Forbidden Planet
A rescue crew on a distant planet confronts a brilliant scientist, an extinct civilization’s dangerous technology, and an unseen force born from the human mind.
Overview
A thrilling journey into the unknown awaits as a rescue mission uncovers dark secrets on an alien world.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- witty
- adventurous
- suspenseful
- classic movie night
- science fiction marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly regard it as an imaginative, influential science fiction landmark whose Shakespearean framework, suspense, humor, and special effects elevate it above typical 1950s space adventures.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The plot is loosely modeled on The Tempest, with Morbius, Altaira, and the invisible monster echoing Prospero, Miranda, and Caliban.
CinemaScope presentation, Eastmancolor photography, flying saucers, robotic machinery, and large-scale planetary sets define the film's spectacle.
The extinct civilization's powerful discovery is tied to destructive psychological forces that threaten the survivors and the rescue crew.
Adams investigates a silent planet, encounters the remnants of an extinct race, and uncovers the consequences of its advanced knowledge.
Films like Forbidden Planet, and why
The Day the Earth Stood Still
shared pioneering space adventure, alien-world mystery, optimistic futurism, and imaginative production design
The War of the Worlds
shared 1950s science fiction spectacle, extraterrestrial technology, suspense, and Cold War-era anxieties
2001: A Space Odyssey
shared literary adaptation, space exploration, remote planetary setting, and psychological conflict
The Time Machine
shared colorful extraterrestrial adventure, lost civilization mystery, and family-accessible science fiction
Movie Details
- Director
- Fred M. Wilcox
- Release Date
- 1956-03-23
- Runtime
- 98 min
- Rating
- 7.3 / 10 (1104)
Cast
- Walter Pidgeon
- Anne Francis
- Leslie Nielsen
- Warren Stevens
- Jack Kelly
- Earl Holliman
- Richard Anderson
- George D. Wallace
- Robert Dix
- Jimmy Thompson
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- TCM
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Forbidden Planet about?
- A rescue crew on a distant planet confronts a brilliant scientist, an extinct civilization’s dangerous technology, and an unseen force born from the human mind.
- What is Forbidden Planet like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Forbidden Planet as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Forbidden Planet violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Forbidden Planet as mild.
- What did critics think of Forbidden Planet?
- Critics broadly regard it as an imaginative, influential science fiction landmark whose Shakespearean framework, suspense, humor, and special effects elevate it above typical 1950s space adventures.
- Which films are like Forbidden Planet?
- Films with a similar feel include The Day the Earth Stood Still, The War of the Worlds, 2001: A Space Odyssey, and The Time Machine.
- How long is Forbidden Planet?
- Forbidden Planet runs 98 minutes.
- Where can I watch Forbidden Planet?
- In United States, Forbidden Planet streams on TCM.
