By Drew Dietsch
| Published
There are two sci-fi classics from the 1970s that got more ripoffs and knockoffs than any other movies from that decade. The first is obviously Star Wars and we’ve already covered which of those knockoffs you should see in a previous video, so go watch that if you need more lasers and space battles in your life.
Because this time, we’re covering that other 1970s sci-fi game-changer, Alien. A simple monster movie in space became a generational masterpiece that reshaped the future of both science-fiction and horror in cinema. And because it was such a landmark success, you know movies would continue to be inspired and even directly rip Alien off for decades to come.
So, we’ve decided to scour the vastness of space and even the depths of the oceans for the absolute cream of the xenomorphic crop. I’m Drew Dietsch for Giant Freakin Robot and this is ranking the Top 10 Alien knockoffs actually worth your time.
10. Contamination (1980)
You know we had to include the ripoff maestros, the Italians, and we had plenty of options to choose from. Heck, the Italians went so far as to make a movie actually called Alien 2! But we’re only going to include one Italian Alien knockoff and it has to be from our favorite Italian Star Wars ripoff director, Starcrash’s own Luigi Cozzi. This is Contamination.
Releasing the following year after Alien, Contamination brings evil alien eggs to Earth because that’s cheaper than building spaceship sets. Lots of fun, nasty effects and some endearing ones like olives being used for the alien eggs or the giant Cyclops monster make Contamination a great example of the cheesy delights of Italian ripoffs.
9. Lily C.A.T. (1987)
Anime in the 1980s took plenty of inspiration from Alien. So much that it came full circle with the fan anime short film, Alien: Monday. But Lily C.A.T. is the only one that pretty much goes into full ripoff territory.
Also taking its cues from John Carpenter’s The Thing, Lily C.A.T. is a simple and straightforward story about a spaceship crew being terrorized by an evolving alien bacteria. Like most anime from the ‘80s, the violence and salaciousness is turned up to the max. At less than 70 minutes, Lily C.A.T. is a quick and concentrated hit of Alien knockoff goodness.
8. Lifeforce (1985)
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre director Tobe Hooper blends together Alien and another movie we’ve covered on this channel, Quatermass and the Pit, into the bombastic and boobtastic blockbuster, Lifeforce.
Based on the novel The Space Vampires, Lifeforce gives a unique spin on the “discovering an abandoned spaceship” riff by placing the alien vehicle in the coma of a comet. Once the alien wackiness gets to Earth, you’ll be treated to some pretty stupendous effects that are worth the movie’s entire existence.
7. Leviathan (1989)
A number of films were quickly produced in the late ‘80s in anticipation of ripping off another movie, The Abyss. Of course, since The Abyss hadn’t actually released yet, they also had to rip off Alien for their plots. And while I can certainly sing the praises of DeepStar Six, the best of these is George P. Cosmatos’s Leviathan.
With a surprisingly accomplished cast of noteworthy actors, Leviathan transmits the claustrophobic space horrors of Alien to the deep sea. If you like your Alien knockoffs wet and wild, make sure to set aside some time for Leviathan.
6. Forbidden World (1982)
Much like the Italians, Roger Corman ripped off Alien more times than we can count. But, if there is one of his exploitation experiments that stands out in this arena, it’s got to be Forbidden World.
You won’t find anything new here when it comes to story but Forbidden World plays the hits with plenty of success. And it doesn’t even break 80 minutes, so this is another short and sweet effects-fest that any self-respecting B-movie fan needs to check off their list.
5. Underwater (2020)
Oh, you thought this was going to be nothing but ‘80s movies? Nope! Alien continues to be a source of inspiration to filmmakers and Underwater is a thrilling modern example. It hit theaters in 2020 and was promptly forgotten by audiences. That’s their loss because when it comes to big studio Alien knockoffs, Underwater is a major winner.
Excellent production design, a propulsive script, and some monstrous reveals make Underwater the kind of sci-fi horror we rarely get out of Hollywood anymore. If this flew under your radar, do yourself a favor and check out Underwater. It’s only 95 minutes! Bless these Alien movies and their reasonable running times.
4. Event Horizon (1997)
Hey, I think we’ve talked about this movie before! Seriously, you can go check out our entire video about Event Horizon, but it’s worth noting that director Paul W.S. Anderson hasn’t been shy about his influences in making Event Horizon, and Alien is all over this movie.
Though it ends up leaning more into Hellraiser than Alien, the entire production design of Event Horizon is directly influenced by Ridley Scott’s truck driver take on sci-fi tech. Want something more supernatural in an Alien homage? Event Horizon is your ticket.
3. Deep Rising (1998)
A ragtag crew of miscreants have to deal with a seemingly abandoned ship and start falling victim to a bizarre monster? No, you’re not back on the Nostromo, you’ve booked passage on the Argonautica and the absolute blast that is Deep Rising.
Another banger ensemble cast and blockbuster effects from The Mummy director Stephen Sommers allows Deep Rising to be pure popcorn pleasure that always entertains. If you aren’t cracking a smile during this movie, you might want to check your pulse.
2. Pitch Black (2000)
Before he was doing nothing but Fast & Furious movies, Vin Diesel starred as the criminal Riddick in Pitch Black, one of the best sci-fi horror movies of the 2000s.
You’ve got the usual Alien story archetypes: a somewhat misfit spaceship crew, strange planet, unknown alien monsters. All that works well but it’s the inclusion of the villainous Riddick to the mix that gives this some really distinct flavor. And the alien monsters are just awesome. I’ll watch this over any other Vin Diesel movie any time. …Except maybe The Iron Giant.
1. Outland (1981)
The best Alien knockoff is actually a movie you may have never seen or even associate with Alien. Outland is really a Western in space with Sean Connery playing a law officer on a mining colony where an illegal drug market is thriving. There’s no alien monster in Outland but the set designs, tone, and themes of the movie have always made me argue that Outland may as well take place in the Alien universe.
It’s also a legitimately great movie that seems to have been nearly forgotten by most people. If you want to see a story that feels like it belongs right alongside the corporate terrors of Alien, Outland is a home run and that makes it the number one Alien knockoff.
What are some of your favorite Alien-inspired movies? Drop us a recommendation in the comments, we love these kinds of flicks! If you want more videos like this, make sure to like the video and subscribe to the channel. And you can hear more in-depth discussion on some of these movies by listening to the GenreVision podcast. We’ve got full episodes on Underwater, Event Horizon, and Deep Rising.
I always thank y’all for watching at the end of these videos, but if you really did spend your time with this whole list of movies that I personally dig, an extra special thanks for being awesome. Take care of yourself and I’ll see you here next time on Giant Freakin Robot.
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