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Top 20 Steampunk Movies You Must See

20 min read

Welcome vaporist. We will explore Films in the Steampunk genre or strongly influenced by it. Steampunk is a combination of fantasy and science fiction, often creating works that have a huge success. With the overwhelming impact of writers like Jules Verne, Robert Louis Stevenson and H. G. Wells, there is a singular but undoubtedly inventive universe. Terry Gilliam, Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Katsuhiro Ohtomo, Karel Zeman and Hayao Miyazaki knew how to use it to make incredible films.

The Steampunk style reminds us of Victorian England (end of the 19th century) with its coal and steam engines. As if electricity has never been covered, imagine a world of steam machines with irrational dimensions. Not to mention flying ships, robotic steam bugs, standard submarines, breathtaking cannons, and so on. Well, this futuristic world is nothing more than a Steampunk world.

The following list gathers the best steampunk movies that are suitable for families. Each film features steampunk, dieselpunk and Victorian environments, parallel worlds, innovative steam machines, gadgets, imagination and good humor. And these are popular, beautiful and visually stunning steampunk movies to represent this genre. You can get an idea by watching the trailer, and if we make you want to see the movie, all the better.

 1- The Trip to the Moon (1902)

- Director: Georges Méliès

- Main actors: Georges Méliès, François Lallement, Jules-Eugène Legris

One of the most emblematic silent films and certainly the most famous image of the pre-fiction era, this film has been studied and discussed for over a century. You know, some films are famous for certain scenes. Many of them have lines of dialogue that can be quoted.

However, there is a very small and exclusive club of films that are remembered and symbolized by a single image. A face in the moon with a rocket in its eyes. This image is so clear that it is immediately recognizable, even for those who have never seen a single silent film. It has been mentioned and imitated in everything from children's books to music videos.

M&eacute wrote the script, acted in the film in the main role, designed the sets and costumes, directed, photographed and produced the film! He even hired acrobats from the Folies Berg to play the lunar inhabitants named Sélénites, and the dressed assistants who launched the canon were dancers from the Châtelet ballet.

Méliès 400th film, the most remarkable (only six years after the legendary first screening of Les Frères Lumière), was made in the early 1960s; té ré alis; with an astronomical budget of 10 000 francs, very risky, but worthy of interest because it knew an immense success.

A group of men go to the moon by being shot at in a capsule with a giant gun. They are captured by moonmen, escape and return to earth. The same film that Martin Scorsese used in "Hugo" is one of the best steampunk films in history!

Inspired by the books of Jules Verne and H. G. Wells, George Més, a pioneer of cinema, makes a film about a rocket that is sent to the moon. As in the works of Verne and Wells, the film became steampunk because of the era in which it was shot. Even though steampunk is a sub-genre of science fiction, it is enough to fall into this genre from the 19th century or before. Since the filming at the beginning of the twentieth century, it has become not only one of the first films of science fiction, but also of the steampunk genre.

With a duration of 12 minutes and 52 seconds, the film is on YouTube and is considered one of the most influential films in the history of cinema. All this makes it a film that every film buff should watch.

 

2- Hugo Cabret (2011)

-Director: Martin Scorsese

-Screenwriters: John Logan (script), Brian Selznick (book)

-Lead actors: Asa Butterfield, Chloë Grace Moretz, Christopher Lee

 

 Hugo is a historical adventure film based on Brian Selznick's novel "The Invention of Hugo Cabret". An incredible movie - a MUST see and see again because this movie will thrill you!

Hugo is an orphan who lives within the walls of a train station in 1930s Paris. He has figured out how to set the clocks and the various devices of his father and uncle that he uses to operate the station's ticket machines. The only thing he has left that associates him with his dead father is an automaton (mechanical man) that does not work without a key. Hugo must find the key to solve the mystery surrounding his father.

What is interesting as a steampunk fan is that Hugo, in his adventures, meets Georges Mille, who works at the train station, with his goddaughter. Hugo says that they have a connection with his father and the automaton, and he says that this unlocks some memories that the old man has buried in him about his past.

"Hugo" tells of the birth of cinema and the presentation of old films. The film also talks about its recirculations and how important it is to try to live them.

3- The Prestige (2006)

- Director: Christopher Nolan

- Scribes: Jonathan Nolan, Christopher Nolan

- Main actors: Christian Bale, Hugh Jackman, Scarlett Johansson

 

It is the end of the 19th century, we are in London. Robert Angier, his wife Julia McCullough and Alfred Borden are friends and assistants of a magician. But when Julia accidentally dies during a performance, Robert blames Alfred for her death and they become enemies.

