A smart, literate script that derived much of its plot form Shakespeare's The Tempest propels this film from what could of been an expensive B-movie into a true top tier movie. Featuring a flying saucer, a robot, a mad scientist, and an alien monster it sounds like kid’s dream. Oh it is that, alright, but good acting and cutting edge effects made this science fiction film a true classic. UPDATED December 2013 with a full rewrite, HD screen captures, and Blu-ray details.
Younger people have frown up in an era dominated by special effect, but this wasn’t the case in the past. Once upon a time, there was no such thing as computer generated effects, or CG. Special effects were done in laborious, painstaking ways, with wires, matte paintings, and miniatures. Of late, there has been a renaissance in using the old methods, combining them with CG. But amazingly, there were genuinely well done special effects in the past (though kids today will laugh at some of them) with certain films being milestones in the art.
MGM’s Forbidden Planet is one such film, but the expensive effects were only part of the reason this bold experiment is considered one of the greatest science fiction films of all time. The introduction of Robby the Robot (who cost an astounding 100,000 1956 dollars) definitely contributed, as did Anne Francis' short dresses (an actual plot point). But the main ingredient stirred into the mix was that the director and actors took the story seriously.
The movie starts out with impressive opening credits that zoom out of the background, accompanied by eerie music produced from early electronic tones. Revolutionary in its time, the all electronic score by Louis and Bebe Barron was later very poorly copied by many a B-movie, as were many other things from the film. In fact, you might think this movie is full of science fiction stereotypes, when it actually began them.
We are quickly introduced to the crew of an Earth cruiser performing their normal duties inside the now familiar form of a flying saucer. They drop out of faster than light speed in a memorable sequence (featuring a set that will remind you of a certain Star Trek set) to arrive near the large and very hot star named Altair. Around that star orbits Altair 4, their destination after a year of being in space.
It’s an impressive spectacle that had to have wowed the audiences of the 1950’s. The C57D cruiser is a flying saucer to beat all flying saucers and the effects work is stellar, no pun intended. Both the ship and the planet were large models, which is simply amazing to me. I would have thought the planet was a matte painting, but MGM pulled out all the stops in making the movie.
Decades ago, a spaceship was sent to Altair IV and there has been no contact with the crew ever since. As they approach, the saucer is scanned and hailed by the only survivor of the crew, Dr. Edward Morbius (played with style by Walter Pidgeon). His theatrical dire warnings to not land are ignored and so begins the story.
I should take a moment to discuss the crew of the C57D since we get a good long look at ship operations. Led by Commander J.J. Adams (Leslie "Don't call me Shirley" Nielson), it is an all male group of military men reminiscent of many a WWII movie. Directly under him on the tightly run ship are two other officers, Lt. Jerry Farman (Jack Kelly) and Doc Ostrow (Warren Stevens). Only a couple of the enlisted men make an impression, with the Cook (Earl Holliman) being a stereotypical booze, broads, and a good time seeking idiot and his polar opposite, the extremely competent Chief Quinn, played by Richard Anderson. He was best known from The Six Million Dollar Man television series for playing Oscar Goldberg, the government agent.
A believable atmosphere of a functioning ship sets the tone for the rest of the movie. This isn’t going to be a golly gee whiz story that doesn’t take itself seriously. While there is humor, it’s mainly based on character interaction rather than sight gags.
One of the most appealing aspects of the film is how at times it looks like a pulp magazine cover come to life. Nowhere in the film is there a better example of this than the landing of the cruiser on the remote planet. Combining matte paintings, a model, and force field effects by an animator on loan from Disney, it’s a gorgeous scene to watch in high definition. I think it is no stretch to call this art.
Once on the ground, the no nonsense by the book command style of Commander Adams continues to be asserted. Impressed by the beauty of the rugged vista, the crew are startled to see a plume of dust in the distance approaching them. Not so much the plume, but the incredible speed is what gets their attention. What arrives is a surprise and the beginning of a cinematic legend.
Robby the Robot makes his silver screen debut to make every boy twelve and under a robot fanatic overnight. An impressive lumbering presence made up of whirling gizmos, blinking lights, and attitude, he quickly becomes chief scene stealer if not the star of the show. Getting back to the plot, he’s there to provide transportation for the officers to meet their reluctant host.
