Long before "quantum" became the sci-fi byword for "we don't understand what we're writing," sci-fi diehards and casual fans alike dined on decades of superlative sci-fi films. The '80s saw the superb sequel "Aliens" expand on its original to forge a masterpiece in its own right, much like "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" did in the '90s. The '00s, meanwhile, saw writers tweak existing ideas into high-concept films like "Children of Men" and "District 9." But before all these films came a decade of massive hits and lesser-discussed films that laid the groundwork for them all: the '70s.

The 1970s were replete with legendary sci-fi touchstones that not only defined the genre, but also defined entire generations of moviegoers, notably "Star Wars," "Alien," and "Close Encounters of the Third Kind

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