This is the first in a series of articles where we’ll be covering the Top Films About Genetic Engineering. While genetic engineering is closely related to cloning, we have a separate collection for Films About Cloning as they tend to be more drama-based and cover the moral, philosophical and ethical nature of cloning. However, Genetic Engineering Films are typically sci-fi and/or horror-based and cover various themes such as genetically engineered hybrid creatures or bioengineering a superhuman.
Films About Genetic Engineering will also cover topics such as mad scientists, genetic research, bioengineering, genetic mutants and other related topics where an organism or person is genetically modified or created. Genetic Engineering Films are also closely aligned with other film subgenres including Films Based on Superheroes & Comics, Dark Fantasy Films, Films About Dinosaurs, Body Horror Films, Cosmic Horror Films, Eco-Horror Films, Films About Monsters, Psychic Powers Films, Psychological and Medical Horror Films, Sci-Fi Biotech Films, Films About Clones, Hard Sci-Fi Films, Animals Attack Films, Conspiracy Films, Pandemic & Virus Films and Psychological and Medical Thrillers.
This first article will cover the Top Films About Genetic Engineering You Haven’t Seen from the 1970’s and you can check out additional articles by decade below. We are also going to include a Best Of subgenre article as a grand finale. There are so many great films featuring genetically altered humans and mutants from the last 60 years that we felt it best to break down some of the subgenre’s forgotten and lesser-known gems by decade before we give you the Best Of list which will likely feature many films you’ve already heard of or have seen.
- Top Films About Genetic Engineering You Haven’t Seen – 1970’s
- Top Films About Genetic Engineering You Haven’t Seen – 1980’s
- Top Films About Genetic Engineering You Haven’t Seen – 1990’s
- Top Films About Genetic Engineering You Haven’t Seen – 2000’s
- Top Films About Genetic Engineering You Haven’t Seen – 2010’s
- Best Recent Films About Genetic Engineering
- Best Films About Genetic Engineering
We wanted to start off this article with a note about our Genetic Engineering film list. For now, we have included a broad interpretation of genetic engineering that includes films based on Frankenstein, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and The Invisible Man. Though it’s debatable if these films are based on genetic engineering, we felt they had similar enough themes of the subgenre to include them. As for all the Films Based on Superheroes & Comics that have characters with genetic mutations like The X-Men, Spider-Man and The Hulk, we have included most of those films but are not including ensemble superhero films like The Avengers (2012) unless they have specific themes related to genetic engineering.
Genetic engineering has always been a popular sci-fi theme in film even though the actual science was still decades away. From the 1930’s to the 1960’s, there are many classic films that had concepts of genetic engineering with some popular examples including Frankenstein (1931), Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (1931), The Invisible Man (1933) and The Fly (1958). In the 1970’s, themes of the subgenre would become more defined with mutations caused by man-made toxic waste, bioengineered humans and a wave of ‘mad scientist’ films where human DNA was often mixed with animal, reptile, insect and even plant DNA to create scientific monstrosities.
The environmentally focused era of the 1970’s produced so many ‘mutated monster’ films that classification of these films is difficult for this subgenre. Nonetheless, of these Eco-Horror Films from the 70’s, two films that had specific themes of genetic engineering included Doomwatch (1971) and Night of the Lepus (1972). Another classic film of the decade, The Boys from Brazil (1973), does have some actual scientific discussions of genetic engineering, but the overall theme of the films is about cloning Hitler and is thus classified in our Films About Cloning collection.
Bioengineering humans was another subgenre theme that began to develop during this decade. Embyro (1976) involved a scientist who discovers a method to accelerate the growth of a fetus (to disastrous effect). Genetically engineered Nazi super zombies that could walk underwater and were unstoppable killing machines was the plot of the underrated Shock Waves (1977). Island of the Fishmen (1979) featured a mad scientist who transformed humans into amphibious creatures that he controls – until he doesn’t. And a genetically engineered super athlete daughter of a neo-Nazi doctor is the plot of the Sports Drama film Goldengirl (1979).
The most prominent theme of this decade, however, was the mad scientist performing genetic modification by combining human DNA with an animal or other species. Human and queen bee hybrids were the genetic creations in the Invasion of the Bee Girls (1973). Sssssss (1973) involved a mad scientist using an unwitting human subject and combining him with King Cobra DNA. Donald Pleasance was a mad scientist in The Mutations (1974) who created human and plant hybrid monstrosities. And the classic film The Island of Dr. Moreau (1977) featured Burt Lancaster as the warped scientist with a God complex who creates an entire island full of human and animal hybrids.