Dr. Morbius turns out to be an arrogant, but not altogether cold host. Fed by the natural curiosity of his guests he can’t resist showing off his inventions. There are moments where in his vanity he finds himself enjoying the interaction with the visitors from Earth, though it is obvious he wants them gone as soon as possible.
Obviously, he has his reasons and one of them walks in on very shapely legs. His very blond and young daughter Alta (Anne Francis) walks in clad in a miniskirt (they weren’t even invented yet!) to cause immediate trouble. Dr. Morbius has a right to be worried, very worried about his beautiful daughter with the gift to tame wild animals.There’s a saucer full of men who haven’t seen a woman for over a year and if the officers reactions to her are any example it could lead to a riot.
However, business must be attended to so that a report can be made. Tales of the previous ship's crew being torn limb from limb by an invisible force is met with skepticism by Adams. The cruiser's captain insists on staying and cannibalizing his own ship to rig up a transmitter to call Earth.
Eager to be rid of Alta’s would be suitors, the futuristic Prospero is happy to help out with the resources they need to contact home base. His discoveries are so advanced that even the rarest of elements can be easily synthesized, which gets the attention of the Cook pretty quickly.
As time goes by, it turns out that Alta is intelligent and luminous with a playful streak none of the crew can resist. A running gag is how the officers vie for her affections. For example, the eager lieutenant tries out every approach to woo the girl including whatever it takes to get a kiss out of her. Naïve due to isolation, she falls for the ruse much to his disappointment.
Yes, I wrote that last sentence correctly.
Also in the running is the head honcho himself. Adams infuriates and intrigues the young woman which leads to some well executed flirtation. Is this subplot there to get women to come see the movie like so many productions? No, it is an integral component of the main plot as it unfolds.
Later that night, we get to see things from the vantage point of something quite tall sneaking by the guards to infiltrate the spaceship. Morning brings news of vandalism that ever so conveniently prevents the crew from broadcasting a message home.
I liked the resulting conversation between Adams and Quinn. Though brief, it was a slice of realism that made me like the characters, especially the Chief.
Yeah, this is a talky movie, make no mistake about it. Yet it isn’t the boring exposition used to cover up a lack of budget like in inferior B-movies of the time. The dialogue is sharp and knowing, more like the detective films of the previous decade. Much is intimated between the lines.
A skinny dipping Alta throws the good commander off balance and soon icky romance enters the picture. Many a boy watching back in the day had to be relieved when the kissing is ended by a sudden attack. Of course they were then baffled by the ensuing dialogue hinting at things only adults know about, but hey they weren’t alone in this. Alta is genuinely clueless too.
Like few science fiction films up to that point, Forbidden Planet doesn’t talk down to the audience. One has to love that about the movie.
Determined to find out what is really going on, Adams and Doc investigations lead to the amazing remains of a fantastically advanced civilization. Having risen to unparalleled heights millions of years ago, the Krell were wiped out overnight leaving only a mysterious complex that was their final project.
It’s a great excuse to make some intricate and obviously expensive sets, not to mention show off state of the art effects of the mid-Fifties. Watch carefully and you’ll see ideas used decades later in big science fiction films.
Shifting into high gear, the movie picks up the pace considerably after Morbius gives the tour of the Krell complex. Soon invisible death visits the crew of the C57D in nightmarish fashion and it will be up to Commander Adams to solve the mystery if anyone is to make it off of Altair IV alive.
Thoughts
From exploring the ruins of a long dead civilization to concepts from Freudian theory, the film keeps a sense of wonder and suspense throughout. Many people will pass on watching the movie because of its age, plus the fact it has a flying saucer in it. That is a terrible mistake for the movie is always entertaining and influence everything from Star Trek to Star Wars.
This alone makes it a must see for any fan of those franchises. From the transporter room of the Enterprise being a inspired by the DC tubes to C3P0 being a slimmer version of Robby, many elements were lifted for use by creators in the genre. I’d bet Gene Rodenberry took one look at Alta’s outfits and thought that having all the women on a spaceship dressed like that would be heaven.
