Sci-Fi Stories That Inspired Classic Sci Fi Films: “Forbidden Planet” by W. J. Stuart

To begin with, the film Forbidden Planet (1956) was actually loosely based on William Shakespeare's, The Tempest. This sci-fi classic film in turn went on to influence other films and series of that genre including Star Trek and 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Shakespeare’s The Tempest is a play that is set on an island near Italy where Prospero, who had at one time been Duke of Milan, and his beautiful daughter, Miranda, live with a spirit servant called Ariel and a strange wildman called Caliban who is Prospero’s slave. Prospero uses magic to conjure a storm and torment the survivors of a shipwreck, including the King of Naples and Prospero's treacherous brother, Antonio. Prospero's slave, Caliban, plots to rid himself of his master, but is thwarted by Ariel.

Magic, betrayal, love, forgiveness and repentance are among the main themes dealt with in The Tempest.

The sci-fi movie, Forbidden Planet (1956) is set in the year 2371 on a desert planet called Altair-4, where the crew of the Cruiser C-57-D arrives on a rescue mission and to determine the fate of a group of scientists who had been sent there decades earlier. When Commander John J. Adams and his crew arrive, they discover only two people: Dr. Morbius and his daughter, Altaira who was born on the remote planet. The questions that need to be answered are:

What happened on Altair IV? 

and 

Why is it that only Morbius and Altaira are the sole survivors?

Shortly before the film was released, a novelization appeared that was written by W. J. Stuart (Philip MacDonald being the pseudonym he wrote under). His story largely follows the events and characters depicted in the film with some minot alterations and additions. In the novel, the story is told from the point of view of three different narrators: Dr. Ostrow, Commander Adams, and Dr. Morbius.

The novel goes into far greater detail concerning the mysterious Krell and their disappearance. In fact, before viewing the film, it would pay to read the account in Stuart’s novel of Morbius’s repeated exposure to the Krell's brain boosting technology and how it ultimately led to his and the Krell’s own downfall, both of whom did not take into account the role played by their imperfections and primitive base drives.

One of the added story elements that was not present in the film involves Dr. Ostrow’s dissection of one of the dead Earth-type little primates whose internal structure suggests that it had never been alive in the way we would understand a biological organism as being alive. This creature along with the other animals are therefore conscious creations or constructs of Dr. Morbius using Krell technology that can project matter in any form. And what of the power to create life? Can such hubris and arrogance be permitted? - “We are, after all, not God."

Movie clip: Id Monster

Forbidden Planet PDF Download

Forbidden Planet Radio Play Download

Forbidden Planet Full Movie Link

Blog Post Movie Review

I’ll have the last of the sci-fi films from the 1950s for your consideration early in the new year. After that, I’ll present a fairly random selection of what I consider to be among the best classic sci-fi films from the 1960s – 1980’s. They wont be dealt with in any particular chronological order and quite a few films will not be included at all.

Wishing everyone a very Happy New Year and the very best for 2020! Thank you for stopping by this blog and I sincerely hope you managed to find something of interest.

A special thought and prayer for those people here in Australia who are enduring horrible drought conditions and bush-fires. May things turn around for the better as soon as possible!

Donations to help individuals and communities affected by bush/wild fires and the ongoing drought can be made at:

Rural aid

Buy a bale

Red Cross

Salvation Army

©Chris Christopoulos 2019

Sci-Fi Stories That Inspired Classic Sci Fi Films: “Deadly City” by Paul W. Fairman (1916 – 1977)

Paul Warren Fairman (1916-1977) was an editor and writer in a variety of genres under his own name and under pseudonyms. In 1955, he became the editor of Amazing Stories and Fantastic.

Fairman's science fiction short story"Deadly City" appeared in the March 1953 issue of Worlds of Science Fiction: If, under Fairman's "Ivar Jorgensen" pseudonym and was made into the motion picture, Target Earth which is features in this blog.

Target Earth (1954) is set in an eerily deserted Chicago and involves a small group of people who have been overlooked during a mass evacuation of "the city that never sleeps." The evacuation has occurred due to a sudden invasion by hostile robots (well, at least one in the film!) possibly from the planet Venus.

