The science fiction genre is defined by imaginative concepts, typically centering around speculation about the future, alternate timelines, or life aboard spaceships and on other planets. Sci-fi movies generally get these big ideas across to their audience using dazzling special effects, creative set design, and, of course, costumes that are carefully crafted to convey the utility and/or the fashion trends of their respective futuristic eras. Although the sci-fi genre has proffered up some of the most memorable and utterly cool costumes in cinematic history, it’s also opened the door for many impractical, ugly, and downright goofy ones.
From some truly embarrassing space fleet uniforms to apocalyptic wastelander gear that’s supposed to be imposing but isn’t, there are tons of wacky outfits seen throughout science fiction movies. In the list below, we’ve counted down the top 11 silliest fashion moments in science fiction films.
11 Starfleet Uniform – Star Trek: The Motion Picture
Star Trek: The Motion Picture is the first feature-length film in the Star Trek franchise, and tells the story of Admiral James T. Kirk and the men and women aboard the Starship Enterprise coming into contact with a dangerous artificial intelligence. Initially released to mixed reviews, many Trekkies – as well as casual science fiction fans – have warmed up to this odd but interesting addition to the Star Trek canon over the years.
Despite the change in reception, one element of the movie remains under heavy scrutiny: the drab redesign of the iconic red, gold, and blue Starfleet uniforms. According to WhatCulture, prolific costume designer Robert Fletcher “carefully crafted a new division color and ranking system, even producing an extensive guide for the costumers to follow on set.
With the film's inflated budget, Fletcher was able to design numerous variant costumes that included formal two-piece uniforms, casual robe-like wraparound uniforms, and the aforementioned formfitting duty jumpsuits.” Unfortunately, the overall effect of all that meticulous detailing is uncannily similar to that of old pajamas, many times faded and shrunk in the wash.
10 Lord Humongous — Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (1981)
Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior is George Miller’s masterful high-octane sequel to his original Australian post-apocalypse revenge jam, and one of the greatest sci-fi action movies ever made. The film (and the entire franchise, for that matter) is full of iconic wastelander fashion, but the king of the weird hodgepodge dressing style is the film’s primary antagonist, Lord Humongous. Decked out in black leather hot pants, a strappy harness, loads of bracelets, and combat boots, Lord Humongous’ outfit is as impractical as it is ridiculous, and yet, he remains a much-imitated but never-bettered icon of desolation core dress.
9 Spaceship Crew Uniform — Planet of the Vampires (1965)
Planet of the Vampires is a highly influential sci-fi horror flick about a team of astronauts who land on an uncharted world that hides a dark and deadly secret. Directed with an abundance of style from Italian horror maestro Mario Bava, Planet of the Vampires dares to blend sci-fi tropes with gothic aesthetics, and the effect is marvelous. The movie had a notable influence on Ridley Scott’s Alien, though luckily Scott tapped costume designer John Mollo to design the spaceship crew uniforms for his movie; the main cast’s uniforms in Planet of the Vampires look utterly ridiculous.
8 Ming the Merciless — Flash Gordon (1980)
Flash Gordon is a space opera action extravaganza that’s loaded with camp and rocking tunes. It tracks the efforts of football star Flash Gordon to put an end to the destructive tyranny of a maniacal menace from the planet Mongo. That maniacal menace is Ming the Merciless, a deranged despot whose affinity for causing calamity is matched only by his love of strange attire. As if his gaudy red cloak weren’t enough, atop the baddie’s bald head rests a goofy black helmet that’s molded in the shape of Dracula’s widow’s peak.
7 Zed – Zardoz (1974)
Zardoz is a thoroughly unhinged slice of ‘70s cult weirdness about a group of ruling immortal beings and the one man who decides to stand in opposition to them. That man is Zed, a savage warrior played by none other than the original James Bond himself, Sean Connery. In the words of Den of Geek, the very hairy Connery sports “a red diaper and thigh-high boots” throughout the film, which is just one of the innumerable strange things about Zardoz.
6 Ruby Rhod – The Fifth Element (1997)
One of the best science fiction movies from the past few decades, The Fifth Element is a wacky sci-fi flick about a taxi driver in the 23rd century who winds up having to save the world from sure destruction at the hands of a sadistic industrialist. The movie is chock-full of ridiculous outfits, including Milla Jovovich’s bizarre bandage get-up, but Chris Tucker’s Ruby Rhod, with his assortment of outrageously silly fits and tubular blonde hairdo, takes the cake.
5 Terl and Ker — Battlefield Earth (2000)
A critically-panned and completely absurd flop considering the A-list talent behind the wheel, Battlefield Earth is often cited as one of the worst movies ever made. According to Collider, “Battlefield Earth swept the 2000 Razzies with seven wins, including Worst Picture. It was later awarded Razzies' "Worst Drama of Our First 25 Years" and "Worst Picture of the Decade," setting a new record for Razzies won for a single film.”
Part of the credit for those dubious honors should go to the costume designers, who put together some of the most atrocious-looking extraterrestrial looks since ‘50s B-classic Robot Monster. Most notable are the outfits of villains Terl and Ker, played by John Travolta and Forest Whitaker respectively, who – well – just look at them and try not to laugh.
4 The Three Supreme Beings of the Future – Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989)
Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure is a classic sci-fi comedy about a pair of high school slackers who travel through time and enlist the help of various historical figures to help them put together a presentation for history class. While the movie has lots of memorable outfits in it, the silliest ones belong to the so-called “Three Supreme Beings of the Future,” who are seen rocking enormous shades and bright tinsel-y robes adorned with gigantic shoulder pads.
3 Dark Helmet — Spaceballs (1987)
MGM
One of the funniest science fiction movies ever made, Spaceballs is a Star Wars parody like no other. It's about a suave space pilot tasked with rescuing a princess from a tyrant whose home world has been run completely out of oxygen. The movie is relentlessly silly, from its outrageous premise to its lovably looney cast of characters, and every offbeat little thing in between.
One of its funniest elements is undoubtedly its main bad guy – Dark Helmet – an obvious spoof of Darth Vader, complete with a comically large helmet that dwarfs actor Rick Moranis within.
2 Oraclon — Escape from Galaxy 3 (1981)
Escape from Galaxy 3 is a cult sci-fi flick about a peace-loving couple who must confront an evil galactic ruler bent on taking over the galaxy. Although its plot is pretty thin and it's mighty low on original ideas, Escape from Galaxy 3 – also known as Star Crash II – has more than enough low-budget Italian schlock to be worth checking out at least once. One of its best aspects is its bizarre costume design; it’s absolutely wild across the board, but especially when it comes to the film’s villain, Oraclon, whose bright blue and pink spandex suit shines in brilliant contrast against his sadistic personality.
1 Barbarella – Barbarella (1968)
Barbarella is the sci-fi Jane Fonda vehicle that made the actress an international sex symbol and fashion icon. It follows a seductive space adventurer tasked with rescuing a genius scientist from a desolate planet ruled by the evil Durand Durand. A controversial sci-fi oddity, Barbarella is both beloved and scorned for its in-your-face erotic material and gaudy ‘60s aesthetic. Nevertheless, the film must be appreciated for the way that it perfectly encapsulates the zeitgeist of the late 1960s. Just look at Fonda’s wide array of groovy space-age outfits in this, each one sillier than the last, and try and find a movie with crazier costuming.