Forbidden Planet

Forbidden Planet. 1956 MGM/Turner Entertainment.
Starring: Walter Pidgeon, Anne Francis, Leslie Nielsen, Jack Kelly, Richard Anderson, Earl Holliman
Director: Fred M. Wilcox
Available at Amazon: Two-disc special edition, or the Ultimate Collector's Edition.

MGM's first big budget sci-fi film turned out to be a very influential one, as it was a big inspiration for Gene Roddenberry who as everyone knows, created Star Trek. It also introduced Robby the Robot to the world.

Oh yes, it was also filmed in CINEMASCOPE!! Beat that!

In the 23rd century, Commander J.J. Adams (Nielsen, with black hair and in a serious role) is guiding a United Planets cruiser to the faraway planet Altair-4 on a rescue mission. Twenty years prior, a ship from Earth called Bellerophon disappeared enroute to Altair-4, and only one crew member, Dr. Morbius (Pidgeon) survived. Over the years, Morbius has created a paradise of a world for him and his daughter Altaira (Francis), which is guared by Robby the Robot, a product of advanced technology far outstripping Earth's at the time.

Adams and his crew land, and find out that Morbius has no wish to be rescued and returned to Earth. He also explains that in the past twenty years, he has been reconstructing the history and science of the Krell, who once occupied Altair-4, and were very highly advanced prior to their untimely extinction. This has also doubled his intellect, enabling him to build Robby and the other highly advanced devices.

Unknown to Morbius, his studies and projects also have a downside of creating a monster from his subconscious, which kills a crew member (Anderson), and starts terrorizing the others. Morbius denies this, but finds himself proven wrong after the monster attacks his quarters, and even Robby can't fight it off. The creature disappears after Morbius is mortally wounded, proving that it was an extension of his consciousness, and while dying, he orders Adams to activate the Krell machine's self destruction mechanism. Escaping, Adams, Altaira, Robby, and the surviving crew members watch the destruction of the planet from a safe distance.

Highly, highly recommended.