FORBIDDEN PLANET

Everyone’s favorite 1950s sci-fi knockoff of Shakespeare’s “The Tempest” — characters in a remote setting contending with a superpowered adversary and his minions — is significant for a number of screen “firsts,” including its groundbreaking depiction of faster-than-light-speed travel; its exclusively electronic score by Bebe and Louis Barron; and the iconic Robbie the Robot, a full-fledged character and a great leap forward in popular conceptions of AI. A major influence on sci-fi for generations to come — STAR TREK creator Gene Roddenberry acknowledges its influence — the film made the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry in 2013. DIR Fred M. Wilcox; SCR Cyril Hume; PROD Nicholas Nayfack. U.S., 1956, color, 98 min. RATED G

Directors: Fred M. Wilcox

Run Time: 98 Minutes

Opening Date: Saturday, August 08, 2026

Genre: Science Fiction

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