Forbidden Planet (1956) Review

Forbidden Planet (1956) Review

 

Before Alien or Star Wars or 2001: A Space Odyssey or even Star Trek, the greatest example of an otherworldly sci-fi film was Forbidden Planet, and many decades later it still stands as one of the great cinematic achievements in its genre. I’ve also seen the film referred to as “proto-techno-horror” and I think that’s a fitting term, because while most horror and science fiction films of the 1950’s focused on fears people had at the time about nuclear destruction and invaders from other worlds, Forbidden Planet dared to go against the norm and do multiple things that had never been done before.

We begin with a spaceship sporting the classic pie-plate-shape soaring through space, then the title in a super dramatic font with a slow reveal. In the credits it doesn’t mention sound effects or music, but rather “Electronic Tonalities” which I think is funny, but this film is actually the first ever to have a completely electronic score, and at times the music and sound effects almost blend together, but not in a bad way, in an effectively immersive way. The credits also say at the end of the cast section “And Introducing Robby, The Robot” which is great, because it’s as if the filmmakers knew this robot was going to be a star right from the beginning. Audiences today have become spoiled with charismatic machines that at times feel like living beings, from WALL-E and R2-D2 to Vision and even the Terminator, but all of them owe something to Robby, because it was the original of its kind. No other robot had been as humorous or as personable up to this point. It is largely for comedic relief, but also performs some useful tasks, and is programmed to follow its creator’s orders but also never harm a human, which is set up early on and pays off in a uniquely satisfying way at the end.

OK, I’ve gotten way ahead of myself here without even explaining what this movie is about. Leslie Nielsen plays Commander Adams, leader aboard the starship C-57D. Their mission is to rescue Morbius—no, not the Marvel character, Dr. Edward Morbius (Walter Pidgeon) who is the only survivor of an expedition that went to the planet Altair IV 20 years earlier. Morbius warns Adams not to land, but Adams does it anyway. The only thing I could nitpick here is that Adams doesn’t really question Morbius all that much as to why, exactly, they shouldn’t land and rescue him, but we can assume Adams is just very committed to doing his job. They land successfully and meet Robby and his daughter, Altaira, the only other person alive, who, like Morbius, is immune to the unexplainable planetary force that wiped out the crew of the previous expedition. Morbius teaches Adams about the Krell, an extinct alien species that were far more advanced than humankind, but their remaining alien technology, as fascinating and sophisticated as it is, may also be what caused the previous crew to be killed, and what may doom Adams and his crew—never mind the fact that every man is instantly drooling over Altaira, and she is falling for Adams.

Forbidden Planet was shot in lavish colour and Cinemascope, which doesn’t mean much to modern audiences, but at the time it was one of the best-looking genre films ever made, and believe or not, it still holds up. It was the first movie to take place entirely on another planet, and the big budget meant high production values. Beyond just the visuals, the plot is extremely interesting, and if you’re a sci-fi nerd, you’ll love all the technical discussions the characters have on a range of topics. One of my favourite scenes is just three characters standing around in a room talking to each other about the alien race that lived on the planet thousands of years ago. That’s another interesting aspect: instead of showing some goofy-looking creatures, it omits them (visually, at least) and we’re left to imagine what they must have been like when they were alive—and what, exactly, brought about their demise. Even though Leslie Nielsen is best remembered now for his comedic roles, this is one of his best early serious roles, and Walter Pidgeon brings a great intensity to the character of Morbius. We learn more about the truth as he slowly peels back the layers, and when we aren’t learning about what Morbius has learned in his twenty years on the planet alongside Adams, we’re treated to fun scenes with Robby and the rest of the crew, as well as some ominous hints at the terror to come.

Even though we don’t see the Krell, we do see what makes this planet so dangerous. A monster is stalking the landscape, and it turns out that it’s invisible. How do we see it, then? At first only its footsteps are glimpsed, achieved with a clever special effect with sand sinking down to appear as if something massive and unseen is leaving big footprints. Then, a signal indicates its arrival, even though no one can see it (I’m sure James Cameron was referencing this in Aliens when the marines see the signals on the motion tracker then discover the aliens crawling up in the ceiling), but when it hits the force field this “evil planetary force” becomes visible as a glowing silhouette of energy. It was animated by Disney animators, but don’t let that credential fool you. The monster looks frightening and makes a chilling roar. When it comes for them again in the finale it is a legitimately intense pursuit.

Forbidden Planet explores many of the most thought provoking sci-fi themes: aliens, monsters, sentient robots, sophisticated technology, humans tampering with power beyond their control, the importance of intelligence, and the power of the mind. All of these themes have been explored in many other fantastic sci-fi and horror films, but for anyone curious about where so many of those great ideas first came from, I highly recommend seeing it for yourself. Robby the Robot would go on to appear in many other films and TV shows, contributing to its own lasting legacy, so you may already be familiar with it from something else even if you haven’t seen Forbidden Planet. If you aren’t a sci-fi buff, I still think you’ll find it accessible and enjoyable, with it ranging from intriguing to suspenseful to funny to downright scary, and delivering a well-told story that has aged like a fine bottle of Robby-produced Altair Bourbon.