FORBIDDEN PLANET (1956)
Direction: Fred M. Wilcox
Cast: Walter Pidgeon, Anne Francis, Leslie Nielsen, Robby the Robot, Warren Stevens, Earl Holliman, Richard Anderson, Jack Kelly, George Wallace, Robert Dix
Screenplay: Cyril Hume; from a story by Irving Block and Allen Adler inspired by William Shakespeare’s The Tempest
Oscar Movies
Leslie Nielsen, Anne Francis, Robby the Robot, Forbidden Planet
By Dan Schneider of Cosmoetica:
When one thinks of 1950s science-fiction films, one thinks of the sort of schlocky black-and-white B movies that were parodied on the old Mystery Science Theater 3000 television show. Yet, while there were a whole lot of films like Plan 9 from Outer Space and Robot Monster, the 1950s did have some truly good sci-fi movies, among them The Day the Earth Stood Still, The Incredible Shrinking Man, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The War of the Worlds, and The Thing from Another World.
For its literacy and production values, the best of the bunch was undoubtedly MGM’s first big foray into A-level science-fiction, Forbidden Planet, released in 1956. The 98-minute color film directed by Fred M. Wilcox features state-of-the-art special effects and is endowed with Cyril Hume’s solid screenplay from Irving Block and Allen Adler’s screen treatment "Fatal Planet," which adapted sections of William Shakespeare’s The Tempest.
Upon its release, Forbidden Planet drew raves for its Oscar-nominated special effects, its electronic music score by Louis and Bebe Barron (though credited as Electronic Tonalities, to avoid music guild fees), vivid matte paintings inspired by Chesley Bonestell, and the famed Monster of the Id (MOTI), which was animated by Joshua Meador, on loan from the Walt Disney studios.
Even more famous was the appearance of Robby the Robot, who would be featured in The Invisible Boy — included as a bonus on the Forbidden Planet DVD — as well as in several 1960s sci-fi TV shows such as The Twilight Zone, Night Gallery, and Lost in Space (with whose robot Robby is often confused). A couple of decades later, Robby had a cameo in Gremlins (1984).
As for its plot, Forbidden Planet offers a simple but elegantly constructed tale filled with humorous asides that leaven the forced "love story" aspect in the film.
In the 23rd Century, the United Planets Cruiser C-57D — a flying saucer led by Commander J. J. Adams (Leslie Nielsen, long before his Police Squad days) — is en route to the planet Altair IV to investigate what happened to the crew of the Bellerophon, sent to that planet twenty years earlier. After a year’s journey, they encounter the lone survivor of the party, Doctor Edward Morbius (Walter Pidgeon), a philologist and Prospero stand-in; his gorgeous blonde daughter Altaira (Anne Francis), or Alta, the Miranda character in a pre-1960s miniskirt; and Robby the Robot, the domestic servant who is the Calibanian counterpart.
Morbius warns the crew of a mysterious force that killed the Bellerophon party in their first year, even though he was immune to it. After a midnight attack that kills one of the ship’s men, Adams confronts Dr. Morbius, who explains that below his home is a machine — 7,800 levels high, and powered by 9,200 nuclear reactors — the only remnant of the extinct Krel race, which perished 200,000 years earlier in a single night after a million years of high culture.
In the meantime, Adams and his number two, Lt. Farman (Jack Kelly), vie for Alta’s affections. And MOTI attacks again.
It’s obvious that Dan Schneider doesn’t understand the main principle of the ‘Monster From The Id’ when he states in his review:
“It’s worth pointing out that despite Forbidden Planet’s ‘happy ending,’ there is the possibility that the MOTI is still dormant inside Alta. After all, she is her father’s daughter…”
The MOTI is not the Id. The MOTI is the product of what the Krell Machine does WITH the Id.
According to the Freudian model, everyone has an Id.
Without the Krell Machine, these can be no MOTI.
Do your homework, Dan. Otherwise, good writing.