Fairman’s story, however focuses less on the alien invasion aspect than the film does. There are no robot invaders. Instead, the invaders are glimpsed once and only from a distance. The printed story is also far more gritty, noirish and brutal than the film version.

Ebook (Public Domain) Download Link

Alt. Ebook Link Project Gutenberg

Target Earth (1954) Full Film Link

NEW!

Two new sci-fi radio plays on the Classic Sci-Fi Radio Play Page.

A new Roger Corman double feature on the Classic Sci-Fi Double Feature Page.

Sci-Fi Stories That Inspired Classic Sci Fi Films: “Who Goes There?” by John W. Campbell Jnr. (as Don A. Stuart)

John W. Campbell Jnr's, Who Goes There was first published in the August 1938 Astounding Science Fiction. 

The classic 1951 science fiction film, The Thing from Another World (featured in this blog) was adapted from this novella.

Trailer

In the film adaptation, a plant-based humanoid alien life-form and its space craft is discovered frozen in ice in Antarctica. The alien’s species require animal blood in order to survive. This single alien is capable of creating an entire army of invaders from seed pods contained in its body.

John W. Campbell Jnr

In Campbell’s novella, "The Thing" is a malevolent shape-shifting alien creature possessing telepathic powers. In the story, a group of scientific researchers in Antarctica stumble upon this alien life form which has the ability to assume the identity, memories, and mannerisms of the humans. The story follows the humans’ struggle to determine which members of the expedition are still human, and which are alien impostors. The very fate of humanity will depend on them being able to do so!

pdf version link  (Who Goes There?)

The Thing Blog Post Link 

Full Film Link (The Thing)

Full Film (Colourised) Version Link  (The Thing)

The Tingler (1959)

A well-paced, imaginative, creepy, absurdly funny and weird offering

Directed by William Castle
Produced by William Castle
Written by Robb White
Music by Von Dexter
Cinematography Wilfred M. Cline
Edited by Chester W. Schaeffer
Distributed by Columbia Pictures
Running time: 82 minutes
Budget: $250,000

Cast

Vincent Price as Dr. Warren Chapin
Judith Evelyn as Mrs. Martha Ryerson Higgins
Darryl Hickman as Dave Morris
Patricia Cutts as Isabel Stevens Chapin
Pamela Lincoln as Lucy Stevens
Philip Coolidge as Oliver "Ollie" Higgins

Trailer

 

Fright-Filled SHOCK Thriller! 

Ghastly Beyond Belief! 

Amazing NEW TERROR Device 

Makes You A Living Participant 

In the FLESH-CRAWLING ACTION - 

“PERCEPTO!” 

In Screamarama!!!! 

Can You Take PERCEPTO? 

BRING YOUR DATE AND WATCH HER TINGLE! 

SEE 

The screen's first 

BLOOD BATH IN COLOR! 

Fun Film Fact 

"Percepto!" was a gimmick whereby electrical "buzzers" were attached to the underside of some seats in theaters where The Tingler was screened. The buzzers were small World War II surplus airplane wing de-icing motors. This vibrating device was activated with the onscreen action.

Read on more......

Sci-Fi Stories That Inspired Classic Sci Fi Films: “This Island, Earth” by Raymond F. Jones

The 1955 sci-fi classic film, This island Earth is based on the novel of the same name by Raymond F. Jones which was originally published as three novelettes in the magazine Thrilling Wonder Stories: "The Alien Machine" (June 1949), "The Shroud of Secrecy" (December 1949), and "The Greater Conflict" (February 1950)

In the story, a race of aliens have set about recruiting human beings for a group called "Peace Engineers" as part of their scheme to use Earth as a pawn in an intergalactic war between the Llanna and the Guarra. Both the movie and the book proceed along similar lines until they diverge quite considerably about half way through.

Compare and see which treatment you prefer!

Movie Clip

This Island Earth pdf Link

Film Review Blog Post Link

Full Film

Sci-Fi Stories That Inspired Classic Sci Fi Films: “Farewell To The Master” by Harry Bates

"Farewell to the Master" is a science fiction short story by American writer Harry Bates. The story was first published in the October 1940 issue of Astounding Science Fiction. The 1951 classic science fiction film, The Day the Earth Stood Still (which is featured on this blog) was loosely based on this story.

