Ultimate Sci-Fi Poll: Results
- 'Star Wars: A New Hope' - 44%
- 'The Empire Strikes Back' - 26%
- 'Aliens' - 9%
- 'The Matrix' - 8%
- 'Blade Runner' - 8%
- 'The Terminator' - 6%
- 'Battlefield Earth' - 47%
- 'Santa Claus Conquers the Martians' - 29%
- 'Plan 9 From Outer Space' - 11%
- 'Star Trek: The Final Frontier' - 7%
- 'Battle for the Planet of the Apes' - 5%
- 'The Day the Earth Stood Still' (1951) - 49%
- 'The Blob' (1958) - 16%
- 'Forbidden Planet' - 14%
- 'Metropolis' - 9%
- 'The Thing' (1951) - 8%
- 'It Came From Outer Space' - 4%
- 'Star Wars' - 64%
- 'Star Trek' - 26%
- 'Terminator' - 4%
- 'Alien' - 3%
- 'The Matrix' - 3%
- 'Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back' - 37%
- 'Episode IV: A New Hope' - 27%
- 'Episode VI: Return of the Jedi' - 18%
- 'Episode III: Revenge of the Sith' - 13%
- 'Episode I: The Phantom Menace' - 3%
- 'Episode II: Attack of the Clones' - 2%
- 'Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan' - 44%
- 'Star Trek' (2009) - 31%
- 'Star Trek: First Contact' - 12%
- 'Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home' - 9%
- 'Star Trek: The Undiscovered Country' - 3%
- 'War of the Worlds' - 27%
- 'The Thing' - 23%
- '12 Monkeys' - 19%
- 'The Fly' - 15%
- 'Invasion of the Body Snatchers' (1978) - 8%
- 'The Omega Man' - 7%
- 'Godzilla' (1998) - 33%
- 'Planet of the Apes' - 26%
- 'The Day the Earth Stood Still' - 18%
- 'The Time Machine' - 12%
- 'The Invasion' - 11%
- 'Star Wars: Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back' - 51%
- 'Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan' - 20%
- 'T2: Judgment Day' - 16%
- 'Aliens' - 13%
Intergalactic worlds collided when we polled readers on the best and worst in the wide spectrum of sci-fi movies. 'Star Wars' clashed with 'Star Trek,' Ripley went head to head with Sarah Connor, and in the top category for worst, 'Battlefield Earth' contended with 'Apes' and 'Santa Claus.'
And, well, after more than 330,000 votes, there's just no messing with The Force that is 'Star Wars.' Darth Vader easily out-eviled his diabolic counterparts, Yoda proved the most beloved E.T. the worlds have ever seen, and Episodes 'IV' and 'V' conquered the competition at every turn. Click through to see the results to our Ultimate Sci-Fi Poll.
WB / Everett / Lucasfilm (2)
What's the best sci-fi movie of all time?
More on 'Star Wars'
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Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images
What's the worst sci-fi movie of all time?
More on 'Battlefield Earth'
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Warner Bros.
What's the best classic sci-fi film?
More on 'Day the Earth Stood Still'
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Hulton/Getty
What's the best franchise of all time?
More on 'Star Wars' movies
Lucasfilm
Which is the best 'Star Wars' movie?
More on 'Empire Strikes Back'
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Lucasfilm/AP
Which is the best 'Star Trek' movie?
More on 'Wrath of Khan'
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Paramount/Everett Collection
What's the best remake?
More on 'War of the Worlds'
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DreamWorks
What's the worst remake?
More on 'Godzilla'
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AP
What's the best sequel?
More on 'Empire Strikes Back'
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Lucasfilm
Reader Comments (36)
jambithegenie8 at 8:48PM on May 6th 2009
If people saw Plan 9, they would totally pick it for worst Sci-Fi movie ever. Unfortunately not a lot of people have been able to bask in it's pure badness.
Bela Lugosi RIP
Gillossa at 5:16PM on May 19th 2009
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Al at 10:12AM on May 7th 2009
War of the f'n Worlds. That was a whole bunch of crap. The Thing is the only reasonable answer.
bill at 1:15PM on May 7th 2009
Huge Sci-Fi fan since I was a kid. Loved the original Forbidden Planet and the four hour version of Dune. Did not know they were doing remakes of them. Can't wait to see how they fair. Hope they do not ruin these as they did The Day the Earth Stood Still, and War of the Worlds. Star Trek's new movie should be an example of how to keep a franchise fresh and new, and satisfy those of us who were around when it began and loved it then as well. Watching these sci-fi movies and franchises go from what they were to what they are today has been a fantastic ride, and they can only get better.
Richard Bell at 10:59PM on May 15th 2009
You took the words right out of my mouth!
John F.C. Taylor at 10:41AM on May 8th 2009
Booooo! No room for write-in candidates? This isn't a real accurate poll if there's no room for write-ins in any catagory.
LisaJane44 at 2:12PM on May 11th 2009
As to the complaints about no write ins, I agree! I really love 2001, which was really groundbreaking at the time. But it rates barely a mention on this quiz.
