Director: Fred M. Wilcox
Screenplay: Cyril Hume
Cast: Leslie Nielsen, Anne Francis, Walter Pidgeon, Warren Stevens, Jack Kelly
Country: United States
Running Time: 98 minutes
Year: 1956
Before Star Trek, there was Forbidden Planet and it is impossible to understate the influence of this film on that behemoth. Or science fiction at large. Thanks to glorious unparalleled imagery, a scope for invention and a sly, entertaining screenplay, it cast a spell over anyone who loved science fiction.
You’ll note the past tense. I’ve seen Forbidden Planet several times and, while it can be admired, it’s as clunky as Robbie the Robot for modern audiences. Based on Shakespeare’s The Tempest, the story is timeless, the imagery intoxicating, but it is over-loaded with exposition, and there is no avoiding the great thumping swathes of misogyny. Still, its darker themes cast an elegant shadow; where do we come from and what is our fate?
The charming synopsis could be that of a dozen Star Trek episodes. The crew of a space mission from Earth led by Commander Adams (Leslie Neilsen) are investigating the disappearance of a colony of scientists on a distant planet. They find Dr. Morbius (Walter Pidgeon), the only survivor of the original mission, his daughter Altaira (Anne Francis) and the indestructible man-servant Robby the Robot. Dr. Morbius tries to warn them off, claiming the very planet itself poses a threat and shows them the remnants of an ancient, brilliant alien race that just disappeared, leaving behind their astonishingly advanced technology. Actually, he’s also keen on keeping a bunch of sailors away from his daughter.
The crew are played exactly as if they were manning a submarine in a WWII war movie, which acts as a perfect touchstone for audiences of the time new to colourful sci-fi weirdness. The banter is cheeky, the camaraderie instantly believable. Unfortunately they take it too far where Anne Francis’ naive Altaira is concerned.
Captain Kirk was a maverick, for sure, but he’d surely have been horrified to find his officers in competition with him for her affections. Despite protestations to the contrary, Commander Adams seems to even take a boys-will-boys attitude, while joining in. It’s here where the problems start. Altaira is as forbidden as the rest of the planet and the screenplay makes her dumb enough to not understand men and their desires, but condemns her for it too. Adams even gets angry with her for the effect she has on his crew. And on him, of course.
The clumsiness is somewhat offset by the innocence and sheer inventiveness of the wonderful visuals. Forbidden Planet is a giant sandpit of sci-fi ideas and a perfectly delivered premise allows the effects guys to be indulgent. From Dr. Morbius’ home to the secret alien tunnels and caverns, it’s perfectly realised. The detail paid to things like the flying saucer craft landing, the vehicles they use and the areas they explore is astonishing. And when the invisible alien creature starts attacking the ship, it’s genuinely scary, especially given substance by an ambitious psychological edge. The links to Tempest are worn proudly. The beast was animated by Disney veteran Joshua Meador, hand-drawn over live-action plates so the monster was visible only when striking at the defences. And let’s not forget Robby, because he might be clunky now, but he’s a masterpiece of physical effects, a genuine leap forward from silver suits.
Poor gender attitudes aside, fans of Naked Gun may need a moment to get used to Leslie Neilsen being deadpan and meaning it. Walter Pidgeon is superb as a kind of tortured Captain Nemo and, while the film as a whole sits somewhere between Silent Running and Flash Gordon, its heart belongs to Jules Verne and H.G. Wells. The opening credits even evoke nostalgia for a bygone age of Saturday morning at the pictures, even for those of us that weren’t there.
These days we are saturated by sci-fi and a fresh aesthetic seems elusive now. The delivery of Forbidden Planet may be flawed, its attitudes horribly dated, but for pure flight of science-fiction imagination, the imaginative charm is timeless for sci-fan fans of any age.
VIDEO
There is already a strong edition of the film out, including most of the best features available here, so it’s purely a question of UHD being worth it. This is a brand new 4K print from the restored negative, and in the original 2.55:1. More of the physical image is available, so it’s an essential upgrade in that regard.
The opening credits proudly boast “Technicolour!” and this fine transfer exploits the original intentions, better than any previous release. The spacecraft and the crew themselves are largely muted and grey, making a solid, bright contrast with the strange colours of the planet and its inhabitants. The source material isn’t perfect, but given a glistening HD presentation, it simply adds to the charm. It’s hard to say if it’s George Folsey’s photography, the set production, the effects or model work, but it’s a solid looking film in all respects.
EXTRA FEATURES
Much of the extra features have been lifted from previous releases, but that Blu-ray edition was already comprehensive and the extras remain worth seeing.
The deleted scenes are particularly interesting as they maybe explain that the pacing and editing are a bit off because it was never finished properly. A rough cut proved so popular it was rushed out.
Then there’s the The Invisible Boy, a full length movie, sequel to Forbidden Planet to exploit the popularity of Robby the Robot. A silly plot finds him on Earth, befriended by a young boy. Was this the first sci-fi character to escape his origin film? We get even more of him in the TV episode of The Thin Man with Peter Lawford. Daft, but a wonderful curiosity.