From that moment on, both become bitter and rival magicians, sabotaging each other's performance on stage. When Alfred performs a trick, Robert becomes obsessed with exposing his rival's secret - albeit with tragic consequences. In the end, two stage magicians engage in a "fight" to try to create the ultimate stage illusion.

What makes this film so incredible is that while it is a film about magicians (or illusionists), it is also a complex character study about self-destructive obsessions. A very well told story, the appearance of Nicolas Tesla and a palpable steampunk universe. A unique storyline with an amazing cast.

4- The Moving Castle (2004)

- Director: Hayao Miyazaki

- Scriptwriters: Hayao Miyazaki (script), Diana Wynne Jones (novel)

- Main actors: Chieko Baish&oco (script), Diana Wynne Jones (novel)

Chieko Baish, Takuya Kimura, Tatsuya Gash

"The Walking Castle" is based on a fantasy novel written in 1986 by author Diana Wynne Jones; It is based on a fantasy novel written in 1986 by author Diana Wynne Jones, the first of a trilogy of books about the wizard Hauru, a powerful and vain man who lives in a shrine that can be transformed into a giant bird.

The Walking Castle is a love story between an 18-year-old girl named Sophie, cursed by a witch into the body of an old woman, and a magician named Hauru. Under the curse, Sophie sets off in search of her fortune, which leads her into the strange moving castle.

In the castle, Sophie meets the fire demon named Calcifer. Seeing that she is under a curse, the god makes a deal with Sophie - if she breaks the contract he made with Hauru, then Calcifer will lift the curse from her, and she will return to her 18-year-old self.

Considered by many to be one of Hayao Miyazaki's best works, this steampunk film is an impressive and visually stunning animated film with a complex story. Like any Miyazaki film, it is a moving and dynamic experience that takes the audience into worlds of remarkable fantasy and invention.

Steampunk elements are well known here - the castle itself is perhaps one of the best inventions of the genre! The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in 2003 and remains one of the most famous works of its impressive director. It is a very interesting experience that can be watched and learned by all audiences.

5- Brazil (1985)

- Director: Terry Gilliam

- Scénaristes : Terry Gilliam (scénario), Tom Stoppard (scénario)

- Principal actors: Jonathan Pryce, Kim Greist, Robert De Niro

 

"Brazil" is a variant of George Orwell's novel, 1984. The film takes place in a time and place that seems vaguely like our own, but with different attitudes and politics. The society is controlled by a monolithic organization and the citizens lead a life of paranoia and control.

The film is filled with violent, intense, and bloody scenes, including torture, explosions in public places, bloody bodies and body parts, gunfire, and the oppression of civilians by large numbers of police troops. Because of this violence, and because of the film's dark tone, hilarious characters and often profound consequences, the film is not recommended for younger viewers.

Sam Lowry is an unnecessarily convoluted and ineffectual technocrat. He longs for a life where he can get away from technology and bureaucracy and spend time with the woman of his dreams. While trying to rectify the wrongful arrest of a man named Harry Tuttle, Lowry meets the woman he is still pursuing in his dreams, Jill Layton. Meanwhile, the bureaucracy has accused him of being responsible for a series of terrorist bombings, and Sam and Jill's lives are put in danger.

The "Silk" gives everyone hope for a world where people are free to live, to dream and to protest. After all, as Harry Tuttle would say, "We're all in the same boat.

6- The City of Lost Children (1995)

- Directors: Marc Caro, Jean-Pierre Jeunet

- Directors: Gilles Adrien, Jean-Pierre Jeunet

- Main actors: Ron Perlman, Daniel Emilio, and Daniel Dion: Ron Perlman, Daniel Emilfork, Judith Vittet

 

  "The City of Lost Children" offers a bizarre and breathtaking experience with fantastic visuals. In a bizarre and surreal society, children have been abducted by an evil scientist, Krank, who wants to steal their memories, stop and reverse his accelerated aging process.

As strange as it may sound, this French film is considered one of the best examples of steampunk in cinema. It is a dark fantasy with a strong use of 19th century science fiction sets. It is said to be an homage to the works of Terry Gilliam.

Although it is certainly not everyone's favorite film, it is definitely an experience in every respect.

7- The Illusionist (2006)

- Director: Neil Burger

- Scriptwriters: Neil Burger (script), Steven Millhauser (short story "Eisenheim the Illusionist")

- Main actors : Edward Norton, Jessica Biel, Paul Giamatti

 

 &In late 19th century Vienna, the famous illusionist Eisenheim finds the Duchess von Teschen when she volunteers to participate in an illusion during one of his performances.

