tunnel"			Paul Hartmann, Olly von Flint, Gustaf Gründgens	Germany	Multiple Language Film	^[24]
"The Tunnel"			Jean Gabin, Madeleine Renaud, Robert Le Vigan, Edmond Van Daële	France	Multiple Language Film
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Title	Director	Release	Primary cast	Production country	Notes
			Harry Piel, Kurt Vespermann, Annie Markart	Germany		^[25]
Gold			Hans Albers, Brigitte Helm, Michael Bohnen	Germany		^[26]
			Onslow Stevens, Ada Ince, Walter Miller	United States	Film serial with 12 chapters
Master of the World			Walter Janssen, Sybille Schmitz, Walter Franck	Germany		^[27]
Once in a New Moon			Derrick de Marney, Vernon Kelso, John Clements	United Kingdom		^[28] ^[29] ^[30]
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Title	Director	Release	Primary cast	Production country	Notes
			William "Stage" Boyd, Kane Richmond, Claudia Dell	United States	Film serial with 12 chapters	^[31]
	, B. Reeves Eason		Gene Autry, Frankie Darro, Betsy King Ross	United States	Film serial with 12 chapters
Loss of Sensation			Sergey Vecheslov, Vladimir Gardin	Soviet Union		^[32] ^[33]
Bride of Frankenstein			Boris Karloff, Colin Clive, Valerie Hobson	United States		^[34] ^[35]
Air Hawks			Ralph Bellamy, Tala Birell, Wiley Post	United States		^[36] ^[37]
			Richard Dix, Leslie Banks, Madge Evans	United Kingdom	Multiple Language Film	^[38]
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Title	Director	Release	Primary cast	Production country	Notes
			Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Frances Drake	United States		^[39]
Kosmicheskiy reys				Soviet Union		^[40]
Things to Come			Raymond Massey, Cedric Hardwicke, Edward Chapman	United Kingdom
			Boris Karloff, Ricardo Cortez, Edmund Gwenn	United States		^[41] ^[42]
Flash Gordon			Larry "Buster" Crabbe, Jean Rogers, Charles B. Middleton	United States	Film serial with 13 chapters
Undersea Kingdom	, Joseph Kane		Ray "Crash" Corrigan, Lois Wilde	United States	Film serial with 12 chapters	^[43]
Ghost Patrol			Tim McCoy, Claudia Dell, Walter Miller	United States		^[44]
			Boris Karloff, Anna Lee, John Loder	United Kingdom		^[45]
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Title	Director	Release	Primary cast	Production country	Notes
Non-Stop New York			John Loder, Anna Lee, Francis L. Sullivan	United Kingdom		^[46]
Skeleton on Horseback			Hugo Haas, Bedrich Karen, Zdenek Stephanek	Czechoslovakia		^[47]
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Title	Director	Release	Primary cast	Production country	Notes
Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars	, Robert F. Hill		Larry "Buster" Crabbe, Jean Rogers, Charles B. Middleton	United States	Film serial with 15 chapters
Flight to Fame			Charles Farrell, Jacqueline Wells, Hugh Sothern	United States		^[48] ^[49]
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Title	Director	Release	Primary cast	Production country	Notes
			Bela Lugosi, Robert Kent, Dorothy Arnold	United States	Film serial with 12 chapters	^[50]
Son of Frankenstein			Basil Rathbone, Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi	United States		^[51]
Buck Rogers	, Saul A. Goodkind		Larry "Buster" Crabbe, Constance Moore, Jackie Moran	United States	Film serial with 12 chapters
			Boris Karloff, Lorna Gray, Robert Wilcox	United States		^[52]
			Humphrey Bogart, Rosemary Lane, Wayne Morris	United States		^[53] ^[54]

See also

• History of science fiction films

Notes

References

• Book: Bock . Hans-Michael . The Concise Cinegraph . Berghahn Books . 978-1-57181-655-9 . 2009 .
• Book: Bradley , Edwin M. . The First Hollywood Sound Shorts, 1926–1931 . McFarland . 1476606846 . 2005 .
• Book: Cline . William C. . In the Nick of Time: Motion Picture Sound Serials . McFarland . 078640471X . 1997 .
• Book: Cusic , Don . Gene Autry: His Life and Career . McFarland . 978-0786430611 . 2007 .

• Book: Hardy . Phil . Science Fiction . New York : Morrow . 0-688-00842-9 . 1984 . registration .
• Book: Hochscherf . Tobias . British Science Fiction Film and Television: Critical Essays . McFarland . 978-0786484836 . 2011 .
• Book: Johnston , Keith M. . Science Fiction Film . Berg . 978-1847884787 . 2013 .
• Book: Kinnard , Roy . Science Fiction Serials . McFarland . 0786437456 . 1998 . none .
• Book: Kinnard . Roy . Crnkovich . Tony . Vitone . R. J. . The Flash Gordon Serials, 1936–1940 . McFarland . 978-0786455003 . 2008 . .
• Book: Rainey , Buck . Serials and Series: A World Filmography, 1912–1956 . McFarland . 978-1476604480 . 2015 .
• Book: Rhodes , Gary Don . Lugosi: His Life in Films, on Stage, and in the Hearts of Horror Lovers . McFarland . 0786402571 . 1997 .
• Book: Soister , John T. . Of Gods and Monsters: A Critical Guide to Universal Studios' Science Fiction, Horror and Mystery Films, 1929–1939 . McFarland . 1476604991 . 2005 .

