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List of science fiction films of the 1940s

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A list of science fiction films released in the 1940s. These 45 films include core elements of science fiction and are widely distributed with reviews by reputable critics.

List

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1940
Title Director Cast Country Subgenre/Notes
The Ape William Nigh Boris Karloff, Maris Wrixon, Gene O'Donnell United States
Before I Hang Nick Grinde Boris Karloff, Evelyn Keyes, Bruce Bennett United States
Black Friday Arthur Lubin Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Stanley Ridges, United States
The Devil Bat Jean Yarborough Bela Lugosi United States
Dr. Cyclops Ernest B. Schoedsack Albert Dekker, Janice Logan, Thomas Coley United States
Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe Ford I. Beebe, Ray Taylor Harry C. Bradley, Larry "Buster" Crabbe, Shirley Deane United States Serial film
The Invisible Man Returns Joe May Cedric Hardwicke, Vincent Price, Nan Grey, John Sutton United States
The Invisible Woman Edward Sutherland Virginia Bruce, John Barrymore, John Howard, Charlie Ruggles United States
Mysterious Doctor Satan Jon English, William Witney Edwin Stanley, C. Montague Shaw United States Serial film
Son of Ingagi Richard Kahn Zack Williams, Laura Bowman, Spencer Williams United States
Weltraumschiff 1 startet ...
(i.e. Spaceship I takes off)
Anton Kutter Carl Wery, Fritz Reiff, Rolf Wernicke Nazi Germany
1941
Title Director Cast Country Subgenre/Notes
The Devil Commands Edward Dmytryk Boris Karloff, Richard Fiske, Amanda Duff, Anne Revere United States
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Victor Fleming Spencer Tracy, Ingrid Bergman, Lana Turner, Donald Crisp United States
Tainstvennyy ostrov (Mysterious Island) Eduard Penclin Alexej Krasnopolsky, Pavel Kiyansky, Nikolai Komissarov, Yuri Grammatikati, Andrey Andriyenko-Zemskov Soviet Union adaptation of the 1874 novel by Jules Verne
Man Made Monster George Waggner Lionel Atwill, Lon Chaney Jr., Anne Nagel, Frank Albertson United States
The Monster and the Girl Stuart Heisler Ellen Drew, Robert Paige, Paul Lukas United States
1942
Title Director Cast Country Subgenre/Notes
Bowery at Midnight Wallace W. Fox Bela Lugosi, John Archer United States
The Corpse Vanishes Wallace W. Fox Bela Lugosi, Luana Walters, Tristram Coffin, Elizabeth Russell United States
Dr. Renault's Secret Harry Lachman J. Carrol Naish, John Shepperd, Lynne Roberts United States
Invisible Agent Edwin L. Marin Ilona Massey, Jon Hall, Peter Lorre, Cedric Hardwicke United States
The Mad Monster Sam Newfield Johnny Downs, George Zucco, Anne Nagel, Reginald Barlow United States
1943
Title Director Cast Country Subgenre/Notes
The Ape Man William Beaudine Bela Lugosi, Wallace Ford, Louise Currie United States
The Mad Ghoul James Hogan David Bruce, Evelyn Ankers, George Zucco United States
1944
Title Director Cast Country Subgenre/Notes
The Invisible Man's Revenge Ford Beebe Jon Hall, John Carradine, Evelyn Ankers United States
The Lady and the Monster George Sherman Vera Ralston, Richard Arlen, Mary Nash, Sidney Blackmer United States
The Monster Maker Sam Newfield J. Carrol Naish, Ralph Morgan, Tala Birell United States
1945
Title Director Cast Country Subgenre/Notes
Manhunt of Mystery Island Spencer Gordon Bennet, Yakima Canutt, Wallace A. Grissell Linda Stirling, Harry Strang, Tom Steele United States Serial film
The Man in Half Moon Street Ralph Murphy Nils Asther, Helen Walker United States
The Monster and the Ape Howard Bretherton Robert Lowery, Ralph Morgan, George Macready United States Serial film
The Purple Monster Strikes Spencer Gordon Bennet, Fred C. Brannon Linda Stirling, Ken Terrell, Mary Moore United States Serial film
Strange Holiday Arch Oboler Griff Barnett, Claude Rains, Barbara Bates, Tommy Cook, Paul Hilton United States [1][2]
1946
Title Director Cast Country Subgenre/Notes
The Crimson Ghost Fred C. Brannon, William Witney Forrest Taylor, Dale Van Sickel, Linda Stirling, Charles Quigley United States Serial film
The Flying Serpent Sam Newfield George Zucco, Ralph Lewis, Hope Kramer United States Mad scientist
The Mysterious Mr. M Lewis D. Collins, Vernon Keays Richard Martin, Pamela Blake, Dennis Moore United States Serial film
1947
Title Director Cast Country Subgenre/Notes
The Black Widow Spencer Gordon Bennet, Fred C. Brannon Bruce Edwards, Virginia Lee, Carol Forman, Anthony Warde United States Serial film
Brick Bradford Spencer Gordon Bennet, Thomas Carr Kane Richmond, Rick Vallin United States Serial film
Jack Armstrong Wallace Fox John Hart, Pierre Watkin United States Serial film
1948
Title Director Cast Country Subgenre/Notes
Chemistry and Love Arthur Maria Rabenalt Hans Nielsen, Tilly Lauenstein, Ralph Lothar East Germany Comedy
Counterblast Paul L. Stein Mervyn Johns, Robert Beatty, Nova Pilbeam United Kingdom [3][4]
Krakatit Otakar Vávra Karel Höger Czechoslovakia
Unknown Island Jack Bernhard Virginia Grey, Richard Denning, Barton MacLane United States [5]
1949
Title Director Cast Country Subgenre/Notes
Bruce Gentry Spencer Gordon Bennet, Thomas Carr Tom Neal United States Serial film
King of the Rocket Men Fred C. Brannon Tristram Coffin, Mae Clarke United States Serial film
Mighty Joe Young Ernest B. Schoedsack Terry Moore, Ben Johnson, Robert Armstrong United States
The Perfect Woman Bernard Knowles Patricia Roc, Stanley Holloway, Nigel Patrick United Kingdom [6]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Erickson, Hal (2012). "Strange Holiday (1945)". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2012-10-21. Retrieved 2009-06-10. This film saw a limited release in 1945 then a general release 1946.
  2. ^ Rickman, Gregg (2004). The science fiction film reader. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 131. ISBN 0-87910-994-7.
  3. ^ Erickson, Hal (2012). "Counterblast (1948)". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2012-10-21. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
  4. ^ Brosnan, John (1978). Future Tense: the Cinema of Science Fiction. Macdonald and Jane's. p. 69. ISBN 0-354-04222-X.
  5. ^ Kinnard, Roy (1988). Beasts and Behemoths: Prehistoric Creatures in the Movies. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 52. ISBN 0-8108-2062-5.
  6. ^ Hunter, I. Q. (2002). British Science Fiction Cinema. Routledge. p. 58. ISBN 0-203-00977-0.
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