Although they have not seen each other for fifteen years as teenagers, they recognize each other almost immediately as Edouard Abramovitch and Sophie von Teschen, who at the time had an impossible love because of their class differences. The Duchess will soon push the Crown Prince L'opold into what would be for him an arranged marriage for the sake of power. And the plot continues....

This film is breathtaking in many ways. Visually, inside and outside, there is a great coherence and everything is perfectly mastered. The story is woven in a fluid way, we get attached to the characters very quickly. "The Illusionist" stages a fascinating parable about art, religion and politics - and the blurred boundaries between them. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011)

- Director: Guy Ritchie

- Scriptwriters: Michele Mulroney, Kieran Mulroney

- Main actors: Robert Downey Jr: Robert Downey Jr, Jude Law, Jared Harris

 

Sherlock Holmes and his friend Dr. Watson join forces to decipher and bring down their most feared adversary, Professor Moriarty.

Sherlock Holmes investigates terrorist attacks in London only when his former partner, Dr. John Watson, marries Mary a few days later. His research points to Professor James Moriarty as the person responsible for the explosions. When Dr. Watson and Mary are attacked on the train while traveling on their honeymoon, Holmes delivers Mary to the protection of her brother, Mycroft.

Soon, Holmes and Watson realize that Professor Moriarty has been buying weapons and munitions factories and trying to start a war in Europe, killing leaders and politicians. Sherlock and Watson must now stop Moriarty and his dangerous associate, the clever former colonel Sebastian Moran, to avoid the impending war.

The film begins with a massive explosion in Strasbourg, followed by similar pyrotechnics in London, Paris, and Germany, punctuating endless chases, train fights, and battles that culminate in a body count that anticipates the world war Holmes seeks to avoid.

9- Mortal Engines (2018)

-Director: Christian Rivers

-Scribes:Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson

-Actors: Hera Hilmar, Robert Sheehan, Hugo Weaving

 

Mortal Engines was originally a dystopian adventure novel by British author Philip Reeve, published in 2001, the first of the "Mortal Engines quartet". The film is essentially a Star Wars steampunk, with a bit of Gilliam and Gaiman. At the end, in fact, the similarities with the great creation of George Lucas become so obvious that one can speak of a kind of homage...

We are in a post-apocalyptic world, the Earth having been ravaged by a "60 minutes war", which has created a vast landscape. In some places there are so-called "static settlements", but the earth is crisscrossed by moving cities, which now bustle about in a sinister and preening manner, swallowing up less mobile communities, enslaving their populations, using buildings for fuel and above all to reap the benefits of "low-tech": pre-digital machines and technologies of the kind that, however abraded and rusty, can still be re-purposed and put into service, especially for war purposes.

There is some good stuff in Mortal Engines especially for steampunk fans, and the performances are pretty fun. But Mortal Engines is not a particularly exciting or funny film, and the idea of the moving city is a stylistic and visual trick to take or leave. One has to wonder exactly how the colossal technical feat of putting a city on wheels and moving it, especially in a time when technology is becoming increasingly impoverished, came about. The engines in this film are stuttering.

10- 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954)

-Director: Richard Fleischer

-Screenwriter: Earl Felton (screenplay)

-Lead actors: Kirk Douglas, James Mason, Paul Lukas

 

"20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" is Disney's version of Jules Verne's classic 19th century novel of the same name. The visionary Jules Verne wrote about submarines and diving suits in the 19th century, when it was all science fiction. Walt Disneys made Verne's ambitious high seas adventure the studio's first live action film, and the result was impressive by 1954.

The oceans of the late 19th century were not a safe place - many ships were lost. The sailors returned to port with the story of a vicious giant whale with a long horn that sinks their ships. The plot of the film (which has little to do with Verne's original) concerns Professor Aronnax and his two companions, Conseil and Ned Land, who embark on a U.S. warship to participate in the search for the mysterious sea monster in an attempt to unravel the mystery.

Watch the original 1954 version to get the full steampunk effect. This film is considered by many to be the quintessential film of the genre. It's like a steampunk version of Moby Dick!

11- April fools of the world(2015)

- Directors: Christian Desmares, Franck Ekinci

- Scriptwriters: Franck Ekinci (script), Benjamin Legrand (script)

- Main actors : Marion Cotillard, Philippe Katerine, Jean Rochefort

 

The world is radically different from the one we know from the history books. We are in 1941 and politics has developed strangely: Napoléon V reigns over France and, for 70 years, the scientists have mysteriously disappeared, depriving man of his inventions.