Having an intelligent story and script makes this a movie both kids and adults can appreciate, mostly for different reasons. Kids will love Robby and the space setting, while older folk will enjoy the banter along with the deeper musings on human nature. Director Fred McLeod Wilcox was better known for the Lassie series of movies, but his second to last movie showed he could handle much more adult themes adeptly.
Forbidden Planet is rated G, but the rating would be closer to PG these days. While there is no gore, people die and there are frightening scenes that would make very little kids afraid. Then there is the cook and his quest for booze. Alta’s skinny dipping is a little sloppy in the editing, so even kids will catch the actress was wearing a flesh colored bathing suit (very apparent in HD), so no worries for parents there.
I heartily recommend the movie to all science fiction fans, classic movie lovers, and anyone who enjoys an intelligent film. Well worth checking out, even if only to see Leslie Nielson playing a dramatic role in his youth. He's actually pretty good in this and won’t remind you of Frank Drebin. It well deserves its status as a classic.
Technical
My original 2008 review was of Warner Brothers 50th anniversary edition DVD and it shares all the same content as the Blu-ray edition I purchased in 2013.
The CinemaScope print has been digitally remastered to a glorious state that has to be seen to be fully appreciated. Vivid colors pop off the screen with only a few seconds out of several scenes showing less than perfect focus and contrast. It’s a great transfer with only a few speckles and imperfections.
Audio is pristine with the English soundtrack remixed to 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio (Dolby 5.1 for the DVD), all from fully restored film and audio masters. Some 5.1 remixes aren’t very good, but you won’t find anything to complain about here. Every burble and beep of the Barron’s electronic score comes through clearly as does the dialogue.
Dolby Digital mono is used for the French, Castilian, and Spanish dubs. Subtitles in English SDH, French, Spanish, Portuguese, German, and Norwegian are available.
There are a lot of extras including a full movie! All are DVD quality and not HD.
Watch the Skies!: Science Fiction, the 1950s and Us – This documentary features a host of famous directors, writers, and effects artists talking about 1950s science fiction movies. George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, John Carpenter, Alan Dean Foster, and many more give their opinions on the films and how they were influenced by them. Many a movie is covered including Forbidden Planet and the influences of the Cold War on the genre is focused on. Spielberg eventually dominates the nearly hour long show, showing a deep passion for the material.
Amazing!: Exploring the Far Reaches of Forbidden Planet – At almost a half hour, this feature returns most of the industry figures from above and adds a few more. Beginning with MGM’s desire to make an A level science fiction film based on Shakespeare’s The Tempest, it documents the behind the scenes goings on. Of specific interest to me was the saga of the Barron’s soundtrack and the union opposition to it. That’s why the credits don’t list “music” or “score” by them, but “electronic tonalities” instead.
Robby the Robot: Engineering a Sci-Fi Icon – Everything you could want to know about one of the most famous robots in film is found in this short documentary once again featuring the people from the previous ones. Designed by Bob Kinoshita, the suit was passed off as being a real robot by MGM’s publicity department for some time. A designer of transparent washing machine bodies for manufacturer testing, Kinoshita modeled Robby’s torso on one of those devices!
Construction of Robby was difficult and expensive. Built mainly of formed plastic, the technology wasn’t fully developed yet to work the material. As a result, advancement in plastic working came out of the production efforts which helped the fledgling industry long before “plastics” became a comic line in The Graduate.
It may have been heartbreaking to find out a man was inside the robot for a lot of kids, but it reminded me of what was being done in Japan at the time. Frankie Darro was the man in the suit, looking out from behind the neon tubes than made Robbie’s “mouth.”
Trailers -- Both Forbidden Planet and The Invisible Boy trailers are included. They couldn’t be more different, what with the first having an appeal to intellect and sense of wonder while the latter is pure B-movie fare focused on Robby the Robot fighting soldiers.
