3 Faith Lessons from Classic Movies: A Sci-Fi Series – Pt. 2 3 lessons from Forbidden Planet
In July, Turner Classic Movies (TCM) ran a series of science-fiction films on Tuesdays. Hobbits enjoy a good turn of the fantastic, so I looked at three of these movies that have lessons in faith. These movies are repeated fairly often on TCM, and are also available on other channels (as well as for purchase), and I think all hobbits (and humans too) should watch with them their age 10+ children.
To Know Before You Watch:
Movie: Forbidden Planet
Rating: N/A
Age Suggestion: 10+
Running Time: 1 hr. and 38 min.
Release Date: March 3, 1956
Stars: 5 out of 5
Quick Summary:
A spacecraft is sent from earth to a faraway planet, its mission to discover the fate of an earlier expedition sent to colonize the planet. There appear to be no survivors until they receive a strange radio transmission telling them to stay away! Landing, they find only one survivor who commands some incredible technology. What happened to the others? Is there danger? What other surprises does Altair IV hold?
Faith in the Movie (3 Lessons from Forbidden Planet)
The Christian symbolism is not as obvious in “Forbidden Planet” as it is in the other two movies, “The Day the Earth Stood Still” and “War of the Worlds”. “Forbidden Planet” relies on psychological concepts. However, the central theme has Christian ideas in the background.
The lone survivor, Dr. Morbius, has discovered the remnants of an ancient civilization know as the Krell. The Krell, on the brink of an amazing invention, had been destroyed overnight 200,000 years in the past. Their invention? Taking thoughts and turning them into material objects. While Dr. Morbius does not worship the Krell, he does ascribe to them almost god-like power. Towards the end of the movie we discover that the Krell DID complete their invention. However, their subconscious thoughts, described in the movie as “monsters from the id,” came to life and destroyed everyone and everything. There is a monster that is imperiling the spacemen, and it comes from the subconscious of Dr. Morbius.
What I hope you can take away from “Forbidden Planet” are these 3 faith lessons:
1) People can do many wonderful things.
They can achieve greatness. They still have “monsters of the id”. In Christian terminology, we all have a problem called sin. But the God of the universes has gifted everyone with the ability to have a positive effect in the world. We aren’t meant to hide away those gifts, but to embrace and share them.
2) It takes a sacrificial death to stop the power of sin
While “id” is a psychology term, there are parallels between it and sin. In the movie, the monster is “sly and irresistible”, cannot be defeated by human effort, and comes from within. In what is, to me, one of the most significant lines in the movie, Dr. Morbius says, “My evil self is at that door and I have no power to stop it.” It takes a sacrificial death to stop the monster. In the Christian parallel, we have no power to save ourselves and it takes a sacrificial death to stop the power of sin
3) Utopia lies just around the corner.
There is a lesson here for our modern, secular world. We are (or at least we think we are) much like the Krell. Utopia lies just around the corner. However, we have forgotten something very important, something that the Krell also forgot. This is vocalized at the end, Commander Adams says, “We are, after all, not God.” It’s important to be grateful for the present.
Discussion questions:
- Have kids look for the Christian symbolism.
- How do the special effects hold up to special effects today? Do they still make you believe that you on on a spaceship and another planet?
- It might be fun to look at a quick summary of “The Tempest”. Just like in the play, there is a love story What did you think about it?
- What would you do if you had a robot like Robby?
Check out some of our other Sci-Fi reviews:
–The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
–2 Friendship lessons from the Space Boy novels
–Gear (Graphic Novel) Review
–Men in Black: International Review
–Godzilla: King of the Monsters Review
We will have one more review in this series, for “War of the Worlds
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