Deprived of radio, television, electricity, aviation and combustion engines, the world is plunged into a past technology, slumbering in the know-how of the previous century dominated by coal and steam. In this inept world, Avril, a teenager, Darwin, her talking cat, Pops, her grandfather, and Julius, a young police informant, set out to find Avril's parents, two of the missing scientists. They will be confronted with many dangers and mysteries in this new and strange world.

"April and the Fake World" is an animated film that perfectly uses steampunk elements to tell the charming story of a young girl searching for her parents. It takes place in a world where there are no trees and the air is so bad that people can't live without the use of masks. It is a perfect example of the steampunk genre.

And yet, despite this, it happens to be a beautiful story that adults and children can learn from. It has powerful visual parameters, brings classic and nostalgic animation backgrounds that work perfectly for the film. The animation is hand-drawn, which gives it a realistic look.

12- The Treasure Island (2002)

- Directors: Ron Clements, John Musker

- Writers: Robert Louis Stevenson (based on the novel "Treasure Island"), Ron Clements (script)

- Main actors: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Emma Thompson (script)

Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Emma Thompson, Martin Short

 

 The original plot, the "Treasure Island", was about a young man named Jim Hawkins, the son of a family that owned a local inn. After the death of an old sea captain named Billy Bones, Jim and his mother open the sailor's chest and find a map. It is later revealed that it is a map to the fate of the pirate Captain Flint. The rest of the story follows the young boy's quest for wealth.

The film's story is essentially that of Stevenson's classic tale of pirates and adventure on the seas, while its design and visual language are largely inspired by the classic Lucas Star Wars series (especially The Menace).

"The Plane to the Sor" is an animated interpretation of this classic story in a science fiction setting. An interesting blend of computer animation and hand-drawn animation.

13- Hellboy 2: The Cursed Golden Legions(2008)

- Director: Guillermo del Toro

- Scriptwriters: Guillermo del Toro (script), Guillermo del Toro (story)

- Main actors: Ron Perlman, Selma Blair (story)

Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Doug Jones

 

In this sequel to the super-high-tech adventure, an evil elf breaks an ancient pact between humans and creatures, as he wages war on humanity. His mission is to free the Golden Army, a deadly group of fighting machines that can destroy the human race.

As hell on Earth is about to break loose, Hellboy and his friends must venture into a strange and ancient realm to prevent the Golden Army and Prince Nuada from destroying humanity.

The film unfolds in a world of gods and monsters, and some of the creations are surprising, inventive, strange, grotesque, dangerous and as scary as they are fascinating. The design of the creature is extraordinary, a masterpiece of art deco - especially in the impressive troll market.

"Hellboy II" is light and fantastic in tone; it never gets too oppressive or spooky for teenagers and adults who like fantasy. Plus, his visual imagination is silly to look at. Del Toro does exceptionally well as a director. He never lets the fantasy become the focus of the film, instead focusing on the characters and delivering action scenes that can only be described as grandiose.

14- SteamBoy (2004)

- Director: Katsuhiro Ôtomo (as Katsuhiro Ohtomo)

- Scénarists : Sadayuki Murai, Katsuhiro Ôtomo (as Katsuhiro Ohtomo)

 

The story follows 3 generations of a British family involved in the technological race involving steam. Rei is a young inventor living in the UK in the mid-19th century.

It is the eve of the World's Fair, a technological showcase. Ray Steam, living in London, is caught in a storm of danger when a mysterious package containing the mysterious Steam Ball is sent to his home with the permission of his grandfather Lloyd.

Lloyd is desperate to keep the Steam Ball out of the hands of the O'Hara Foundation, a giant corporation dedicated to innovation and run by a daring character who is associated with Ray in more ways than one. They need the Steam Ball to propel a mechanical monster the likes of which the world has never seen - and it's up to Ray to stop them.

As the name suggests, this animated film is full of steam. The film has some intriguing ideas about human lives being taken by machines, so the technology of "SteamBoy" looks promising. Tomo had been working on the film for 10 years, drawing countless animation cells by hand and using computer resources.

