Memorable, crazy movie

Better Late Then Never

It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

There is just something about this film that isn't has fun or as interesting as other 1950s Sci-Fi films. The pros:1. It's very 'heady" and more sophisticated in story (loosely based on Shakespeare's The Tempest). 2. It is far above in budget than any other Sci-Fi film before it. It is truly an "A" pic. 3. It is impressively photographed and the special matte effects are certainly more impressive than any Sci-Fi of its era.Cons: 1. Perhaps I need to see this on the big screen to fully appreciate the film. There's something very bland about the film. 2. I find Walter Pidgeon to be an incredibly stiff actor, not much in the expressing emotions department. He doesn't work it for me in this any several other films. 3. I found the use of animation for the "id" monster and some of the other effects to be too Disney-like and VERY DISAPPOINTING. It is done like a cartoon and looks like a cartoon. I think they could have done more and done better, even with what little they had to work with as far as electrical effects in those days. Although censors probably wouldn't' permit it, the incestuous subtext could have been more intense....that may be the direction or Walter P's lack of ability.

This film shows you don't need incredible graphics or special effects to tell a great story. A clear precursor to so many things in Star Trek the following decade, and for the genre, it probably deserves even a slightly higher rating. You have the genius stranded on an isolated planet (Walter Pidgeon), learning advanced technology. You have the young nymph (Anne Francis) who is sexually unaware but willing to take lessons from crewmen all too eager to provide them, stoking the fantasies of male sci-fi fans. You have Robby the Robot, who has been programmed to obey, but with prime directives not to kill humans. And you have unseen alien with formidable knowledge and power. The scene where the beast lights up under laser fire and attacks crewmen, flinging them through the air, is fantastic. The concept of the Krell and their machine is as well. There are moments of levity mixed in with the philosophizing and opining about the human race. On the downside, the acting isn't all that great and Leslie Nielsen's performance in particular is uneven. The script is cheesy in several places so be prepared for that, but to me it added to the camp value.

A group of scientists/ military travel to the planet Altair 4. It is 2200 AD they are on a mission. I the year 2200 man has concurred many missions in space & with the help of hyper drive they have the ability to reach deep space exploration. The United Planets Cruiser commanded by commander Adams( Leslie Nelsen) travel with his crew to the planet Altair 4. Altair 4 is an Earth like planet, but with green skies and two moons. Twenty years ago The Valia landed here, but all the crew except Dr. Morphosis( Walter Piegon), and is daughter, Altera( Anne Francis) were killed. Just before landing Dr. Morphosis warns them not to land on Altair 4. If they do he will not be held responsible if something happens. Commander Adams ignores his warning, and lands anyway. When the ship lands Commander Adams, Lt. Doc Ostrov( Warren Stevens), and Lt. Forman( Jack Kelly) are meet by a robot named Robbie. The three are taken to Morphosis's home where they meet Altera( Anne Francis). The three along with Morphosis, and Alteria set down and talk. Then the Doctor introduces the crew to Robbie. Robbie is a robot like no other, cooks, cleans, does chores. He is programmed to do just about anything, plus he has a built in safety device that prevents him from harming humans. Dr. Morphosis gives the crew more info concerning The Valarian. The Valarian and it's crew were terrorized by an invisible creature. He explains there was no way it could be destroyed. Somehow he and Altera were immune from being harmed by it. While waiting fro Dr. Morphosis, Commander Adams and Dr. Ostrov find a way to get into Morphosis study. There they find a type of hieroglyphics. While studying the papers, Morphosis finds them. There he tells them about an anciet species called the Krell. The Krell were a highly advanced than humans, and at one time walked on Earth during the time of early man. They brought back bio specimens to study. Then one night the Krell perished along with their magnificent architecture. All disappearing back into Altairs soil. The along with Morphosis go on a tour to see the Krell underground. They discover the Krell I.Q. test,stronger material, and fascinating architecture. One night while on watch an invisible creature enters the ship. The only thing damaged was their Plaston Frequency Modulator. The crew return to the ship and set up an electronic perimeter this time to catch the beast. It fails but the creature make footsteps where it was. The only thing they can do is make a cast of the print. Adams discovers something strange about this print, and realizes this creature is one that Morphosis has developed from his subconscious. They try to destroy it, but realize the only way it can be destroyed is by destroying Morphosis. One of the crew must break into the lab a take the brain boost. When Morphosis took the brain boost the first time, it altered his subconscious. It made is I.Q. higher, but it also made conjured a monster from the ID part of his subconscious. In other words one of the crew must take the brain boost to defeat Morphosis subconscious monster. In the end it is successful, but Adams loses Doc in the processes; and Altara losses her father. The survivors safely leave along with Robbie and Alteria.In conclusion, this is a great film with excellent effect of the time. I didn't know this at first; but look for Richard Anderson( 6 million dollar man) as Quinn. This is a great Sy-Fy movie that was ahead of it's time.

Decades before becoming a comedy star in Airplane! (1980), and as Lieutenant Frank Drebin in the Naked Gun films, Leslie Nielsen starred in sci-fi classic Forbidden Planet as Commander Adams, leader of a starship crew who travel to a distant colonised planet where they find just two survivors, Dr. Morbius (Walter Pidgeon) and his beautiful daughter Altaira (Anne Francis), who are assisted by their loyal robot Robby.According to Dr. Morbius, his fellow colonists were all killed by a mysterious creature that, for some reason, spared him and his family. Since then, the doctor has dedicated his time to discovering the secrets of an ancient highly advanced race that once inhabited the planet: The Krells. While Commander Adams and his crew await further instructions from Earth, they are attacked by a vicious invisible monster. Could Morbius and his experiments somehow be responsible?Supposedly loosely based on Shakespeare's The Tempest, Forbidden Planet explores a theme that has since become a well-worn sci-fi trope: how might mankind cop with the discovery of an advanced alien technology? Could we be trusted to act responsibly? An interesting dilemma, but for me, it's not the plot that makes Forbidden Planet so memorable, but the production design and the 'music', both of which make this film the epitomy of '50s sci-fi: Starship C-57D is the finest flying saucer to grace the silver screen; the painted backdrops of Altair IV are stunning; Robby the Robot is iconic; the Krell technology is incredible; and the avant garde 'electronic tonalities' - bleeps, blurps, whirs, whines, throbs, hums, and screeches - are terrific (and now synonymous with the genre).Also making the film a pleasure to watch is the presence of Francis as the love interest for Commander Adams: wearing a range of figure-hugging mini-dresses, she's a delight to behold. N.B. Is it just me, or does the whole 'human colony killed by unstoppable creature' idea sound a bit like a certain sci-fi blockbuster from 1986? When the crewmen of Starship C-57D are scanning the location of the monster but cannot see it, I could picture xenomorphs crawling through air ducts...