Forbidden Planet (1956)

K: I saw this movie a while back with my folks, but it was worth a post. This was a surprisingly enjoyable 50's sci-fi film. The plot was pleasently rich, actually. Also, the conception of what the future would be like was pretty funny, and alone worth the price of admission (well, ok, it was free...but the price of my parents' admission). The communicators were attached to their belts by a retractable wire. The robot lead (Robbie--my dad owns an original tin toy of him) probably weighed 6 tons and had a top speed of about half a mile an hour. The space ship's communicator was some kind of crystal contraption, and they had some kind of contraption that looked like a star trek transporter, but didn't transport...or...well...do anything at all. The sole special effects were Robbie the robot (not so much special effect as guy in a suit), the ray guns (animated dots, streaming out of the end of the ray gun, held nonchalantly by the supposedly terrified spacement) and a gigantic monster, who was inconguously animated against the background. Not sure how I feel about that one.

The plot is really engaging for a sci fi flick of the time...with a surprising tinge of introspection. Highly recommended for anyone with even a passing interest in sci fi flicks.