Forbidden Planet (film)
"Forbidden Planet" is a 1956 science fiction film that reinterprets William Shakespeare's play "The Tempest," relocating its narrative to the fictional planet Altair-IV in the twenty-third century. The story follows a United Planets spaceship as it investigates the fate of a previous mission, only to find two survivors: Dr. Morbius and his daughter, Altaira, accompanied by a highly advanced robot. The plot thickens as Morbius reveals that the rest of the crew perished at the hands of an invisible monster, which is ultimately linked to his own subconscious. The film is notable for its psychological themes, groundbreaking special effects, and a distinctive electronic soundtrack, setting it apart from other science fiction films of its time. While the cast is generally considered unremarkable, the film's innovative storytelling and visual style have left a lasting impact on the genre, influencing subsequent works, including the iconic television series "Star Trek." "Forbidden Planet" is viewed as a classic, revered for its exploration of humanity and the consequences of technological advancement.
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Forbidden Planet (film)
Identification Science-fiction film adapted from a William Shakespeare play and set on a remote planet
Date Released in 1956
Director Fred McLeod Wilcox
Combining a venerable plot with sophisticated production values, this comparatively high-budget film thrilled audiences of the mid-1950’s with its special effects and challenged them with its ideas.
Key Figures
Fred McLeod Wilcox (1907-1964), film director
Forbidden Planet recasts English playwright William Shakespeare’s play about a marooned magician and his daughter, The Tempest (1611), on the imaginary planet Altair-IV in the twenty-third century. A United Planets spaceship, in the form of a flying saucer, arrives to determine the fate of an earlier mission. However, the crew find only two survivors, Dr. Morbius (played by Walter Pidgeon ) and his daughter Altaira (Anne Francis), who are being waited upon by an ingenious robot.
Morbius explains to the cruiser’s commander, John J. Adams (Leslie Nielsen, who would later win fame in comic roles), that the rest of the mission’s crew died at the hands of a savage, invisible monster. Later he reluctantly reveals an underground network built by a vanished race known as the Krell and boasts that he has used one of their machines to “boost” his own intelligence. Adams realizes that the doctor’s own energized id is the “monster” that killed his colleagues and that has now begun attacking Adams’s crew.
Impact
Aside from Walter Pidgeon, the cast of Forbidden Planet was unremarkable. However, its psychological theme, spectacular imagery, and otherworldly soundtrack set it apart from most science-fiction films of the decade. It influenced films and television series for decades to come and is considered one of the primary inspirations for the 1960’s television series Star Trek.
Bibliography
Harris, Steven B. “A.I. and the Return of the Krell Machine: Nanotechnology, the Singularity, and the Empty Planet Syndrome.” Skeptic 9, no. 3 (2002): 68-79. Harris argues that Forbidden Planet is important for the questions it raises about advanced technologies.
Kennedy, Harlan. “Prospero’s Flicks.” Film Comment 28 (1992): 45-59. Kennedy discusses several filmed adaptations of The Tempest, including Forbidden Planet.