Forbidden Planet

Synopsis
Science fiction story with a plot derived from The Tempest. In the year 2257, a distant star has three inhabitants - Professor Morbius (Prospero), his daughter Altaira (Miranda), and Robby the Robot (Ariel). Something has destroyed the planet’s other inhabitants, and now a monster mind-thing (Caliban) begins to pick on the spaceship’s crew.
Language
English
Country
United States
Medium
Film; Video
Technical information
Colour / Sound
Year of release
1956
Duration
96 mins; 8,662 feet

Credits

Director
Fred Wilcox
Producer
Nicholas Nayfack
Cinematographer
George Folsey
Screenplay
Cyril Hume
Music
Bebe Barron; Louis Barron
Cast
Walter PidgeonDr Morbius (Prospero)
Anne FrancisAltaira Morbius (Miranda)
Robby the RobotAriel
Leslie NielsenCommander Adams (Ferdinand)
Cyril Hume 
Earl HollimanCook (Stephano)
Warren StevensLt ‘Doc’ Ostrow

Additional Details

Production type
Fiction Films
Historical period
Future
Plays
Tempest, The
Subjects
Drama
Keywords
science fiction films; Shakespeare, William (1564-1616)

Notes

Notes
Estimated budget $1,9000,000
The BFI National Archive holds a 35mm master and viewing copy print.

The DVD release in 2006 to mark the film’s 50th anniversary is a new widescreen version and digitally transferred from restored new film and audio elements. The 2-disc set (Region 1) special edition includes a number of documentaries on the film, deleted scenes and the feature film THE INVISIBLE BOY which also features Robbie The Robot.
General
Forbidden Planet was the first major motion picture to feature an all-electronic film score. Louis and Bebe Barron worked on the score for only three months. The Musicians Union objected to the finished product and blocked the Barrons from being credited as composers, hence the term ‘electronic tonalities’.
Figures
Gross $3,000,000 USA (IMDb) 2005
Reviews
An analysis of the film appears in Judith Buchanan’s article ‘Forbidden Planet’ in Shakespeare on Film, (Harlow, Pearson Education, 2005) pp. 96-103.

Production Company

Name

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Archive

Name

BFI National Archive

Web
http://www.bfi.org.uk/archive-collections/searching-access-collections/research-viewing-services External site opens in new window
Phone
020 7255 1444
Fax
020 7436 0165
Address
21 Stephen Street
London
W1T 1LN

Distributor (Sale)

Name

Retail outlets

How to cite this record

Shakespeare, "Forbidden Planet". https://learningonscreen.ac.uk/shakespeare/search/index.php/title/8002 (Accessed 12 Nov 2024)