Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.5

Forbidden Planet Blu-ray Movie Review

Genesis may be "Planet Forbidden," but "Forbidden Planet" is the genesis of the greatest Sci-Fi films of the past half century.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman September 4, 2010

I wash my hands of all responsibility.

Forbidden Planet travels to the furthest reaches of space to discover what it is that lies within the deepest recesses of every man's soul. A classic Science Fiction film in every regard and a shining beacon of what the genre is all about at its most fundamental level, Forbidden Planet uses outer space, distant worlds, and advanced technologies as both metaphor and magnifying glass to interpret and more closely examine the human condition. The film uses exaggerated actions, characters, technologies, and locations to more readily study man in the here and now, and with the way films like Forbidden Planet frame that analysis, their findings are sure to hold as long as man exists at a similar biological and psychological level of evolution. Directed by Fred M. Wilcox; starring several of the 1950's top stars; and serving as a showpiece for advanced filmmaking, vision, and special effects in its day, Forbidden Planet has withstood the test of time as a picture that still holds influence over its genre more than 50 years after its release and, better still, has aged extraordinarily well even through this, the era of amazing computer-generated visual effects.

Landing on Altair.

By the year 2200, man had traversed through his own solar system and, soon thereafter, developed a hyperdrive system that allowed him to travel to even the furthest reaches of the galaxy. Star cruiser C57D is on a mission to the planet Altair with the task of investigating the disappearance of an expedition that set out to colonize that world several decades earlier. Led by Commander J. J. Adams (Leslie Nielsen) and Doctor Ostrow (Warren Stevens), the crew arrives at the planet and is greeted by the voice of Dr. Edward Morbius (Walter Pidgeon) who warns the crew to stay away for their own safety. In defiance of Morbius' commands, the ship settles onto Altair and is greeted by Robby, an advanced robot of great physical strength, armed with incredible technologies, and guided by a set of principles that do not allow him to harm living creatures. Robby takes Adams to Morbius who shares with the Commander the tragic news that the other members of his expedition have died, but he shares something even more amazing: the remnants of an ancient and incredibly advanced civilization created by a race known as the Krell. Even better, their radical technologies still work, and Morbius has spent the last decades studying their powers, expanding his mind, and caring for the other living human on the planet: his daughter, Alta (Anne Francis). When Morbius begins to fear that he may have to leave Altair and return to Earth, Adams' crew comes under attack by a mysterious, powerful, and invisible force that even their energy weapons cannot defeat or contain. Can the crew withstand the threat and uncover the even greater secrets that lie within both Morbius' head and the powerful Krell technology?

Forbidden Planet shies away from the "guns blazing" approach that lesser genre pictures embrace in favor of a far more contemplative, deliberate, and meaningful journey that challenges the mind rather than the eyes and the soul rather than the ears. Of course, Forbidden Planet is a 1950s Sci-Fi picture, so there are some energy weapons and action scenes, but the picture constructs its several small action elements into the plot as purposeful advancements that reinforce the themes and scope of the story. What is it, then, that the picture hopes to achieve? As a film that sets out to be far more intelligent than the average lasers and explosions-type experience, Forbidden Planet creates the fictitious Krell -- a long-since extinct species who embraced great technology to the betterment of their society -- and through them manages to take a peek into the human condition and even serve as something of a cautionary tale not only as to the great power and greater dangers of advanced technology but the equally devastating power that can simmer, boil, and explode from within man's very essence, whether he's surrounded by the ones he loves, isolated from civilization, corrupted by technology, or simply in search of answers to questions both at his fingertips and beyond his scope of understanding. Forbidden Planet looks at man through a lens that identifies the deepest, most secretive elements that exist at the subconscious level and remain no matter his place in the universe, the technology that surrounds him, or the enlightenment he claims.

With its action under control and the purpose of its story slowly but surely revealed, Forbidden Planet captures the imagination through sharp dialogue, extraordinary set design, purposeful direction, and sound acting. Forbidden Planet is a joy to watch on several levels, among which is magnificent dialogue and delivery, particularly from the venerable Walter Pidgeon as the highly intelligent scientist whose uncovering and understanding of the Krell technology serves as the foundation of the story. Pidgeon is remarkable in the part, playing off his visitors and coming across as well-versed but not stuffy or haughty. His character's slow realization of his greater part in the story is played with both efficiency and tremendous raw emotion. Leslie Nielsen, Anne Francis, and Warren Stevens are also strong in their challenging parts. Additionally, Forbidden Planet features some good special effects and even stronger set design; both appear clunky and dated upon close inspection, but they nevertheless hold up thanks Fred M. Wilcox's steady, well-paced, and visually satisfying direction that keeps the film focused on its story and characters, allowing the sets and effects to blend into the story rather than stand apart from it. Forbidden Planet uses its scope aspect ratio to great effect to give the picture a large, epic feel that also plays a part in drawing the audience into the otherworldly environments. No doubt it's Wilcox's work that's been such a great benefit to the picture's ability to hold up even decades after its release.

