The 1970s saw huge changes in both music and film. Rock music would evolve into Heavy Metal and Punk, while in the clubs, Disco and eventually Hip Hop would set the tone for popular music moving forward. While on the silver screen, filmmakers would push the boundaries of art and taste, with graphic violence, social commentary and sex becoming a mainstay of cinema.
10 Best Post-Apocalyptic Movies Of The 80s
The 1980s spawned quite a few post-apocalyptic gems that every cinephile should see at least once.
While, politically, tensions between the US and Russia would ease, nuclear war remained a terrifying prospect which would inspire countless movies. The post-apocalyptic genre would often reflect these nuclear age fears while exploring social and political themes of disillusionment, good and evil, and the establishment.
8 Zardoz
Sean Connery Breaks away from Bond
Zardoz
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- February 6, 1974
- Director
- John Boorman
- Writers
- John Boorman
While Zardoz is most renowned for Sean Connery’s scantily clad costume, the film remains a beloved 1970s sci-fi adventure. Set in the year 2293, this post-apocalyptic film depicts a world where the lower-class Barbarians grow food for the elite Eternals while worshiping the stone idol, Zardoz.
The film follows Zed, played by Connery, a member of the Brutals, who becomes curious about Zardoz and eventually learns the truth surrounding their powerful immortal leaders. While this unique movie was met with scathing reviews on release, it has since become a cult classic and explores themes of class division and mortality.
7 A Boy and His Dog
A Surprisingly Influential Cult Movie
A Boy And His Dog
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- November 14, 1975
- Runtime
- 91 minutes
- Director
- L.Q. Jones
While this low-budget post-apocalyptic dark comedy would fail critically and commercially, it has since become a cult classic of the genre. Set in a vast, barren desert, after a nuclear war has destroyed civilization, the film follows the adventures of Vic, played by Don Johnson, and his talking psychic dog, Blood.
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Exploring the wastelands, the duo searches for food and women while avoiding the many dangers lurking in the dark. A Boy and His Dog is very much a movie of its era, and includes some morally dubious character choices. While the film is certainly dated, its legacy lives on, with the popular video game series Fallout taking inspiration from the movie.
6 Beneath the Planet of the Apes
The Classic Sci-Fi Social Commentary
Beneath the Planet of the Apes
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- May 26, 1970
- Runtime
- 95 Minutes
- Director
- Ted Post
The second installment of the classic Planet of the Apes series continues from the first film, with Taylor and Nova exploring the Forbidden Zone. As a second spaceship crash-lands on the planet searching for Taylor, the survivors soon discover the terrifying truth hiding underground.
Like the first film, Beneath the Planet of the Apes brings biting social commentary to the sci-fi screen. Set in the far future, where human civilization was destroyed by nuclear war, the film explores themes of nihilism, corruption, and good and evil. While Beneath the Planet of the Apes is an inferior film to its predecessor, it remains a vibrant and original vision of a society turned on its head.
5 The Omega Man
An Underrated Adaptation
- Director: Boris Sagal
- Released: August 1, 1971
- Runtime: 1h 38m
Inspired by the novel I Am Legend, by Richard Matheson, The Omega Man stars Charlton Heston as Dr Robert Neville, the last known survivor of a devastating war. After biological weapons destroyed society, turning the remaining few into nocturnal, vampire-like madmen known as The Family, Neville attempts to survive their nightly attacks and taunts.
While The Omega Man has largely been forgotten today, overshadowed by the 2007 adaptation, I Am Legend, starring Will Smith, it remains a classic post-apocalyptic movie of the era. Charlton Heston commands every frame he’s in with his trademark charisma and delivery.
4 Wizards
Early Adult Animation Involving Wizards and Fascists
- Director: Ralph Bakshi
- Released: February 9, 1977
- Runtime: 1h 22m
This epic adult animation blends fantasy and sci-fi in a kaleidoscope of cult brilliance. Set in a post-apocalyptic future where nuclear war has killed off society, the world has plunged into a world of monsters and magic. The film follows a wizard’s epic struggle against a rival wizard’s technological power.
Pitting magic against machines, the film is a vibrant animation by the creator of Fritz the Cat (1972). The film touches on themes of environmentalism, war, and fascism. The film would become a cult hit with its stunning visuals and strong symbolism, creating a rich and unique movie experience.
3 Logan’s Run
A Unique Sci-Fi Classic
Logan's Run
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- June 23, 1976
- Runtime
- 119 minutes
- Director
- Michael Anderson
This classic dystopian sci-fi movie is set in a world where the remaining population lives in a sealed underground city, where resources are tightly controlled, and anyone living to the age of thirty is killed. The film follows Logan 5, a Sandman whose job is to hunt runners, men and women attempting to escape their fate.
After Logan’s life clock turns thirty, he attempts to escape the confines of the city, discovering the truth waiting outside the walls. Logan’s Run is a cult classic that explores themes of freedom, ageism, and truth. While it was received with mixed reviews on release, the film's enduring legacy in popular culture has made it a must-watch for sci-fi fans.
2 Mad Max
The Beginning of the Genre-Defining Series from Australia
Mad Max
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- April 12, 1979
WHERE TO WATCH
- Runtime
- 91 minutes
- Director
- George Miller
One of the defining film series of the Post-Apocalyptic genre, Mad Max was Mel Gibson’s star-making role. The film is set in the crumbling Australian outback, where society has collapsed due to mass resource shortages. Here, “Mad” Max Rockatansky, an ex-cop turned vigilante, takes on a savage motorcycle gang terrorizing the remaining population.
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Mad Max is an action classic, with some terrific car chase sequences. While the series would find its iconic identity in later releases, most notably Mad Max 2, this original movie would set the standard and become a hit film among audiences, helping to bring worldwide recognition to the Australian New Wave film movement.
1 Dawn of the Dead
A Zombie Masterpiece from the Grandfather of the Genre
Dawn of the Dead
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- September 2, 1978
- Runtime
- 127 minutes
- Director
- George A. Romero
The second entry in Romero’s classic Living Dead series is a gory satire on consumerism. The film follows a group of survivors who find refuge in a large shopping mall after the zombie outbreak spreads out of control. Soon surrounded by the walking dead, they have no choice but to hope help will come to them.
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The film follows the breakdown of the group, as tensions rise and their situation worsens. The characters are a microcosm of society, with the different social classes clashing in the consumerist haven of the shopping mall. Dawn of the Dead is one of the greatest zombie films ever and remains a fan favorite today. It has influenced countless movies and video games, including the successful Resident Evil series.
10 Best Animated Movies of the 80s, Ranked
A lot of classic animated movies released between 1980 and 1989, and here are the best of them all.