15- The disastrous adventures of the orphans Baudelaire (2011)

- Director: Brad Silberling

- Scénaristes : Robert Gordon (scénario), Daniel Handler (books)

- Main actors : Jim Carrey, Jude Law, Meryl Streep

 

Three children - Violet, Klaus and Sunny Baudelaire - are orphaned when their house breaks down, with their parents in it, under murky circumstances. They are entrusted to the care of a relative, Count Olaf. It soon becomes apparent that Count Olaf only cares about the Baudelaires' children for their great inheritance.

This film is based on the first three books of "A series of unfortunate events". I'm not a fan of the series, but the first book, "Everything Starts Bad" is great. Like the books, the movie is full of unfortunate events while showing some humor - enough to make you hope for a happy ending. But don't get your hopes up.

As the title suggests, this film is part of the dismal but vital strain of children's literature in which the children suffer terribly, the parents and adults have the same expectation of life as the characters in the action films, and courage and ingenuity are all that keep the children alive.

16- Atlantis: The Lost Empire(2001)

-Directors: Gary Trousdale, Kirk Wise

-Storytellers: Tab Murphy (script), Kirk Wise (story)

-Lead actors: Michael J. Fox, Jim Varney, Corey Burton

It is 1914 and Milo Thatch, grandson of the late great-arrival Thaddeus Thatch, works in the boiler room of a museum. He knows that Atlantis was real, and he can get there if he has the mysterious Shephards' journal, which can guide him to Atlantis. But he needs capital for a trip. His employer finds him absurd and refuses to finance such a crazy idea.

He returns home to his apartment and finds a woman there. She takes him to Preston B. Whitmore, an old friend of his grandfathers. He gives her the Shepherds' Journal, a submarine and a 5-piece canvas crew. They cross the Atlantic Ocean, face a large lobster called the Leacute viathan, and finally reach Atlantis. But does the crew of Atlantis have a thirst for discovery, or something else?

"Atlantis: The Lost Empire" is a children's adventure film with great animation and a healthy dose of wit and personality. Although it is not one of the great Disney classics, it is still a steampunk movie that I would watch again, mainly for the beauty and energy of the animation itself.

17- Les Aventures extraordinaires d'Adèle Blanc-Sec (2010)

- Director : Luc Besson

- Scénaristes : Luc Besson (scénario), Jacques Tardi (bandes dessinées)

- Main actors : Louise Bourgoin, Mathieu Amalric, Gilles Lellouche

 

 Inspired by the comic book series of the same name by Jacques Tardi, the film takes place in 1910. There is a highly sophisticated ancient Egyptian technology, combined with extraordinary inventions - and all this, combined with mystical elements, makes for a perfect example of a steampunk film.

Desperate to find her sister, White-Sec braves ancient Egyptian tombs and modern-day Egyptian villainy to find a mummified doctor and bring him back to Paris. She hopes that Professor Esperanto will then use his unusual powers to bring the mummy back to life so that he, in turn, can use his skills on his unfortunate sister.

But in Paris, Espérandieu is already creating chaos, having given life to what was a museum egg but is now a very active ptérodactyl. Paris, in 1911, may not be the healthiest place.

With a charismatic performance by Louise Bourgoin and interesting special effects, "Les Aventures extraordinaires d'Adèle Blanc-Sec" was well received by audiences and critics. It is a fun and curious experience that all audiences can learn from.

18- The Golden Compass (2007)

- Director : Chris Weitz

- Scénarists : Chris Weitz (script), Philip Pullman (novel)

- Principal actors: Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, Dakota Blue Richards

 

 A very poor and unfair rating for this steampunk-style film that creates more complex characters and asks more intriguing questions than the others on this list. As a visual experience, I would say it is superb - very close to "Hugo".

The story revolves around Lyra Belacqua, a girl who was raised as an orphan in an Oxford college under the sponsorship of her "uncle", an adventurous scientist named Lord Asriel. But Lyra's greatest adventure began closer to home, the day she heard about an extraordinary particle.

Microscopic in size, the magic dust possessed profound properties that could unite all universes. But there were those who feared the particle and wanted to destroy it. Sent into the midst of a terrible struggle, Lyra was forced to seek help from the clans, the "gypsies" and the dreaded armored bears. And while she traveled into incredible danger, she had no idea that she alone was destined to win, or lose, this battle. The film takes Lyra from one danger to the next, and she is saved by a help she and we never saw coming.

The film unfolds in a parallel universe where a dark company threatens to separate the children from their real imaginary friends. And this world is filled with machines, beautiful horns and tons of steampunk gadgets to enjoy.

