September 8, 2010 THE VILLADOM TIMES III & IV • Page 23 Classic sci-fi drama features monster from the Id by Dennis Seuling “Forbidden Planet” (Warner Home Video), a landmark film of the science fiction genre, is now available in a new Bluray edition. Made in 1956 when most sci-fi pictures were low-budget efforts, “Forbidden Planet” was produced at the Tiffany of Hollywood studios: MGM. Made in color (a rarity for the genre at that time) and in CinemaScope, the film paralleled the plot and characters of Shakespeare’s “The Tempest.” In that play, a group of people on a sea voyage are swept by a storm onto a magical island where they encounter Prospero, an enchanter; Miranda, his innocent daughter; Ariel, their faithful servant; and Caliban, a dangerous, uncontrollable, primitive force. In “Forbidden Planet,” a team of astronauts is forced down on the unexplored planet Altair Four, where Dr. Morbius (Walter Pidgeon), survivor of an expedition that crash-landed 20 years earlier, lives with his beautiful daughter, Altaira (Anne Francis) and an invisible Id monster capable of ripping humans apart. The scene stealer, however, is Robby the Robot, who multitasks as household servant, protector, and instant manufacturing unit. Robby speaks 200 languages, has enormous strength, and knows how to make the universe’s most perfect martini. MGM stood by, watching sci-fi films with minuscule budgets cleaning up at the box office in the early 1950s, until it had something special, and gave it the Amovie treatment. Viewed today, “Forbidden Planet” will remind the viewer of the “Star Trek” TV shows because the film’s early scenes take place in the control room of the ship that lands on Altair Four. The flying saucer effects are excellent. The model used in the movie was recycled a few years later for some “Twilight Zone” episodes. Bonuses abound and include the 1957 feature “The Invisible Boy,” which also stars Robby the Robot; deleted scenes; lost footage; featurettes on sci-fi movies of the ‘50s, the mechanics of Robby the Robot, and a making-of look behind the scenes; an episode of the TV series “The Thin Man” (with Robby the Robot); theatrical trailers; and excerpts from two “MGM Parade,” TV episodes focusing on “Forbidden Planet.” “Hatchet” (Anchor Bay) harks back to 1980s slasher films, particularly the “Friday the 13th” series, with a supernatural spin for good measure. Victor Crowley is a terribly deformed boy who lives in seclusion with his father in an isolated cabin hidden away in a Louisiana bayou. When a Halloween prank Earl Holliman and Robby the Robot in ‘Forbidden Planet.’ by local kids goes wrong, Victor is accidentally killed. Years later, a tourist group visiting New Orleans’ “haunted swamps” stumbles upon the remnants of that event, transforming an evening of innocent fun into a horrific nightmare. Horror fans will be familiar with the cast, which includes Robert Englund, the screen’s iconic Freddy Krueger; Kane “Jason Vorhees” Hodder; and Tony “Candyman” Todd. The unrated director’s cut is extremely graphic. Bluray extras include audio commentary with director Adam Green; a making-of featurette; “Guts and Gore,” a mini-documentary showing off special effects from the film; a gag reel; and a theatrical trailer. “Smallville: The Complete Ninth Season” (Warner Home Video) contains 21 episodes. It’s amazing that the writers have gotten nine years worth of mileage from the story of young, pre-Superman Clark Kent. Consistently inventive, with assorted cast changes never diminishing the show’s appeal, “Smallville” has attempted to bring its episodes in line with the comic book context. 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