Forbidden Planet (1956)

Written by Filipe Manuel Neto on December 22, 2023

A sci-fi landmark that, however, is quite dated and has aged poorly.

I confess that I expected more from this film. Its impact at the time is undeniable, and it is a renowned classic of sci-fi cinema. In fact, we can almost say that it is part of the “pantheon” of founding films of this genre of cinema, as it was one of the first big-budget sci-fi films with a great public impact.

The best thing this film has to give us is its almost inexhaustible creativity. It is quite evident that the team of creators had time to create and develop ideas and the studio decided to allow its specialists wide margin of maneuver. When this is combined with an appropriate budget and a serious investment in high quality special, visual and sound effects, we have what it takes for a film that is visually impactful and capable of seducing us.

I can only imagine how the public at the time reacted to this film: my reaction is different. In fact, our perspective has to be different: more than sixty years have passed since the premiere and the technical and technological advances in cinema, as we know, have accustomed us to other types of visuals and effects, and thus, this film does not manages to surprise and delight in the same way it enchanted the public when it was made. This is not a defect of the film, it is almost a “defect” of the audience, which in this specific case is me.

The cast has some well-known names. It was interesting to see Leslie Nielsen much younger and playing a radically different type of role than the ones I'm more used to seeing. Walter Pidgeon also does a very good job and, despite not liking the character, I recognize Anne Francis' effort and talent. And despite being a character and not an actor, Robbie is delightfully likeable.

The biggest problem with this film turns out to be its age: it is a dated film that has aged quite poorly, and may have difficulty finding new audiences capable of enjoying it nowadays. But it wasn't because of the visual issues and effects that I found it so dated. It was due to the intrinsic machismo in the plot, in the conception of the characters and in the idiotic romance that is included in the film. The film is a mirror of a mentality that, for us, is unacceptable and regressive, in which women are obedient and submissive to any and all male desires. I can foresee some of my friends screaming with the force of their indignation if they had to see this film. Since I am not even remotely close to feminist causes, this is not a problem for me, but it is still a sign of how dated this film is.