Earlier this week I stumbled across a webpage that featured clips from various movies. One of those movies is the science fiction classic, Forbidden Planet, starring the late Walter Pidgeon, Anne Francis, and a non-comedic Leslie Nielsen. Loosely based on Shakespeare's The Tempest, this film was influential in a number of ways, from the first appearance of "Robbie the Robot" (who would later appear in about two dozen movies and TV episodes) to being one of Gene Roddenberry's inspirations for his TV series, Star Trek. I've always liked the film because it successfully combines hard science fiction with soft science fiction (most SF focuses on either one or the other).
In times long past, this planet was the home of a mighty, noble race of beings who called themselves the Krell. Ethically and technologically they were a million years ahead of humankind, for in unlocking the meaning of nature they had conquered even their baser selves, and when in the course of eons they had abolished sickness and insanity, crime and all injustice, they turned, still in high benevolence, upwards towards space. Then, having reached the heights, this all-but-divine race disappeared in a single night, and nothing was preserved above ground.
Commander John J. Adams: Nice climate you have here. High oxygen content.
Robby the Robot: I seldom use it myself, sir. It promotes rust.
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