Forbidden Planet

"Dr. Morbius" (Walter Pidgeon) and his daughter "Altaira" (Anne Francis) are getting along fine on their planet of "Altair 4" when they receive a radio signal from an incoming ship. Despite being given the cold shoulder, they land and are soon enquiring as to where the remainder of the expedition went. He informs the captain "Adams" (Leslie Nielsen) and the doctor "Ostrow" (Warren Stevens) that they all died mysteriously, including his own wife, but that things were all settled now. The visitors are far from satisfied, and with a few of them vying for the affections of the young woman completely unused to male attentions aside from her father's, the dynamic on the outwardly peaceful planet starts to change. Could the thing that killed the explorers be coming back for more? With "Adams" suspicious, "Morbius" shows them some amazing feats of scientific endeavour deep inside the planet, but in doing so demonstrates just what is going on... Can they stop it in time? Can they even identify it? Pidgeon always did these more cerebral parts well, and stands head and shoulders about the humans here - though there's some fun to be had from Earl Holliman's cook. It's not the humans who steal the show, though. It's the cracking laser-cannons, turbo-charged jeep and the amazing "Robbie the Robot" who manages to protect his charges whist distilling gallons of bourbon. Just what did bring down this once mighty civilisation? This is sci-fi at it's best.