Live Life Team
Genre: Sci-Fi Fantasy
Director: Fred M. Wilcox
Starring Cast: Walter Pidgeon, Anne Francis, Leslie Nielsen, Robby the Robot
After contact with the colonists of distant planet Altair 4 is lost, a spaceship captained by Commander John J. Adams is dispatched to investigate. The crew find only two survivors, scientist Dr Morbious and his daughter, Altaira. The others have apparently been killed by a strange creature, but the planet holds more surprises than a simple monster.
A Sci-fi movie with a substantial budget was an unusual thing in the 1950’s, even more unusual was the decision to shoot in colour. The film makes even more sense when you consider the studio MGM made Forbidden Planet to take advantage of the massive popularity of Sci-fi B-movies, reasoning that a lavishly produced colour epic, as a result the film avoids the era’s genre clichés. There is no real manipulation of Cold War fears, the alien creature’s appearance is far from typical, and its origins prove to be an original twist. Instead the intention seems to be to make a glossy but intelligent family adventure movie within the liberating framework of science fiction.
Forbidden planet will always be remembered for two things above all else, firstly it features Leslie Nielson’s best known straight performance, and secondly, it marks the first appearance of the now legendary Robby the Robot.
