A Trip to the Moon,’ ‘Star Wars: Episode IV -- A New Hope’ part of network's July movie schedule

TCM will recognize the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing in July as part of its month-long movie homage to the sci-fi genre.

The classic movie network’s Out of This World: A Celebration of Sci-Fi Movies programming stunt will feature movies from the genre every Tuesday beginning July 2, according to network officials. In a nod to the 1969 Apollo 11 moon landing, the network throughout the month will air such classic films as the 1920’s A Trip to the Moon, Destination Moon and For All Mankind, said the network.

“We thought it would be good to make the anniversary of the moon landing part of our celebration of science fiction,” said Charlie Tabesh, senior vice president of programming for TCM.

Along with space travel-themed movies, the lineup of Tuesday night sci-fi flicks includes such classic monster films as Them! and The Blob, as well as the network premiere of Star Wars: Episode IV -- A New Hope. Tabesh said the Out of This World lineup features the most comprehensive lineup of sci-fi movies ever put together by the network.

“Sci Fi is very popular and it has such a passionate core group of fans,” said Tabesh. “We’ve never been able to do something so comprehensive in science fiction -- this is the first time we’ve had access to so many of the great sci-fi films all at the same time.”

TCM’s Out of This World: Celebration of Sci-Fi Movies schedule is as follows:

July 2 -- Early Sci-Fi

Metropolis (1927)

A Trip to the Moon (1902)

Woman in the Moon (1929)

Things to Come (1936)

Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (1940)

July 9 -- The 1950s

The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)

The War of the Worlds (1953)

Forbidden Planet (1956)

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)

It Came From Outer Space (1953)

The Thing From Another World (1951)

Earth V. the Flying Saucers (1956)

July 16-17 -- Moon Movies/Creature Features

Destination Moon (1950)

For All Mankind (1989)

Countdown (1968)

From the Earth to the Moon (1958)

First Men in the Moon (1964)

A Trip to the Moon (1902)

20 Million Miles to Earth (1957)

Them! (1964)

The Blob (1958)

The Fly (1958)

July 23 -- The 1960s

The Time Machine (1960)

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

Five Million Years to the Earth (1968)

Marooned (1969)

12 to the Moon (1960)

Village of the Dammed (1960)

July 30 -- 70s and 80s

Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)

Stars Wars: Episode IV -- A New Hope (1977)

Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan (1982)

Solaris (1972)

Logan’s Run (1976)

Westworld (1973)

2010 (1984)