Our complete list of Films About Genetic Engineering features over 212+ films from 1931 – 2023 and if you don’t see a film on our list it is likely in other film collections such as Eco-Horror Films, Films About Monsters, Films About Cloning, Psychological and Medical Horror Films and Psychological and Medical Thrillers. We’ll be releasing other articles about some of the best lesser-known subgenre films soon so subscribe to our newsletter to get updated as we release future articles about Clones and Genetic engineering.
Classic Films About Genetic Engineering from the 1970’s: The Island of Dr. Moreau (1977) & Shock Waves (1977).
Lesser-known Films About Genetic Engineering from the 1970’s that didn’t make our list: Space Amoeba (1970), Lady Frankenstein (1971), I, Monster (1971), The Mind Snatchers (1972), The Thing with Two Heads (1972), Night of the Lepus (1972), Horror High (1973) and Frankenstein: The True Story (1973).
Note: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Here is our list of the Top Films About Genetic Engineering You Haven’t Seen – 1970’s:
Plot: After their prison ship sinks in the Caribbean, a group of prisoners and a doctor wash ashore on a seemingly deserted island. They soon discover a strange couple, who invite them to stay at their house. While the prisoners plan an escape, the doctor does some investigating, and soon finds out just what the pair are really doing, and why the prisoners keep disappearing mysteriously.
KBZ’s Take: We obviously didn’t have a lot of quality films to select from for this list as most of the 1970’s subgenre films are awful. But Island of the Fishermen is actually one of the better films even if the Fishmen look like and are men in rubber suits.
Though the film is labeled as ‘horror’, it’s much more of an adventure film with a subplot involving the Lost City of Atlantis. However, there is a scene explaining how the Fishmen were genetically altered which gives the film a bit more depth (pun intended). It’s not a classic film of the subgenre by any means, but it’s worth checking out by subgenre fans if only for the reveal of the mad doctor’s transformation process.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/46U6Fm4
#9
Goldengirl
Plot: Venture capital and hormone experiments turn a statuesque blonde (Susan Anton) into an Olympic superstar.
KBZ’s Take: We want to be upfront that this film is mainly a melodramatic Sports Drama centered on Goldine’s (Susan Anton) desire to compete without her artificially enhanced genetic edge. Also, the entire subplot involving her neo-Nazi father and his genetic experimentation on her is only mentioned in-depth in one scene and glossed over throughout the film.
However, it’s not that bad of a film and is watchable. Just don’t expect an insidious cloning or genetic engineering narrative similar to The Boys from Brazil (1973).
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3QlLVhp
Plot: In the early years of the Russian Revolution, a brilliant surgeon conceives a dog-to-man transplant.
KBZ’s Take: Also known as Cuore di cane (Dog’s Heart), this Italian-German co-production is based on the novel Heart of a Dog by Russian author Mikhail Bulgakov. It stars Max Von Sydow as Professor Preobrazenski who genetically engineers a dog into a man and the man (who was formerly a dog), now takes on all the negative qualities of his human donor.
While this might sound like a warped sci-fi film, it’s not. It’s a satire of Bolshevism and Sharikov’s (the dog’s name that he takes as a human) desire to not conform to current societal expectations. The film doesn’t go deep into the scientific nature of transforming a dog into a human rather it critiques Eugenics and the belief that genetic selection can lead to superior humans.
Where to Stream / Buy: N/A
#7
Doomwatch
Plot: The waters surrounding an island become contaminated by chemical dumping, and people who eat fish caught in those waters become deformed and violent.
KBZ’s Take: This is the only Eco-Horror film on our list as it ties the genetic mutations and deformities of villagers on a remote island to toxic chemical waste. The film is more effective when it plays on its sci-fi and mystery roots rather than its misguided horror elements, but it is worth watching and recommended for fans of the subgenre.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/44vNu0p
#6
Sssssss
Plot: College student working as a lab student is changed into a ‘man-snake’ by the doctor he is working with.
KBZ’s Take: This film has a very hokey premise but is actually quite good. It’s one of the better ‘shlock’ films about the merging of humans and animals in the 1970’s. It stars a young Dirk Benedict before he would go on to star in Battlestar Galactica (1978). The makeup and effects are also above average for a film of this type, and it’s recommended for fans of the subgenre.
