Thescience fiction genreis known for many things – imaginative storylines, strange creatures, alien worlds, and new technology – but it’s not typically heralded for being a stage for cinema’s top actors to flex their chops. In fact, sci-fi is sometimes perceived as a lesser genre, no doubt due to its association withcheesy B-movies of the ‘50s. That stigma wavered a bit, however, in the 1970s, when successful films likeStar Warsbrought sci-fi and space fantasy into the mainstream. As such, the genre hit an incredible stride in the 1980s, proffering up numerous big-budget gemssporting top-of-the-line special effects and stacked casts.
The sci-fi films of the 1980s were not always able to shake the sci-fi stigma, however, especially in films that blended sci-fi and horror together. John Carpenter’sThe Thing(1982) may just be the ultimate example of a wonderfully acted and directed film that was wrongfully frowned upon during its initial theatrical run. Fortunately, in that case, however, critics came around and the movie (and its performances) are now celebrated the world over. In the list below, we’ve collected 11 should-be iconic performances from ‘80s sci-fi flicks that deserve a similar reappraisal!
Kevin Dillon – The Blob (1988)
The 1980s were a wellspring for brilliant sci-fi horror remakes, with noteworthy examples including the aforementionedThe Thingand David Cronenberg’s disgusting reimagining ofThe Fly. In 1988, director Chuck Russell continued the trend of rebooting ‘50s classics with ‘80s effects with his version ofThe Blob. Despite being just as great asThe ThingandThe Fly, this remake didn’t perform well commercially, and was generally neglected by critics. In the years since its release, movie fans have come to acceptThe Blobas one ofthe greatest sci-fi horror remakes ever made, thoughKevin Dillon’s central performance remains fairly underrated.
Why It’s Underrated
For his role as Brian Flagg inThe Blob, Dillon expands upon the idea of the central character in the 1958 original. Played by Steve “the King of Cool” McQueen, the hero of the original film is a rebellious youth who plays by his own rules. Dillon, with his awesome rock star hair and slick leather jacket, slips perfectly into that mold and updates it for the cynical ‘80s.
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Kurtwood Smith – RoboCop (1987)
RoboCopis an undisputed ‘80s sci-fi classic. Its stunning special effects make it a primo slice of action entertainment, while its sardonic sense of humor and biting social commentary make it a timeless movie that just gets better with age. In terms of performances, thestar of the show is obviously the great Peter Weller, but his performance is far from underrated. The one we’d like to highlight for this list isKurtwood Smith’s turn as the devilish bad guy, Clarence Boddicker.
Why it Belongs Here
The wonderful thing about Smith’s Boddicker is that he’s unflinchingly evil, and yet never so over-the-top that he appears cartoonish. Smith’s toothy grin and shifty eyes are a perfect match for the character’s sadistic tendencies, and he absolutely dominates every scene that he’s in. To put it simply, Smith makes Boddicker into a villain that youlovetohate.
Sean Connery – Outland (1981)
Outlandis an underrated little sci-fi flick from 1981 that updates time-honored tropes from Western movies and takes them into the space age. Specifically, the film operates as a remake of the 1952 classicHigh Noon, withSean Connerystepping into the boots that Gary Cooper once filled. The movie played rather poorly when it was initially released, meaning that Connery’s wonderful performance as the hero never got the praise it deserved.
Why Is it Underrated?
Connery is fantastic asOutland’s hero, Marshal William T. O’Niel; the veteran actor dropped his schmoozing and womanizing “James Bondisms” and settled into this more reserved and deeply troubled character perfectly. Stalwart and strong, Connery’s O’Niel is an easy protagonist to root for, and a badass Western hero who easily ranks up there with the likes of The Man with No Name and Sartana.
Dennis Quaid and Louis Gossett Jr. – Enemy Mine (1985)
Of all the sci-fi and space fantasy films that followed in the immediate wake of the originalStar Warstrilogy, the quiet and subduedEnemy Minemight just be the most unique of the bunch. The film opens in the typical sci-fi action mode – with an exciting spaceship battle – but very quickly veers off into uncharted territory. The film isn’t actually much of an action film at all, rather it is a carefully crafted character study, brilliantly brought to life by its two central performances.
What Makes Them Great
Enemy Minecenters on the survival and reluctant friendship of two characters: human soldier Willis Davidge and the alien soldier Jereeba Shigan, played byDennis QuaidandLouis Gossett Jr., respectively. Quaid excels as a smug and full of himself tough guy who eventually allows his icy heart to thaw, while Gossett Jr. is utterly convincing as the reptilian creature who speaks in his own alien language. Together, their chemistry is off the charts, and their emotional journey from mortal enemies to brothers couldn’t have been portrayed better by any other acting duo.
