Review of Forbidden Planet (1956) by Tim S — 27 Mar 2010

I don't think I can talk at lengths about the brilliance of Forbidden Planet, but I can give it a try I suppose. The film was released in 1956 to great acclaim and became one of the staples of great science fiction in popular culture.

It's an enormously well-put together film with great performances from its leads: Leslie Nielsen, Anne Francis, Walter Pidgeon, and even Robby the Robot. It also contains a groundbreaking electronic score, fantastic special effects and great set design.

The film explores the notion that the human mind (the id) can create monsters due to Dr. Morpheus' tampering with a mind expansion machine. It was one of the first science fiction films to come along to do something drastically different with the story, as well.

I can't say enough about the film. Everything about it is nearly-perfect, and it holds up just as well today as it did then and enjoy watching it over and over again. It's a cornerstone for great science fiction.