Additional Lists: Top Sci-Fi Biotechnology Films You Haven’t Seen #10
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3FlHxZu
Plot: A G-man (William Smith) finds two women (Victoria Vetri, Anitra Ford) have created an army of beauties who seduce men to death.
KBZ’s Take: We have to start off by saying this isn’t a typical sci-fi subgenre film. Though it’s categorized as horror and sci-fi, it’s also a Sex Comedy Film with some intentional – but quite a bit more – unintentional humor. It’s also the only film we can think of where there’s a conspiracy to turn women into human queen bees, but that’s the gist of the plot as the bee women start killing men when having sex.
We didn’t have high expectations going into this, but the film did surprise us a bit. Though the plot is ridiculous, it does have some genuinely suspenseful moments and kept us engaged the entire film. It’s not a masterpiece by any means, but if you’re looking for one of the under the radar films of the subgenre, this is it.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3pY1L6X
Plot: A mad scientist crosses people with plants to horrifying effect.
KBZ’s Take: Another ‘best of the worst’ of these 1970’s campy sci-fi and horror hybrids, The Mutations (aka The Freakmaker) is a cross between Freaks (1932) and The Island of Dr. Moreau (1978). While it has a somewhat original premise, it’s not a great film by any means. Donald Pleasance as the mad scientist gives a passable performance, but it’s his deformed assistant Lynch (played by Tom Baker) who has more of the emotional arc within the film.
Additional Lists: Top Sci-Fi Biotechnology Films You Haven’t Seen #9
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3H48QsQ
#3
Shock Waves
Plot: Visitors to a remote island discover that a reclusive Nazi commandant has been breeding a group of zombie soldiers.
KBZ’s Take: We’ll be upfront that this is one of our guilty pleasures from the 70’s that’s probably ranked a lot higher than it should be. The plot is a bit nonsensical (and full of plot holes) but the film is all about atmosphere. From the moment the shipwrecked crew arrives on the island to the reveal of the Nazi zombies, the film builds a continual sense of dread to a frightening third act.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3pXQXpu
#2
Embryo
Plot: A scientist doing experiments on a human fetus discovers a method to accelerate the fetus into a mature adult in just a few days.
KBZ’s Take: Embryo is one of the better sci-fi thrillers of the 70’s that’s been lost to time. Even though the film’s main theme is about genetic engineering, it also incorporates themes related to artificial intelligence – specifically how artificial intelligence learns and develops to act ‘human’.
The film mimics the cautionary theme of Frankenstein and the eventual loss of control of your creation. Dr. Holliston (Rock Hudson) creates a growth serum that quickly ages Victoria (Barbara Carrera) from a fetus to a 22-year-old in a matter of days. However, as Victoria ages she also gains genius level intelligence with a troubling dark side effect – aggression.
Though this film is also categorized as horror, it’s not. It has more melodramatic moments than horror and better functions as a sci-fi mystery thriller. But it’s a good one at that and well worth checking out by fans of the subgenre.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/43CCEUW
Plot: After his ship sinks, Andrew Braddock (Michael York) washes ashore on a tropical island owned by Dr. Moreau (Burt Lancaster). While waiting for a ship to return him to civilization, Braddock becomes disturbed by the strange creatures roaming the island, and at the same time falls for the lovely Maria (Barbara Carrera), who lives with Moreau. Soon Braddock discovers that the creatures are the results of Moreau’s sinister experiments, and plots to escape before he himself becomes a victim.
KBZ’s Take: We know almost anyone over the age of 40 has likely seen this film and grew up watching this classic film about genetic engineering run amok. But we’re including it as our #1 selection for a few reasons.
First, younger generations likely have not seen this film or ended up seeing the very inferior 1996 remake starring Val Kilmer, David Thewlis and Marlon Brandon. The remake was a troubled production from the start and the end result shows it.
Second, even though some people think Island of Lost Souls (1932) is the definitive adaptation of H.G. Wells’ novel, even H.G. himself thought the 1933 adaptation was terrible. We personally feel H.G. would have been more receptive to the adventure-themed nature of the 1977 version.
Finally, there’s no better portrayal of H.G Well’s mad scientist with a God complex than Burt Lancaster. Though older generations might have had a harder time envisioning Lancaster in a ‘bad guy’ role, younger generations aren’t as familiar with his typecasting as a hero in the 50’s and 60’s. Lancaster is Moreau.
If you haven’t seen the film or have only seen the 1996 remake, we would encourage every fan of the subgenre to check out one of the earliest and best stories about genetic engineering – that is the Law!
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/44O1pP2