Forbidden Planet Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Warner Brothers does right by Forbidden Planet, gracing the film with a strong, sometimes breathtaking, and always filmic 1080p, 2.41:1-framed transfer. From even the opening title sequence -- the film's signature yellow and rounded credits -- viewers will be impressed with the quality of the image. The text is crisp, sharp, and wonderfully colored, setting a fantastic tone and raising expectations that are at least met and sometimes surpassed throughout the remainder of the film. Although some white speckles and a few stray vertical lines appear intermittently throughout the film, Warner's Blu-ray delivers the goods, retaining a nicely-preserved layer of grain that lends to the picture a handsome film-like texture. Fine detailing is marvelous, whether both the metallic body and the intricate little nuances that make up Robby the Robot, the rocky terrains of Altair, the crew's uniforms, or even the nicely-detailed matte paintings that look great and never stand out as too terribly obvious. Colors are stable and honest, with no hue appearing undersaturated or over-boosted. The clarity of the 1080p transfer even reveals a few obvious wire effects throughout the film. Of all the films in Warner's catalogue, Forbidden Planet is one that demands the finest visual presentation possible, and the studio has certainly done right by this important classic.

Forbidden Planet Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Forbidden Planet's Blu-ray release features a DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack. Listeners shouldn't expect some modern-day whiz-bang surround-sound extravaganza; Forbidden Planet's track is reserved but steady and satisfying in a classic movie sense. A few sound effects play as somewhat harsher than what listeners might be used to with more modern soundtracks, but Warner's competent DTS track handles Forbidden Planet's aging material very well. Surrounds are hardly, if ever, used, but the front half of the soundstage easily delivers every aspect of the picture's unique special effects and score, from laser blasts to Louis and Bebe Barron's memorable electronic score. This track features superior spacing as compared to the included mono soundtracks; music enjoys greater clarity as it flows about the front, and while discrete directional effects are limited, the center channel provides enough heft to handle most all of the picture's various elements. Last but not least, dialogue is consistently sharp, focused, and easily discernible as it emanates from the center speaker. Forbidden Planet sounds as it should: satisfyingly clean and crisp but not destroyed by some phony remix. Fans should be more than satisfied with the results.

Forbidden Planet Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Forbidden Planet grants viewers plenty of extra features, chief among them the feature-length film The Invisible Boy (B&W, 480p, 1.78:1, Dolby Digital 2.0, 1:29:29), a 1957 picture featuring Robby the Robot and listed as a "sequel" of sorts to Forbidden Planet. Also of note is the inclusion of an episode of the television program "The Thin Man" entitled Robot Client (B&W, 480p, 1.78:1, Dolby Digital 2.0, 25:35). Originally aired on February 28, 1958, this episode of the classic television program also features Robby. Two excerpts from MGM Parade, episodes 27 (B&W, 480p, 1.78:1, Dolby Digital 2.0, 2:17) and 28 (B&W, 480p, 1.78:1, Dolby Digital 2.0, 3:59), both of which feature not only Robby but also Forbidden Planet Actor Walter Pidgeon, are also included. Forbidden Planet also contains several additional features. Watch the Skies!: Science Fiction, the 1950s, and Us (480p, 55:31) features several top filmmakers -- including Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, James Cameron, and Ridley Scott -- discussing the world of Science Fiction, the genre's themes, its history in the 1950s, its dealings with the human condition, the role technology plays in shaping the genre's stories and themes, and an in-depth look at Forbidden Planet and other similarly-themed pictures. Amazing! Exploring the Far Reaches of 'Forbidden Planet' (480p, 26:35) is a comprehensive and mesmerizing piece that looks back at the history of the project, including its place within the Science Fiction genre, its status as the first A-list Science Fiction film, its allure as an MGM picture, the creation of its sets and special effect, the picture's soundtrack, and more. Next is Robby the Robot: Engineering a Sci-Fi Icon (480p, 13:45), a look back at the world-famous robot featured in Forbidden Planet. Also included is a collection of deleted scenes (480p, 13:14), "lost footage" (480p, 9:22) that's remained in vaults for half a century, and trailers for Forbidden Planet (480p, 3:41) and The Invisible Boy (480p, 2:31).

Forbidden Planet Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The 1950s saw several extraordinary Science Fiction pictures that have come to define the genre not through loud action and shiny spaceships but rather through the more contemplative elements that use outer space, distant worlds, advanced technologies, and amazing otherworldly beings to take a tough, unforgiving, and honest look into the very essence of mankind. The Day the Earth Stood Still is one example, and Forbidden Planet is another; both are unequivocal masterpieces of Science Fiction that don't hide their true intentions but do camouflage them in the guise of great adventure and spectacle, which is the very nature of great Science Fiction. Forbidden Planet is an unquestioned classic that's stood up to the test of time. Its sets and special effects still look great because they disappear into the story rather than serve as the picture's focal point; the acting is strong; the direction is steady; and the plot is mesmerizingly deep, smart, and relevant but not overly complex. Science Fiction just doesn't get much better than this, which is why Forbidden Planet has remained a genre cornerstone for more than half a century. Warner Brothers' Blu-ray release of Forbidden Planet delivers a breathtakingly gorgeous 1080p transfer, a stable lossless soundtrack, and a very good array of extra content. Forbidden Planet -- for both its place in film history and for Warner's high-quality Blu-ray presentation -- earns my highest recommendation.