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Forbidden Planet (1956)
When a person in the modern day is asked to picture the aesthetic of retro sci-fi, they'll probably conjure imagery rooted in 1956's Forbidden Planet. Loosely based upon Shakespeare's The Tempest, Forbidden Planet was a bold and ambitious attempt to apply MGM's penchant for colorful spectacle to science fiction. Its success affected much of what followed in the genre, including Star Trek, The Twilight Zone, Star Wars, and Futurama. Its music is also noteworthy for being the first Hollywood film score composed exclusively with electronic instruments.
Ryan and Rachel discuss all those points, but they also carve out time to wax upon the beautiful matte paintings, the elaborate sets, the cool-looking animated space phantom, Robby the Robot's nifty design, and the performance given by a young, pre-comedic Leslie Nielsen. The thematic motifs touched upon include the poisonous allure of ambition, the dated sexual mores of 1950's sci-fi, and how every sci-fi film made during The Cold War is reflective of nuclear paranoia.
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By Ryan Valentine
5
44 ratings
When a person in the modern day is asked to picture the aesthetic of retro sci-fi, they'll probably conjure imagery rooted in 1956's Forbidden Planet. Loosely based upon Shakespeare's The Tempest, Forbidden Planet was a bold and ambitious attempt to apply MGM's penchant for colorful spectacle to science fiction. Its success affected much of what followed in the genre, including Star Trek, The Twilight Zone, Star Wars, and Futurama. Its music is also noteworthy for being the first Hollywood film score composed exclusively with electronic instruments.
Ryan and Rachel discuss all those points, but they also carve out time to wax upon the beautiful matte paintings, the elaborate sets, the cool-looking animated space phantom, Robby the Robot's nifty design, and the performance given by a young, pre-comedic Leslie Nielsen. The thematic motifs touched upon include the poisonous allure of ambition, the dated sexual mores of 1950's sci-fi, and how every sci-fi film made during The Cold War is reflective of nuclear paranoia.