Steampunk is a film subgenre that blends the aesthetics of the Victorian era with gadgets based in the Industrial Revolution, with technology that’s ahead of its time.

Common threads of steampunk stories are class divisions between the haves and the have-nots, as the working class resents an upper class which ignores their plight. Steampunk films also feature characters with a forward-facing glimpse to the future who abandon their sense of morals in pursuit of increasing their grasp of technology. Their agenda is more important than whoever might come across their path. Filmmakers raise the question of whether the chase for greater technology is worth the loss of a simpler way of life.

Another easily identifiable trait of traditional steampunk stories is the style of dress. Characters normally wear top hats, trench coats, bonnets, corsets, and petticoats typically found during the Victorian era (1837-1901). Pocket watches with their constantly whirling gears are a typical hint of the steampunk period.

Transportation varies, although steam-powered airships and blimps are the most commonly used. The steampunk offshoot, dieselpunk, keeps the futuristic slant, but advancing to gasoline as the main source of power. Sometimes, films that feature some methods of electricity are still able to fit into the steampunk category.

Here are some of the most notable steampunk films.

Best Steampunk Movies

20,000 Leagues Under The Sea (1916)

A steampunk cinematic founding father with the use of Captain Nemo’s Nautilus submarine, this adaptation of the Jules Verne novel finds a professor and his daughter joining Nemo for a fantastic voyage on his technologically advanced submarine. That’s more than enough to earn it distinction on this list. An additional note: This was the first film with scenes shot underwater. Jeff VanderMeer’s The Steampunk Bible explains how Verne was an early proponent and architect of steampunk with his novels.

Metropolis (1927)

Metropolis features a skyscraper with a futuristic slant as well as rail cars, a massive factory with billowing steam, and automated robots that adapt the likeness of humans. The classic steampunk film looks at the well-to-do citizens living in the utopian skyline, blissfully unaware their perfect society is powered by the hard labor of the poor workforce. …