External links

• Science fiction films of the 1930s on Internet Movie Database

Notes and References

1. Web site: Alraune. Filmportal.de. 22 November 2015.
2. Web site: Alraune. AllMovie. Erickson. Hal. Hal Erickson (author). 22 November 2015.
3. Web site: Just Imagine. American Film Institute. 22 November 2015.
4. Web site: Just Imagine. AllMovie. Brennan. Sandra. 22 November 2015.
5. Web site: La Fin du monde. Bifi.fr. 22 November 2015.
6. Web site: La Fin Du Monde. AllMovie. 22 November 2015.
7. Web site: Frankenstein. American Film Institute. 22 November 2015.
8. Web site: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. American Film Institute. 22 November 2015.
9. Web site: L'Atlantide. Filmportal.de. 22 November 2015.
10. Web site: Doctor X (1932) - Michael Curtiz | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related | AllMovie .
11. Web site: Chandu the Magician. American Film Institute. 23 November 2015.
12. Web site: Chandu the Magician. AllMovie. Erickson. Hal. 23 November 2015.
13. Web site: 6 Hours to Live. American Film Institute. 22 November 2015.
14. Web site: F.P. 1 antwortet nicht. Filmportal.de. 22 November 2015.
15. Web site: Island of Lost Souls. American Film Institute. 22 November 2015.
16. Web site: Island of Lost Souls. AllMovie. 22 November 2015. Erickson. Hal.
17. Web site: Men Must Fight. American Film Institute. 22 November 2015.
18. Web site: It's Great to Be Alive. American Film Institute. 22 November 2015.
19. Web site: It's Great to Be Alive. AllMovie. 22 November 2015. Brennan. Sandra.
20. News: Deluge. American Film Institute. Afi Catalog . 22 November 2015.
21. Web site: Ein Unsichtbarer geht durch die Stadt. Filmportal.de. 22 November 2015.
22. Web site: Ein Unsichtbarer geht durch die Stadt. AllMovie. 22 November 2015.
23. Web site: The Invisible Man. American Film Institute. 22 November 2015.
24. Web site: Der Tunnel. Filmportal.de. 22 November 2015.
25. Web site: Die Welt ohne Maske. Filmportal.de. 22 November 2015.
26. Web site: Gold. Filmportal.de. 22 November 2015.
27. Web site: Der Herr der Welt. Filmportal.de. 22 November 2015.
28. Book: Hunter, I. Q. . 2002 . British Science Fiction Cinema . Routledge . 0-203-00977-0 . 28.
29. Web site: Sandra . Brennan . AllMovie . Once in a New Moon (1935) . 23 November 2015 .
30. This was released in December 1934, and is frequently listed as a 1935 film. See: Book: Low, Rachael . Manvell, Roger . Richards, Jeffrey . History of British Film . Routledge . 2005 . 367 . 0-415-15652-1 .
31. Web site: The Lost City. American Film Institute. 22 November 2015.
32. Web site: Gibel Sensatsii. AllMovie. Brennan. Sandra. 22 November 2015.
33. Web site: Гибель сенсации. KinoPoisk. 22 November 2015. Russian.
34. Web site: Bride of Frankenstein. American Film Institute. 7 August 2016.
35. Web site: The Bride of Frankenstein. AllMovie. Erickson. Hal. 22 November 2015.
36. Web site: Air Hawks. American Film Institute. 22 November 2015.
37. Web site: Air Hawks. AllMovie. Erickson. Hal. 22 November 2015.
38. Web site: Transatlantic Tunnel. American Film Institute. 23 November 2015.
39. Web site: The Invisible Ray. American Film Institute. 23 November 2015.
40. Web site: Космический рейс. KinoPoisk. 22 November 2015. Russian.
41. Web site: The Walking Dead. American Film Institute. 23 November 2015.
42. Web site: The Walking Dead. AllMovie. Betzold. Michael. 23 November 2015.
43. Web site: Undersea Kingdom. AllMovie. Wollstein. Hans J.. 23 November 2015.
44. Web site: Ghost Patrol. American Film Institute. 23 November 2015.
45. Web site: The Man Who Lived Again. American Film Institute. 23 November 2015.
46. Web site: Non-Stop New York. American Film Institute. 23 November 2015.
47. Web site: Bílá nemoc. CSFD. 23 November 2015.
48. Web site: Flight to Fame. American Film Institute. 23 November 2015.
49. Web site: Flight to Fame. AllMovie. Erickson. Hal. 23 November 2015.
50. Web site: The Phantom Creeps. AllMovie. Erickson. Hal. 23 November 2015.
51. Web site: Son of Frankenstein. American Film Institute. 23 November 2015.
52. Web site: The Man They Could Not Hang. American Film Institute. 23 November 2015.
53. Web site: The Return of Doctor X. American Film Institute. 23 November 2015.
54. Web site: The Return of Doctor X. AllMovie. Brennan. Sandra. 23 November 2015.