FREE: FORBIDDEN PLANET Special Edition 2 DVD Set

Reviewed by Martin Liebman

"I wash my hands of all responsibility."

Forbidden Planet travels to the furthest reaches of space to discover what it is that lies within the deepest recesses of every man's soul. A classic Science Fiction film in every regard and a shining beacon of what the genre is all about at its most fundamental level, Forbidden Planet uses outer space, distant worlds, and advanced technologies as both metaphor and magnifying glass to interpret and more closely examine the human condition. The film uses exaggerated actions, characters, technologies, and locations to more readily study man in the here and now, and with the way films like Forbidden Planet frame that analysis, their findings are sure to hold as long as man exists at a similar biological and psychological level of evolution. Directed by Fred M. Wilcox; starring several of the 1950's top stars; and serving as a showpiece for advanced filmmaking, vision, and special effects in its day, Forbidden Planet has withstood the test of time as a picture that still holds influence over its genre more than 50 years after its release and, better still, has aged extraordinarily well even through this, the era of amazing computer-generated visual effects.

Review - part 2

By the year 2200, man had traversed through his own solar system and, soon thereafter, developed a hyperdrive system that allowed him to travel to even the furthest reaches of the galaxy. Star cruiser C57D is on a mission to the planet Altair with the task of investigating the disappearance of an expedition that set out to colonize that world several decades earlier. Led by Commander J. J. Adams (Leslie Nielsen) and Doctor Ostrow (Warren Stevens), the crew arrives at the planet and is greeted by the voice of Dr. Edward Morbius (Walter Pidgeon) who warns the crew to stay away for their own safety. In defiance of Morbius' commands, the ship settles onto Altair and is greeted by Robby, an advanced robot of great physical strength, armed with incredible technologies, and guided by a set of principles that do not allow him to harm living creatures. Robby takes Adams to Morbius who shares with the Commander the tragic news that the other members of his expedition have died, but he shares something even more amazing: the remnants of an ancient and incredibly advanced civilization created by a race known as the Krell. Even better, their radical technologies still work, and Morbius has spent the last decades studying their powers, expanding his mind, and caring for the other living human on the planet: his daughter, Alta (Anne Francis). When Morbius begins to fear that he may have to leave Altair and return to Earth, Adams' crew comes under attack by a mysterious, powerful, and invisible force that even their energy weapons cannot defeat or contain. Can the crew withstand the threat and uncover the even greater secrets that lie within both Morbius' head and the powerful Krell technology?

Review - part 3

Forbidden Planet shies away from the "guns blazing" approach that lesser genre pictures embrace in favor of a far more contemplative, deliberate, and meaningful journey that challenges the mind rather than the eyes and the soul rather than the ears. Of course, Forbidden Planet is a 1950s Sci-Fi picture, so there are some energy weapons and action scenes, but the picture constructs its several small action elements into the plot as purposeful advancements that reinforce the themes and scope of the story. What is it, then, that the picture hopes to achieve? As a film that sets out to be far more intelligent than the average lasers and explosions-type experience, Forbidden Planet creates the fictitious Krell -- a long-since extinct species who embraced great technology to the betterment of their society -- and through them manages to take a peek into the human condition and even serve as something of a cautionary tale not only as to the great power and greater dangers of advanced technology but the equally devastating power that can simmer, boil, and explode from within man's very essence, whether he's surrounded by the ones he loves, isolated from civilization, corrupted by technology, or simply in search of answers to questions both at his fingertips and beyond his scope of understanding. Forbidden Planet looks at man through a lens that identifies the deepest, most secretive elements that exist at the subconscious level and remain no matter his place in the universe, the technology that surrounds him, or the enlightenment he claims.

Review - part 4 of 4

With its action under control and the purpose of its story slowly but surely revealed, Forbidden Planet captures the imagination through sharp dialogue, extraordinary set design, purposeful direction, and sound acting. Forbidden Planet is a joy to watch on several levels, among which is magnificent dialogue and delivery, particularly from the venerable Walter Pidgeon as the highly intelligent scientist whose uncovering and understanding of the Krell technology serves as the foundation of the story. Pidgeon is remarkable in the part, playing off his visitors and coming across as well-versed but not stuffy or haughty. His character's slow realization of his greater part in the story is played with both efficiency and tremendous raw emotion. Leslie Nielsen, Anne Francis, and Warren Stevens are also strong in their challenging parts. Additionally, Forbidden Planet features some good special effects and even stronger set design; both appear clunky and dated upon close inspection, but they nevertheless hold up thanks Fred M. Wilcox's steady, well-paced, and visually satisfying direction that keeps the film focused on its story and characters, allowing the sets and effects to blend into the story rather than stand apart from it. Forbidden Planet uses its scope aspect ratio to great effect to give the picture a large, epic feel that also plays a part in drawing the audience into the otherworldly environments. No doubt it's Wilcox's work that's been such a great benefit to the picture's ability to hold up even decades after its release.