Jeff Bridges – Starman (1984)
One ofJohn Carpenter’s best films,Starmanis an underrated sci-fi romance film about an alien being who crash lands on Earth and assumes the form of a widower’s late husband. The alien and the woman soon create an unexpected connection.Jeff Bridgesplays the titular Starman, and molds the offbeat role into one of the best in his long and celebrated career.
In many ways, the Starman could be seen as the role that Bridges was born to play; the actor creates a sweet, charming, and highly sympathetic character here, one with a lot of nuance and distinct quirks that only he could pull off convincingly. Although the story could have easily been made into a schmaltzy fantasy film, Bridges’ performance grounds the whole thing and keeps it believable and dramatic.
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John Stockwell and Michael Dudikoff – Radioactive Dreams (1985)
A supremely underrated sci-fi gem, low-budget auteur filmmaker Albert Pyun’sRadioactive Dreamsis a must-see post-apocalyptic noir. It follows a bumbling pair of young wannabe detectives who emerge from a fallout shelter after a nuclear war. The leads are played byJohn StockwellandMichael Dudikoff, who are perfect for the roles.
Why They Belong Here
Stockwell and Dudikoff play Phillip Chandler and Marlowe Hammer, respectively, and are terrific as the detective fiction-obsessed buddies on a mission. Their optimistic naïveté, constant hilarious quips, and undeniable chemistry make them one of the great buddy duos of the era, right up there with Wayne and Garth and Bill and Ted!
Christopher Walken – Communion (1989)
An alien abduction classic,Communionis a bizarre sci-fi horror flick about a novelist – played by the greatChristopher Walken– who begins to act strangely after an apparent encounter with extraterrestrials. The film was panned by critics when it first released, robbing Walken of the praise that his performance was due.
Why it Belongs on the List
This is a quintessential, archetypal Walken performance right here. Weird, borderline unhinged, and yet unflinchingly serious. Another actor easily could have turned this role of an intellectual descending into madness into a freakshow, hamming it up at every turn, but Walken plays it all completely straight. He truly embodies the broken protagonist, earning the audience’s sympathy as he does everything he can to cling on to his ever-loosening grip on sanity.
Michael Moriarty – The Stuff (1985)
The Stuffis one of the ultimate B-movies, as director Larry Cohen takes the silly, high-concept premise and runs wild with it, spinning a thrilling yarn full of action and ingenious social satire on a very small budget. It’s about a new sensational food product that people everywhere are raving about, and a private detective’s mission to find out the dirty secrets behind its production. The detective is played byMichael Moriartyin a typically great performance.
Why it Makes the List
Moriarty is a phenomenal actor, and instantly elevates anything you put him in.The Stuffis a prime example of this, as the movie has a ridiculous plot that mostly serves to string special effects sequences together – as well as to take a few shots at capitalist politics – yet Moriarty manages to bring cohesion to the production. He’s entirely convincing as a man on a mission, and brings an incredible amount of both ethos and humor to what could have been a run-of-the-mill detective role.
Jeffrey Combs – Re-Animator (1985)
Re-Animatoris a sci-fi horror comedy classic (admittedly leaning considerably more into horror comedy territory, but with enough “science” in it to justify its place on this list) about a pair of medical students who devise a way to bring the dead back to life.Jeffrey Combsplays the brilliant, though devious, one in the duo who takes things a little too far.
Combs’ performance inRe-Animatoris the stuff of horror comedy legend. It’s theatrical but not over-the-top, witty but not overly comedic, and, above all else, it’s frighteningly intense. Combs makes the character of Herbert West into one of the most stalwart and memorable mad scientists in science fiction history, and delivers one of the greatest performances the horror genre has ever seen.
Roy Scheider – 2010: The Year We Make Contact (1984)
An extremely underrated sci-fi gem, Peter Hyams’ sequel to2001: A Space Odyssey,2010: The Year We Make Contact, is a masterful space adventure full of great performances. In fact, the film features one ofRoy Scheider’s best-ever performances, who tackles the lead role of Dr. Heywood Floyd.
What Makes it So Underrated?
In an effort to distance his film from Stanley Kubrick’s monolithic original, director Hyams opted to focus2010more on character drama and arcs. As such, the performances are all around much more engaging in this film than in its predecessor, and Scheider’s lead role is the ultimate example. His wide-eyed amazement at the wonders of the vast reaches of outer space is utterly convincing, while his wit around friends and unease around potential enemies are palpable. It would not be an exaggeration to say that Scheider carries2010on his shoulders, and he does so with pride and an incredible commitment to the craft that continues to come through clearly nearly 40 years later.