- Brand new 4K restoration from the original 35mm negative by Arrow Films in the original 2.55:1 aspect ratio
- Reversible sleeve featuring original artwork options
- Double-sided fold-out poster
- Reversible sleeve featuring two original artwork options
- Collectors’ booklet containing new writing by critics Frank Collins and Johnny Mains, plus select archival material
- DISC 1 – FEATURE (4K ULTRA HD BLU-RAY)
- 4K (2160p) Ultra HD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
- Restored original lossless mono, restored original Perspecta stereo, and DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio options
- Optional English subtitles for the hard of hearing
- Brand new audio commentary by film historians Kim Newman and Barry Forshaw
- DISC 2 – EXTRAS (BLU-RAY)
- Unearthly Aura, a newly filmed appreciation of Bebe Louis Barron’s pioneering electronic score by historian and composer Neil Brand
- Watch the Skies!: Science Fiction, The 1950s and Us, an archival documentary
- Amazing!: Exploring the Far Reaches of Forbidden Planet, an archival documentary
- Robby the Robot: Engineering a Sci-Fi Icon, an archival featurette
- Deleted Scenes
- Lost Footage
- The Invisible Boy, a bonus movie featuring Robby the Robot in his second feature film
- Robot Client; an episode of The Thin Man TV series featuring Robby the Robot
- Two excerpts from MGM Parade
- Original Shooting Script
- Theatrical trailer
- Image galleries
Forbidden Planet UHD
Screenplay: Cyril Hume
Cast: Leslie Nielsen, Anne Francis, Walter Pidgeon, Warren Stevens, Jack Kelly
Country: United States
Running Time: 98 minutes
Year: 1956
Before Star Trek, there was Forbidden Planet and it is impossible to understate the influence of this film on that behemoth. Or science fiction at large. Thanks to glorious unparalleled imagery, a scope for invention and a sly, entertaining screenplay, it cast a spell over anyone who loved science fiction.
You’ll note the past tense. I’ve seen Forbidden Planet several times and, while it can be admired, it’s as clunky as Robbie the Robot for modern audiences. Based on Shakespeare’s The Tempest, the story is timeless, the imagery intoxicating, but it is over-loaded with exposition, and there is no avoiding the great thumping swathes of misogyny. Still, its darker themes cast an elegant shadow; where do we come from and what is our fate?
The charming synopsis could be that of a dozen Star Trek episodes. The crew of a space mission from Earth led by Commander Adams (Leslie Neilsen) are investigating the disappearance of a colony of scientists on a distant planet. They find Dr. Morbius (Walter Pidgeon), the only survivor of the original mission, his daughter Altaira (Anne Francis) and the indestructible man-servant Robby the Robot. Dr. Morbius tries to warn them off, claiming the very planet itself poses a threat and shows them the remnants of an ancient, brilliant alien race that just disappeared, leaving behind their astonishingly advanced technology. Actually, he’s also keen on keeping a bunch of sailors away from his daughter.
The crew are played exactly as if they were manning a submarine in a WWII war movie, which acts as a perfect touchstone for audiences of the time new to colourful sci-fi weirdness. The banter is cheeky, the camaraderie instantly believable. Unfortunately they take it too far where Anne Francis’ naive Altaira is concerned.
Captain Kirk was a maverick, for sure, but he’d surely have been horrified to find his officers in competition with him for her affections. Despite protestations to the contrary, Commander Adams seems to even take a boys-will-boys attitude, while joining in. It’s here where the problems start. Altaira is as forbidden as the rest of the planet and the screenplay makes her dumb enough to not understand men and their desires, but condemns her for it too. Adams even gets angry with her for the effect she has on his crew. And on him, of course.
The clumsiness is somewhat offset by the innocence and sheer inventiveness of the wonderful visuals. Forbidden Planet is a giant sandpit of sci-fi ideas and a perfectly delivered premise allows the effects guys to be indulgent. From Dr. Morbius’ home to the secret alien tunnels and caverns, it’s perfectly realised. The detail paid to things like the flying saucer craft landing, the vehicles they use and the areas they explore is astonishing. And when the invisible alien creature starts attacking the ship, it’s genuinely scary, especially given substance by an ambitious psychological edge. The links to Tempest are worn proudly. The beast was animated by Disney veteran Joshua Meador, hand-drawn over live-action plates so the monster was visible only when striking at the defences. And let’s not forget Robby, because he might be clunky now, but he’s a masterpiece of physical effects, a genuine leap forward from silver suits.
Poor gender attitudes aside, fans of Naked Gun may need a moment to get used to Leslie Neilsen being deadpan and meaning it. Walter Pidgeon is superb as a kind of tortured Captain Nemo and, while the film as a whole sits somewhere between Silent Running and Flash Gordon, its heart belongs to Jules Verne and H.G. Wells. The opening credits even evoke nostalgia for a bygone age of Saturday morning at the pictures, even for those of us that weren’t there.
These days we are saturated by sci-fi and a fresh aesthetic seems elusive now. The delivery of Forbidden Planet may be flawed, its attitudes horribly dated, but for pure flight of science-fiction imagination, the imaginative charm is timeless for sci-fan fans of any age.
VIDEO
There is already a strong edition of the film out, including most of the best features available here, so it’s purely a question of UHD being worth it. This is a brand new 4K print from the restored negative, and in the original 2.55:1. More of the physical image is available, so it’s an essential upgrade in that regard.
The opening credits proudly boast “Technicolour!” and this fine transfer exploits the original intentions, better than any previous release. The spacecraft and the crew themselves are largely muted and grey, making a solid, bright contrast with the strange colours of the planet and its inhabitants. The source material isn’t perfect, but given a glistening HD presentation, it simply adds to the charm. It’s hard to say if it’s George Folsey’s photography, the set production, the effects or model work, but it’s a solid looking film in all respects.
EXTRA FEATURES
Much of the extra features have been lifted from previous releases, but that Blu-ray edition was already comprehensive and the extras remain worth seeing.
The deleted scenes are particularly interesting as they maybe explain that the pacing and editing are a bit off because it was never finished properly. A rough cut proved so popular it was rushed out.
Then there’s the The Invisible Boy, a full length movie, sequel to Forbidden Planet to exploit the popularity of Robby the Robot. A silly plot finds him on Earth, befriended by a young boy. Was this the first sci-fi character to escape his origin film? We get even more of him in the TV episode of The Thin Man with Peter Lawford. Daft, but a wonderful curiosity.