RE: do we need a remake of Forbidden Planet....?

Forbidden Planet (1956) is out on blu-ray if anyone wants a copy. Cheap to buy.

I hesitate to refer to this movie as "the original" since a remake has yet to be made afik.

It is full of that 1950's sensibility seen in most films of the era. The movie's cast will be familiar to those who were alive and watching TV during the sixties. All this may be a turn-off for the younger crowd....but familiar to those who, having survived and adapted to all of the cultural changes we've seen since then , but really enjoyed the movie back when it was regarded as the first 'good' sci-fi movie .

In some ways Forbidden Planet feels like a fore-runner to the Star Trek TV series that appeared a decade later.

But do we really need a remake of this film? I dunno.

There is Walter Pidgeon playing a central character during the later years of his career. (Dr. Morbius) Morbius knows the secret of the planet's previous occupants, the Krell. He also knows what it was that exterminated their entire species.

Anne Francis as Morbius' daughter really does stand out. She must have been quite the fresh young beauty when that movie hit the theaters. I remember she had a TV series (briefly) in the mid sixties. What was it;...Honey West? oops, I digress.

re: special monster effects, quite cheesy by today's standards. Without a doubt, modern movie makers could certainly produce some awesome 'id monsters' on a remake. But my concern is that the effects might be the only thing today's current crop of young filmmakers might get right.

My guess:
In addition to staying on track with the original film's explanation of who the Krell were, what powers they had, and how their technical prowess ultimately proved to serve up their own doom. A remake needs to treat Morbius as not only the one brain capable of tapping into the great powers of the Krell, but describe how he ultimately was proven to be out of his own depth in dealing with Krell technology. Just before dying, it was Morbius who said "beware monsters of the id". For it was the monsters within his own mind that became his own undoing.

Love this stuff. But a modern remake will likely attempt to take a revisionist approach by:
1) incorporating a friendly gay character. Who will it be?
2) a multi-racial cast.
3) Morbius' daughter will have a stronger more heroic and aggressive posture.
4) Robby the robot will likely take on an entirely different form. Today's robot fantasies lean toward androids. More organic in appearance, probably.

And so on. I just wonder.

-Steve

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Follow Ups Full Thread

Topic - Our local "art" theater, the Jean Cocteau, is showing "Forbidden Planet." - free.ranger 10:53:12 08/08/14 (14)

RE: do we need a remake of Forbidden Planet....? - user510 17:06:39 08/09/14 (4)

and Robbie will make something besides hangoverless booze - PhilJ 17:32:55 08/09/14 (3)

I thought it was super potent and gave a great hangover? - tinear 16:37:28 08/11/14 (2)

I watched recently and the next day the guy talked about no hangover - PhilJ 18:30:16 08/11/14 (1)

Thanks! Now, I have a reason to watch it again… nt - tinear 17:13:02 08/12/14 (0)

It's a... - mkuller 15:14:25 08/08/14 (5)

Aw, dude. Where's the luv? - free.ranger 16:09:10 08/08/14 (4)

see the original Krell - Awe-d-o-file 06:45:07 08/09/14 (1)

It could have been tied in with Prometheus with a few mods. - free.ranger 12:23:55 08/09/14 (0)

You want love in this fora, then buy a dog. * - Billy Wonka 19:22:09 08/08/14 (1)

I hear your barking. nt - free.ranger 19:42:37 08/08/14 (0)

I don't know about a remake. The original has awesome FX and… Arlene Dahl. It's still one of the - tinear 11:03:04 08/08/14 (2)

Anne Francis - Joe Appierto 02:13:27 08/09/14 (1)

OOps. I hope I do better if ever I run into a old girlfriend… Indeed, Anne was a stunner. nt - tinear 16:38:44 08/11/14 (0)

Follow Ups

RE: do we need a remake of Forbidden Planet....? - user510 17:06:39 08/09/14 (4)

and Robbie will make something besides hangoverless booze - PhilJ 17:32:55 08/09/14 (3)

I thought it was super potent and gave a great hangover? - tinear 16:37:28 08/11/14 (2)

I watched recently and the next day the guy talked about no hangover - PhilJ 18:30:16 08/11/14 (1)

Thanks! Now, I have a reason to watch it again… nt - tinear 17:13:02 08/12/14 (0)

RE: do we need a remake of Forbidden Planet....?

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