The actor, singer and iconic captain of the USS Enterprise, William Shatner, has seen his fair share of interstellar adventures. But beyond the universe of Star Trek, which are the sci-fi films that have left an indelible mark on his psyche? A brief journey through his favorites gives us a glimpse into the making of one of science fiction’s most beloved actors.
Topping his list is Steven Spielberg’s E.T., which the actor described as “one of the most profound science fiction films because it dealt with childhood fantasy”. Shatner speaks to its evocative power, discussing the possibility that “reality is only a glimpse into a child’s mind”. It is movies like these that suggest, in his words, “You have to be a child to enjoy it.”
He also praises the original Star Wars trilogy, particularly the innovative cinematic effects introduced by George Lucas’s Industrial Light & Magic. In his curation of sci-fi movies for the Daily Beast, he critiqued the prequel for using the same technology to bring to life “perhaps the most annoying character ever,” referring to the interminably irritating Jar Jar Binks. His appreciation for Close Encounters of the Third Kind was also palpable. It’s another film that teases the enduring myth of alien civilisations – and gives him the chance to sneak in a political barb. “Are there strange entities observing us? There are,” Shatner jokes, referring to the former governor of Texas: “And his name is Governor Perry”.
But not every film has been to his taste. His critique of Spaceballs, where he likens it to “the scent of Chinese food two days later”, shows his distaste for spoofs that “lack the creativity of the original”. This is unsurprising, considering the Alan Rickman starring sci-fi comedy directly riffed on the aesthetic, characters and story of Star Trek. But then he flips the script with Alien, praising it as “one of the most frightening movies ever made” and commending director Ridley Scott for knowing “exactly how to mount the tension and surprise us with those delirious effects”.
Revisiting his own legacy, Shatner wryly comments on Star Trek: The Motion Picture, alluding to its basic strengths in character, plot, and development. With a ‘Dad joke’ style humor reminiscent of Kirk himself, he jests about the “wonderful, handsome, dynamic leading man who played the captain,” asking us, “Who plays him?” Even when his iconic character was portrayed by someone else in the new Star Trek series Strange New Worlds, Shatner managed to maintain his comic edge.
Stanley Kubrick’s 1969 masterpiece 2001: A Space Odyssey is heralded as a “work of genius” by Shatner, with its mystifying ending prompting multiple viewings. “What does it mean?” the actor begs. “Can anybody explain?” The realness of Apollo 13 strikes a chord, though he acknowledges it’s not pure sci-fi. Shatner describes Avatar as the “sum total of all the science fiction movies,” with its immersive 3D effects eliciting literal “goosebumps”.
William Shatner’s favorite sci-fi movies
- E.T. (Steven Spielberg, 1982)
- Star Wars Episodes IV-VI (George Lucas, 1997-1983)
- Close Encounters of the Third Kind (Steven Spielberg, 1977)
- Alien (Ridley Scott, 1979)
- Star Trek: The Motion Picture (Robert Wise, 1979)
- 2001: A Space Odyssey (Stanley Kubrick, 1969)
- Apollo 13 (Ron Howard, 1995)
- Avatar (James Cameron, 2009)
- Contact (Robert Zemeckis, 1997)
Finally, Shatner rounds up the list with Contact, Robert Zemeckis’ powerful and thought-provoking meditation on life beyond Earth. For Shatner, it encapsulated a global anticipation of the moment when a definitive answer is given to perhaps the biggest question in history: “Are we alone?”