19- Van Helsing (2004)

-Director: Stephen Sommers

-Scenario: Stephen Sommers

-Lead actors: Hugh Jackman, Kate Beckinsale, Richard Roxburgh

 

 Van Helsing is in the world to débarrass all evil, even if not everyone agrees with him. The Vatican sends the monster hunter and his ally, Carl, to Transylvania. They have been sent to this land to stop the powerful Count Dracula. Meanwhile, they team up with a gypsy princess, Anna Valerious, who is determined to end an ancient curse on her family by killing the vampire. They don't know how to do it.

The turning point of the film is that Dracula and Van Helsing fight each other, except that Van Helsing is a werewolf this time. This sequence takes place during a full moon so that he can make this transformation, but the moon frequently continues to go behind the clouds, causing Van Helsing to take his human form during these periods. It works as a dramatic device to make the fight interesting.

"Van Helsing" is entertaining and imaginative. The monsters are all created with great flair, especially the creation of Frankenstein, one of the best in the business. The story pays homage to Universal's classic monster movies, as well as many modern-day adventures.

20- The Time Machine (2002)

- Director: Simon Wells

- Writers: H.G. Wells (novel), David Duncan (novel), and David Duncan (novel). Wells (novel), David Duncan (screenplay)

- Main actors : Guy Pearce, Yancey Arias, Mark Addy

The plot of "The Time Machine" is about a time travel badly done, very badly done. Based on the classic science fiction novel by H.G. Wells, a scientist and inventor is determined to prove that time travel is possible.

Alexander Hartdegen, a 19th century scientist, spends years researching, developing and building the first time machine after tragically losing his fiancée Emma, who was killed by an assailant. Testing his time machine, Hartdegen is thrown 800,000 years into the future, where he discovers that humanity has split between the hunter and the hunted.

The Morlocks moved underground during the earthquake after the fall of the moon and attacked the surface by emerging through dusty water holes. They hunt the Eloi for food. The Eloi are a race of brown-skinned people; their life is an idyll of leafy arbors, waterfalls, and lush forest structures, but they are so fatalistic toward the Morlocks that instead of fighting them, they salt and pepper themselves.

In short a classic to see or read (it's even better) for this classic of one of the best steampunk authors. See also the war of the worlds which is not part of the list.

Steampunk movies to avoid.

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003)

- Director : Stephen Norrington

- Writers : Alan Moore (comics), Kevin O'Neill (comics)

- Main actors : Sean Connery, Stuart Townsend, Peta Wilson

 

 Allan Quatermain assembles a splendid team of extraordinary characters with legendary powers to fight the technological terror of a madman known as "The Fantôme". The League includes Captain Nemo, the vampire Mina Harker, an invisible man named Rodney Skinner, U.S. Secret Service agent Tom Sawyer, the invincible Dorian Gray and the dangerous Dr. Jekyll/M. Hyde. Hyde.

M (a spy master in His Majesty's government) informs them that the leaders of Europe are about to unite in Venice and that the mysterious mermaids are going to blow up the city to start a world war. And the League must stop them. The action later moves to the frozen lakes of Mongolia, where the enemy leader has built a gigantic factory to manufacture robot soldiers.

This film features some beautiful techno-Steampunk scenes. The Nautilus submarine is a breathtaking display of engineering, but no Steampunk submarine is complete without a host of gadgets, a six-wheeled automobile and imaginative weapons. The film as a whole is unfortunately bad, the script a little too dull and incoherent, and it's best to see it once on a rainy Sunday.

Wild Wild West (1999)

- Director: Barry Sonnenfeld

- Scriptwriters: Jim Thomas (story), John Thomas (story)

- Main actors: Will Smith, Kevin Kline, Kenneth Branagh

 

Underrated film; but the best antics and gadgets make it a good steampunk movie. The biggest problem with this movie is that you can clearly see that it could have been better and that it has a really weak general storyline.

The movie tells the story of two special federal agents who are asked by President Grant to investigate the disappearance of a large number of high level scientists. They stumble upon a plot to assassinate Grant, by a narcissist who wants to return half the country to Britain and Spain, and keep the rest in the hands of the blackmailer (Dr. Arliss Loveless).

 " Wild Wild West" is a warning about boys and their toys and what happens when a big star, Will Smith, and a director, Barry Sonnenfeld, play with too much money. You can watch this movie to get a closer look at the fashion of the 19th century and find inspiration to create your own steampunk-inspired Victorian clothes.

That's it.... there are others that could have made this list. I could have talked about the adventures of baron Munchausen, Sleepy Hollow, Crimson Peak or The Shape of Water....but after all no list can be perfect.


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