Clip: Gort Appears

Both the story and the film are quite dissimilar. In Bates’ story, the events are told from the viewpoint of Cliff Sutherland, a free-lance picture reporter and concerns the sudden appearance of a mysterious "curving ovoid" ship on the grounds of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C.

As in the film version, two "visitors from the Unknown" emerge from the craft: one an 8-foot tall robot called “Gnut” made of green metal, and the other a being called “Klaatu.” You can find out what happens next in this story by downloading the epub version of Farewell To The Master.

pdf Version Link

Blog Post Film Review Link

********

Recent Additions!!

Check out the Classic Sci Fi Double Feature Page which for this session features two back-to-back films from 1955:

The Day The World Ended & The Phantom From 10.000 Leagues.

Head off to the Classic Sci-Fi Radio Page where you’ll find a link to a classic radio play adapted from the Doctor Who TV series. This one features the second doctor in "Tomb Of The Cybermen" from 1967.

The Monster of Piedras Blancas (1959)

A likable low budget monster movie with limited ambitions.

Directed by Irvin Berwick
Produced by Jack Kevan
Screenplay by H. Haile Chace
Cinematography: Philip H. Lathrop
Edited by George A. Gittens
Production company: Vanwick Productions
Distributed by Filmservice Distributors Corporation (United States), Grand National Pictures (United Kingdom)
Running time: 71 minutes
Budget: $29,000

Cast

Les Tremayne as Dr. Sam Jorgenson
Forrest Lewis as Constable George Matson
John Harmon as Sturges, the Lighthouse Keeper
Frank Arvidson as Kochek, the Storekeeper
Jeanne Carmen as Lucille Sturges
Don Sullivan as Fred
Pete Dunn as Eddie/the Monster
Joseph La Cava as Mike
Wayne Berwick as Little Jimmy

Trailer 

Read on for more.....

The Killer Shrews (1959)

A mediocre film with laughable creatures, minimal tension and underdeveloped characters but with numerous martinis and a well stocked bar being the only redeeming feature! A film best enjoyed after several martinis. 

Directed by Ray Kellogg
Produced by Ken Curtis, Gordon McLendon
Written by Jay Simms
Music by Harry Bluestone, Emil Cadkin
Cinematography: Wilfred M. Cline
Edited by Aaron Stell
Distributed by McLendon-Radio Pictures Distributing Company
Running time: 69 minutes
Budget: $123,000 (approx.)
Box office: $1 million (U.S.)


Cast

James Best: Thorne Sherman
Ingrid Goude: Ann Craigis
Ken Curtis: Jerry Farrell
Gordon McLendon: Dr. Radford Baines
Baruch Lumet: Dr. Marlowe Craigis
Judge Henry Dupree: 'Rook' Griswold
Alfredo de Soto: Mario (as Alfredo deSoto)

Trailer

A remote and isolated island, 

Infested with flesh-eating monstrous giant shrews! 

Populated by a small band of humans, 

Cut off and stranded by a hurricane! 

How did the vicious shrews come to be there? 

What will become of the trapped humans?

Read on for more.....

The Hideous Sun Demon (1959)

A watchable, well-paced and imaginative low budget sci fi effort with an uninspiring script and questionable acting performances

Directed by Tom Boutross, Robert Clarke
Produced by Robert Clarke
Written by Robert Clarke, Phil Hiner, Doane R. Hoag, E.S. Seeley Jr.
Music by John Seely
Cinematography: Stan Follis, Vilis Lapenieks, John Arthur Morrill
Edited by Tom Boutross
Distributed by Pacific International Enterprises
Running time: 74 minutes Budget: $50,000

Cast

Robert Clarke as Dr. Gilbert McKenna / The Sun Demon
Patricia Manning as Ann Russell
Nan Peterson as Trudy Osborne
Patrick Whyte as Dr. Frederick Buckell
Fred La Porta as Dr. Jacon Hoffman
Peter Similuk as George Messorio
Bill Hampton as Police Lt. Peterson
Robert Garry as Dr. Stern
Donna King as Suzy's Mother
Xandra Conkling as Suzy
Del Courtney as Radio DJ

Trailer

Spoilers follow below…..

