Fred M. Wilcox directs Walter Pidgeon, Anne Francis and Leslie Nielsen in this space opera about a crew who land on a planet with no inhabitants except a shipwrecked scientist, his foxy daughter, a haughty robot and strange, deadly projections.

I enjoyed Forbidden Planet far more as a kid than I do as an adult. It is just too talky. We move repetitively onto different sets to endure another 10 minutes of exposition that could be covered in five minutes of action. Ignore the talk, enjoy the pleasures. The Eastmancolor vision of the galaxy has its retro charms, Anne Francis looks delectable as the young lady fuelling her father’s id monsters and  there’s a perverse pleasure in watching Leslie Nielsen play it straight.

7

My Top 10 Space Operas

1. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
2. Planet of the Apes (1968)
3. Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1983)
4. Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
5. Star Wars: A New Hope (1977)
6. Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)
7. Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
8. Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back (1980)

9. The Fifth Element (1996)
10. Flash Gordon (1980)