Post by B5Erik on Jul 7, 2015 18:48:22 GMT
Forbidden Planet came from an unlikely source - MGM - given the studio's track record (heavy on dramas and musicals).
And yet the movie turned out to be one of the all time great Science Fiction films. A film so well made that a remake almost seems pointless. A film with concepts so intelligent that it holds up well today. A film with a style that led directly to the original Star Trek TV series (Gene Roddenberry borrowed a lot from Forbidden Planet when he created Star Trek, and the style of the show was very similar to that of FP). Even Babylon 5 borrowed more than a little from Forbidden Planet four decades later.
Visually, Forbidden Planet is stunning. No, it doesn't have that razzle-dazzle of modern CGI, and, no, it isn't as visually exciting as Star Wars would be just over two decades later, but it still looks beautiful today because it was made with care and attention to detail. It was as good as a Science Fiction movie could look in 1956.
The only thing dated about the movie is it's attitude towards women, and even then it isn't as sexist by modern standards as most movies were at that time. Anne Francis has a role with some real depth. No, Alta is no Ellen Ripley, but she is a strong character who doesn't just blindly follow the men in the movie. She is curious, intelligent, and strong willed.
And you've got a great cast in the movie - Leslie Nielsen (before he became a comic actor), Walter Pidgeon, Warren Stevens, Richard (Oscar Goldman) Anderson, and Anne Francis among them. They all play it straight, and they all give convincing performances.
There is no question about it. Forbidden Planet is an absolute classic and one of the greatest Science Fiction movies of all time.
And yet the movie turned out to be one of the all time great Science Fiction films. A film so well made that a remake almost seems pointless. A film with concepts so intelligent that it holds up well today. A film with a style that led directly to the original Star Trek TV series (Gene Roddenberry borrowed a lot from Forbidden Planet when he created Star Trek, and the style of the show was very similar to that of FP). Even Babylon 5 borrowed more than a little from Forbidden Planet four decades later.
Visually, Forbidden Planet is stunning. No, it doesn't have that razzle-dazzle of modern CGI, and, no, it isn't as visually exciting as Star Wars would be just over two decades later, but it still looks beautiful today because it was made with care and attention to detail. It was as good as a Science Fiction movie could look in 1956.
The only thing dated about the movie is it's attitude towards women, and even then it isn't as sexist by modern standards as most movies were at that time. Anne Francis has a role with some real depth. No, Alta is no Ellen Ripley, but she is a strong character who doesn't just blindly follow the men in the movie. She is curious, intelligent, and strong willed.
And you've got a great cast in the movie - Leslie Nielsen (before he became a comic actor), Walter Pidgeon, Warren Stevens, Richard (Oscar Goldman) Anderson, and Anne Francis among them. They all play it straight, and they all give convincing performances.
There is no question about it. Forbidden Planet is an absolute classic and one of the greatest Science Fiction movies of all time.