Forbidden Planet DVD

San Diego, CA – In a small, out-of-the-way room away from the larger, more popular panels at Comic-Con, there stood a sight one would be hard-pressed to forget. Towering over seven feet tall, in all his fiberglass glory (an upgrade from his original thermoform plastic), was Robbie the Robot, one of the most memorable mechanical denizens to ever grace the screen. His presence, along with a slew of aging stars, betokened the upcoming 50th Anniversary release of classic sci-fi film Forbidden Planet, by Warner Home Video.

A new release of an old classic, the Forbidden Planet Ultimate Collector's Edition will be distributed in a specialty tin, containing such goodies as a Robbie the Robot action figure, a portfolio of lobby card reproductions, and, of course, the newly restored and remastered film on DVD with additional scenes, lost footage, and documentaries. A two-disc special edition, containing only the DVD extras, will also be available.

In order to promote this new release, Earl Holliman (James Dirocco, the cook), Richard Anderson (Chief Engineer Quinn), and Warren Stevens (Lt. "Doc" Ostrow) were all present to reminisce about the film, speculate on its influence on modern science fiction films, and, of course, answer the audience's questions. Inspired by William Shakespeare's The Tempest, Richard Anderson notes that this movie has also "withstood the test of time," with both George Lucas and Steven Spielberg referring to the film as having made a lasting and important impression on them and their work. All three actors agree that, while not necessarily the most impressive or profound project of their careers, Forbidden Planet was something special. They are pleased "that it has caught on" and have high hopes for this release.

However, despite Holliman, Anderson, and Stevens's charming presentations, the highlight of the panel was an interview with Robbie the Robot himself. Imagine the audience's surprise when, following a preview of a short documentary about the robot's illustrious career, Robbie began to not only move and light up, but speak and answer questions. Apparently a sarcastic and witty robot with a bit of a robotic inferiority complex, Robbie's interview makes one thankful for the three laws of robots, a point Robbie is more than willing to concede. When asked about his biggest challenge in filming Forbidden Planet, Robbie replied, "I am seven feet tall, so playing shorter" was quite a challenge, much to the audience's delight. An unsurprising crowd favorite, it is easy to see why "[Robbie] was made for the part."

Forbidden Planet will be released in both the Ultimate Collector's Edition and Two-Disc Special Edition versions on November 14th, 2006.