Deleted Scenes – Obtained from a poor quality work print, the scenes provide further insight into the crew and the beautiful girl the officers are enamored with. Two scenes in particular would most likely have run afoul of the censors of the period, in that they go into the myth of the unicorn and how it relates to Alta. Adult stuff for a movie of this type, to say the least. Also shown is an entire scene of Robby playing chauffeur that was removed for simply not meeting the standards of the production.
Lost Footage – Consisting mainly of test shots to see if effects would work, this is a great glimpse of how Hollywood magic was performed.
Excerpts from MGM Parade Eps. 27 & 28 – Hosted by Walter Pidgeon, he introduces clips from the film and of course, Robby the Robot. Interesting in a historical sense as it shows how things were promoted in the ‘50s.
The Thin Man: Robot Client – A complete episode of the television series that aired in 1958, it is a mystery with Robby accused of murder. Nick and Nora were not well translated from the big screen to small, I’m afraid. It’s formulaic and more than a bit dull even for the time.
Check out the wire supporting the man’s body! There’s no way the stuntman could have carried a full grown man while in that heavy costume. There were some benefits to watching on old TV sets and one was that the wires often blurred out.
The Invisible Boy Movie – A separate review can be found here. This 1957 film was simply about cashing in on Robby’s immense popularity as quickly as possible.
BEWARE! HERE BE SPOILERS!!!
George J. Folsey’s camerawork in the movie is not pedestrian and shows a huge amount of attention was paid to the lighting. I love how this shot from Adams confronting Morbius over Chief Quinn’s brutal death turned out. The two alphas argue while Doc and Alta observe everything in the background, but they are lit so that they can’t be ignored.
Also fun is how Doc inserts his comments to Morbius with surgical precision. Meanwhile, Anne Francis proves that you don’t need high heels if you have exceptional legs in the first place!
A picture is worth a thousand words, or so it is said. The cast made from the invisible monster’s tracks implies something bizarre that requires a lot more than a thousand, in my opinion. All the forensics work demonstrates that they may not have Morbius’ inflated IQ, but the crew of the C57D are still pretty smart. I miss this kind of portrayal of military men in films.
Animated by hand, the invisible monster or Id Monster is surreal even today. It’s a ghastly howling terror that simply shouldn’t exist. The old special effects just make it even more aberrant looking to the modern eye, which is exactly what the film makers were going for.
At this point, the previously hinted at real identity of the Id Monster is given away by showing Morbius awakening to Alta’s cries. She experiences the whole attack in a dream while the power readings of the Krell nuclear reactors go off the scale.
Given the strange triangular doors, I wonder if the shapes in the panels aren’t a silhouettes of Krell bodies? The unseen aliens were implied to be squat with large heads and possibly multiple arms.
Now that I look at the gauges again, they also look like the bad guys from the classic videogame, Space Invaders. Hmm.
For a lower intellect such as Adams to reveal the truth of what happened to the Krell to Morbius is more than the man can handle. Doc’s sacrifice to find this out leads to the famous line “…monsters from the Id!”, yet it is up to the scientist to explain what that means to the commander. In turn, the military man is the one to point out the obvious. So much for having an IQ of 184.
An important plot point is Robby’s programming against harming sentient beings. Oh he can disarm them, but he can’t hurt them. When ordered to kill the invisible attacker, he locks up thereby proving Adams is right about the monster being the subconscious of Morbius.
It was a nice touch having the silent condemnation of Alta finally convince Morbius he’s the true villain behind all the deaths. Pidgeon was one of the top actors at the time and his theatrical delivery was perfect for the narcissistic character.
Facing one’s own inner darkness is hard enough, but having it take a form fueled by over 9,000 nuclear reactors is a bit much. No wonder Morbius dies from confronting his id.
The melting of the impervious door is very well done, but you can see the effects men punching the melting material if you watch carefully enough. There are times HD gives away too much.
The movie ends like it began, with the cruiser soaring through space. I really like the design of the C57D due to its capturing every stereotypical aspect of a flying saucer while still managing to look good.
A talky movie has a talking ending, surprise! The exposition by Adams succinctly recaps the main theme of the dangers of men trying to be gods. Fear of the atomic bomb colors the story like so many of the ‘50s and the parallels between the Krell destroying themselves and humanity couldn’t be more obvious.
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