Forbidden Planet : 3 of 5

One of the best classic science fiction movies, Forbidden Planet introduced not only the incredible Robby the Robot, but also the "sound effects as music" craze that swept through many more films of the era. The story is fairly interesting, though the surprise ending is too easy to figure out. Much more intriguing are the matte paintings to create the huge sets - they are far from realistic, but have that wonderful pulp look. The interaction with the girl of the story is kind of fun, but it's even funnier how the crew members get over death so easily. Leslie Nelisen plays the lead, and the agent guy from The Six Million Dollar Man is in there, too. No features on the DVD, but at least it's an excellent 16:9 presentation.