There are few movies as influential as “Forbidden Planet”. The huge budgets given to modern day science fiction movies owe this film a great debt. Before it was made, Hollywood considered the science fiction genre as low budget filler fare that dealt mostly with monsters from space trying to eat poor humans. “The day the earth stood still”, from 1951 stood out as a mature and serious film paving the way to the making of “forbidden planet”. That film was also a low budget affair but was used as proof that science fiction stories can be thought provoking. “Forbidden Planet” was the very first science fiction movie to receive a large budget allowing for what was then breathtaking special effects that enthralled its viewing audience. Elements from this film have been used time and time again and have paved the way to everything from Star Trek, Star Wars and Alien. We have the first personality based robot that did not look like a man in a suit (Robbie the Robot) and without Robbie we probably would never have been gifted with R2D2 and C3P0 from Star Wars fame. Its story about space exploration and confrontations with higher alien intelligence have been used time and time again ever since. One of the most fascinating elements is how the basic plot was taken from William Shakespeare’s most fantastical play, “The Tempest”. Who would have thought that the BARD was a major influence to Star Trek. The story follows a rescue ship following a previous ships path due to that ships disappearance 20 years earlier. The rescue ship has a crew of three and commanded by John J. Adams (Leslie Neilson way before he became a clown in the Naked Gun series). They arrive at the planet Altair IV, where they find the only survivors of the previous ship’s crew, that being Professor Morbius (Walter Pidgeon, himself being a well-established Shakespearean actor) and his young sexy daughter Altaira (Ann Francis semi clothed for most of the film). There is also a Robot (the previously mentioned Robbie) who serves as their willing servant and purveyor of information. Morbius explains to his rescuers that his crew were killed by a mysterious creature and that he has discovered the existence and knowledge of highly intelligent alien race called the Krell. From here the plot takes an intelligent and philosophical turn away from Shakespeare’s plot (in the tempest, there was an island instead of a planet and a spirit instead of a robot). The story is fascinating in its depth and probability which along with the exceptional, for the time, special effects results in a highly enjoyable viewing experience. Today the special effects are extremely dated but to their benefit still succeed in invoking a realistic feel to the fantastic tale. The acting is very good with Pidgeon standing out in his role. The heart of the movie belongs to Robbie the Robot who embodies a personality in a trait used countless times later within non-human characters on a number of films from the science fiction Genre. The wonders and potential of adventure in space exploration shown in the movie, has opened the door to wonderful creations ever since. This is an influential film that can still stand alone today, as a pleasant and entertaining viewing experience.
1001 Movies before you die 