John F.C. Taylor at 10:52AM on May 8th 2009
Having posted the message about no write-ins, I responded to what was offered in the poll. I was raised on watching old science fiction movies and reading a lot of science fiction, especially Heinlein. Not surprised that a lot of what was offered was what I would consider recent, mainstream science fiction. I think each question should have been split into decades. On top of that, there should have been catagories for science fiction on television plus animated science fiction. I'd certainly have voted for Starblazers, Gargoyles and Reboot if the animated catagory had been available.
Mike at 12:31PM on May 11th 2009
I think this new Star Trek movie is a farce. Is there a single cast member old enough to stay out past midnight? It's like a high school play. Teenagers running a mega-billion dollar ship? Geez, at least make the characters believable.
Tom at 4:26PM on May 19th 2009
Attention whiners about Star Trek... it wasn't supposed to be the old Star Trek. The Franchised was ruined with the first film, almost redeemed with Wrath of Khan, a really great movie and then effectively killed afer Majel started licensing off the rights to whatever tripped out show came her way.
I thought it needed a new look as much as I loved the old series. Some people are just to afraid, ignorant or plain douchey to accept change.
David Nielsen at 3:30PM on May 11th 2009
I am a huge Star Trek fan, but never liked the new generation and all the spin offs because they went away from Star Trek. Unforunally, this movie did to. I didn't like it. I don't understand why Star Trek fans did liked it. They destroyed the Enterprise bridge. It looked like they set up the bridge in a Tanning Center. How bout the bridges screen that was like looking through your car window. What a bunch of nonscence. That was not the bridge of the Enterprise that I always new. When the Enterprise fired there photon torpedos it looked like the torpedos were coming out of every inch of ship! We all now that never hapened in all the Star Treks I always saw. People always talk about the Wrath of Khan because that was vintaige Star Trek. This was not even close except for there uniforms.
Alaska Dale at 4:24PM on May 19th 2009
David--Your comments would be appreciated more if you used better grammar. In you short paragraph, I counted nine grammatical errors (there instead of their, now instead of know, etc.)
chris at 3:36PM on May 11th 2009
I thought the new startrek movie was good but i didn't like how they changed the time line. talk about killing every startrek movie and show. I mean talk about killing a franchise. How does destroying vulcan make it freah? think about how this affected everything in the orginal series all the way to voyager. Thumbs down
susan at 8:20PM on May 11th 2009
I couldn't believe how they changed Spock! Can you imagine Spock in the original series smooching Uhura or Nurse Chapel in the elevator? Uhura would have had wway too much dignity for that. I liked Pine though. There wasn't enough of the other characters to tell. I thought it was clever of Abrams to use the alternative time line because he doesn't have to worry about continuity at all.
Lisa at 9:42PM on May 11th 2009
I went to see the new Trek with trepidation. I was extremely skeptical and didn't think I
would like a new souped up version. I have to say they have retained
me as a fan and gained two new ones, my kids, who have always teased
me for liking the series in the first place.
The action and CGI were, as to be expected, fab, but what I really
loved was that they still retained the old silly humor. There were
plenty of times the entire theater was cracking up. I won't site
any spots here in case you haven't seen it yet.
I like the time line change. It allowed us to have our old Spock in
the movie (I had no idea Winona Ryder was playing his Mom, I was so
surprised!), and it opens up a whole new line of possible stories.
If they simply stuck with the old time line then in the future they
would have had to stick with all the old personalities too, or at least
work around the old history. Now they can have entirely new stories
for all the characters complete with new experiences which will shape their personalities.
I think the actors did a great job recreating the original group,
their call back lines (sayings and quips from the old series) were well done, especially in the closing scene when Kirk walks on to the bridge as Captain, the boy was spot
on imitating Shatner.
I think the movie was great, and now I have two more fans to bring to
the next one with me. My hubby who has watched every Trek episode and movie ever made with me also loved it. We both agreed it is one of the best movies we've seen in awhile. We are looking forward to a sequel(s).
Lisa at 9:45PM on May 11th 2009
Wow, I have to comment again. I can't vote for one best Sci-Fi, I love all six of those movies!
Brutal at 12:05AM on May 12th 2009
I saw the new Star Trek movie today. It was excellent. The sky is the limit for the future potential of this newest addition to the franchise. I go all the way back to the beginning and the movie I saw today was as good as any I have seen and I've seen them all. As far as being the best ever ... hard to separate all of those at the top of the list. Let's just say this one has as much right to the top spot as any of the others.
Edraid at 8:44PM on May 12th 2009
ANYTHING NOT ON THIS LIST IS IRRELEVANT
1. 2001
2. clockwork
3. day the earf stood still
4. blade runner
5. alien
6. matrix
7. invasion
8. Terminator I
9. the fly
10. jurassic park
DS at 12:13AM on May 13th 2009
Honestly, I didn't think any of the choices offered are the greatest sci-fi flick ever made. My vote would go to Close Encounters of the Third Kind, which inexplicably was left off of this list.
Oron of Montreal at 6:33PM on May 13th 2009
The greatest Science Fiction film of all time is 2001: A Space Odyssey, but it isn't listed for best film. Blade Runner is second, in my opinion, but this poll limits our choices. 2001 isn't even debatable; by any standards, it bests all others in S.F., and makes a strong showing for itself in the more general category of best film lists, regardless of genre.