Forbidden Planet: The Classic Sci-Fi Adventure Celebrates 70 Years with a Stunning 4K Upgrade (Limited Edition 4K)

The Film:

In the 1950s, the science-fiction genre was still considered something of a lower class category that typically featured flying saucers and little green men, on top of pretty cheesy special effects (Ed Wood's "Plan 9 from Outer Space" being a prime example). In fact, sci-fi films wouldn't really start getting the major respect they deserve until 1968, when Stanley Kubrick delivered his masterpiece "2001: A Space Odyssey," which showed just how deep & impactful films of the genre could be. That said, well before that, there were still those who tried to bring out the more serious side of these types of films, with Fred M. Wilcox's "Forbidden Planet" from 1956 often being cited as a stand-out attempt.

Taking some slight inspiration from Shakespeare's "The Tempest," the film is considered an all-time classic of the genre, utilizing an intelligent script & what were considered impressive special effects at the time to tell a story that tried to go beyond your typical alien invasion/martian flick. With the film reaching its 70th anniversary this year, Arrow Films is celebrating by making it one of their latest recipients of a stunning UHD upgrade, and packing it with an entire extra disc of bonus material, so now it's time to revisit this highly-praised classic to see how well it holds up in an era where science-fiction has come quite a long way.

Taking place in the 23rd century, we follow the crew of the United Planets starship C-57D, commanded by John J. Adams (Leslie Nielsen), as they arrive at planet Altair IV to determine what has happened to the ship Bellerophon, which arrived 20 years earlier. When they make contact, they are warned by Dr. Edward Morbius (Walter Pidgeon), one of the members of the original expedition, not to land for their own safety, but Adams ignores his warning and lands anyway. Upon arrival, they are met by Morbius' assistant, Robby the Robot, who takes Adams and Lieutenants Farman (Jack Kelly) & Ostrow (Warren Stevens) to see the doctor.

Morbius explains how the rest of the expedition was killed by some unseen force, with the ship being destroyed as the last survivors tried to escape, leaving only him, his wife (who he claims died of natural causes shortly after), and daughter Altaira (Anne Francis), all of whom were apparently immune. This distressing turn of events forces Adams to try and contact Earth for further instructions, but while preparations are being made, an unseen forces sabotages their ship and subsequently tries to attack. Could the same force from before be returning to terrorize Adams & his crew?

The reputation of "Forbidden Planet" is certainly one of mostly glowing favor, which is quite understandable given the aforementioned attempt to do a little more than the typical sci-fi films of the time. Sure, it still has similar dressings like spaceships & alien worlds, but Cyril Hume's screenplay is still able to tackle some rather deep & meaningful themes like the danger of advancing technology and the dark side of the human mind, the pithy kind of material you wouldn't normally see in films of the genre at the time. In that regard, it gives you a lot more to think about & discuss when all is said and done, another trait that most other sci-fi films of the '50s can't really claim.

That said, is the film's reputation fully deserved? Well, it's a mildly complicated "yes and no" answer. There's no doubt that it's a fine film with a fascinating story, though where a slight problem arises is in its execution in telling that story. That is to say, the pacing of the film could've used a little work. For a film that merely runs 98 minutes, it does have the feeling of being somewhat longer, most likely due to its multiple scenes of exposition that have Dr. Morbius not only giving an explanation of what happened to the expedition, but also giving quite a long rundown of the Krell (the species that used to live on the planet) and their technology. This is on top of an odd little romance thrown in between Adams & Altaira that just doesn't really seem to fit in anywhere within the film's captivating mystery, showing that, while the film is certainly worthy of praise, it does have a few chinks in its armor that should be noted.

In the end, "Forbidden Planet" is quite the intriguing tale, one brought to life with excellent (though certainly dated) special effects, grand designs, and an outstanding cast that includes the great Walter Pidgeon and Leslie Nielsen in a serious role from before he became a comedy superstar, but the film is not without some underlying problems that hold it back just a little from being as great as its reputation suggests. Even so, it remains an all-time classic that looks absolutely incredible in 4K, so whether you're discovering it for the very first time or revisiting it yet again, it's very much worth seeing in its new gorgeous restoration.

Video/Audio:

"Forbidden Planet" makes its dazzling 4K debut in a 2.55:1, 2160p Ultra High Definition transfer of stunning quality. The new restoration from the original 35mm camera negative presents a beautifully clear picture with just the right touch of grain throughout its entire 98-minute runtime, perfectly highlighting its classic, Oscar-nominated special effects. Likewise, the original lossless mono, restored original Perspecta stereo, and 5.1 DTS-HD MA soundtracks are marvelous, giving you all of the dialogue, sound effects, and music in outstanding quality. Overall, Arrow Films has done a marvelous job with the film's new upgrade, making it look & sound better than it ever has.

Special Features:

Audio Commentary by Film Historians Kim Newman and Barry Forshaw (New)

Unearthly Aura: An appreciation of Bebe & Louis Barron's pioneering electronic score by historian and composer Neil Brand.

Watch the Skies!: Science Fiction, The 1950s and Us

Amazing!: Exploring the Far Reaches of Forbidden Planet

Robby the Robot: Engineering a Sci-FiIcon

Deleted Scenes

Lost Footage

The Invisible Boy: A bonus movie featuring Robby the Robot in his second feature film.

"Robot Client": An episode of The Thin Man TV series featuring Robby the Robot.

Two excerpts from MGM Parade

Original Shooting Script

Conclusion:

Fred M. Wilcox's "Forbidden Planet" remains an all-time classic of the sci-fi genre thanks to its Oscar-nominated special effects, a fantastic cast, and an intelligent screenplay by Cyril Hume that deals with deeper themes than other films of its type did at the time. It may be held back a bit by execution issues such as pacing & extraneous subplots, but all things considered, it makes for an intriguing adventure that is very much worth revisiting as it makes its grand 4K debut.

Score: 3.5/5

Available on Limited Edition 4K starting tomorrow.

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