FROM THE ‘SERMON IN THE TENT’ 

“THE HIDEOUS SUN DEMON” 

Delivered By 

Reverend Leber Tolver 

[Outside a large tent, a tempest lashes, whips and whacks at the canvas as if desperately seeking to get at its occupants. Inside the tent a kind of tempest has been stirred up by a traveling preacher, as he manages to get at the occupants by lashing, whipping and whacking at the congregation with the word of the Almighty!]

“….And so, my brothers and sisters, our consideration of the kind of evil and darkness that can lurk deep within the hearts of each and everyone of us makes it necessary for me to relate to you a trans-formative event from one man’s life that occurred ten years ago and which eventually led me on the path to spreading the Lord’s good word.”

[The “reverend” waves a copy of the Holy Bible through the thick sultry, sweaty, stifling air of the big tent’s interior, while the index finger of his other hand describes a wide arch in front of him as if shooting invisible accusatory beams of divine power at the congregation.]

“This anecdote will serve as a kind of metaphor for the sort of battle we all find ourselves engaged in: a battle between good and evil; a battle for our very souls; a battle against Satan himself. But take heart my friends, for ‘the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.’ ”

[The sides of the tent thwip and thwack with increased urgency and ferocity while the hanging lights begin to sway slightly. The reverend's wife, a woman perhaps well into her thirties with dark hair streaked with grey at the front, looks up quickly and shifts nervously in her seat on the stage to the right of and behind her husband.]

Read on for more....

The Cosmic Man (1959)

Low budget, derivative and mildly entertaining sci-fi film

Directed by Herbert S. Greene
Produced by Harry Marsh, Robert A. Terry
Written by Arthur C. Pierce
Music by Paul Sawtell, Bert Shefter
Cinematography: John F. Warren
Edited by Helene Turner, Richard C. Currier
Production company: Futura Productions
Distributed by Allied Artists
Running time: 72 minutes.


Cast

John Carradine: Cosmic Man
Bruce Bennett: Dr. Karl Sorenson
Angela Greene: Kathy Grant
Paul Langton: Col. Matthews
Scotty Morrow: Ken Grant
Lyn Osborn Lyn: Sgt. Gray
Walter Maslow: Dr. 'Rich' Richie
Herbert Lytton: Gen. Knowland
Ken Clayton : Master Sergeant
Alan Wells: Sergeant
Harry Fleer: Bill, the Park Ranger
John Erman : Radar Operator
Dwight Brooks: Major
Hal Torey: Dr. Steinholtz

Trailer

TV Broadcast:

PROBING THE PAST

WITH 

BILL BANNERMAN 

Good evening. I’m your host, Bill Bannerman and welcome to tonight’s program, “Probing The Past” where on this occasion we will be examining a 1958 incident involving a spherical UFO that reportedly contained an alien visitor to our planet.

This is not the first such instance of spherical objects having been reported landing on earth. If you remember from a previous program in which we covered the case of the troubled Nancy Archer, heir to the Fowler fortune, who one evening while driving her 1958 Chrysler Imperial on Route 66 suddenly encountered a glowing sphere that descended and landed on the road in front of her, causing her to swerve off the road and come to a stop.

According to reports, Nancy Archer had been menaced by a gigantic alien occupant of the sphere and had been affected by her contact causing her to grow to an incredible height of 50 feet! Her rampage has been coined as the Attack of the 50 Foot Woman.

Another program dealt with the 1968 United States launching of three astronauts on a mission to land on Mars which occurred around the same time that the Soviet Union launched its own secret Mars mission. While on Mars, an alien sphere appeared and dragged one of the astronauts inside and killed him by means of a mysterious force. The sphere also was said to have emitted a force field which prevented the American spacecraft from taking off. A surviving Russian cosmonaut helped the Americans deactivate the sphere resulting in one surviving American astronaut and the Soviet cosmonaut escaping Mars in the American spacecraft.

A third program of ours reported the 1998 OSSA discovery of a spacecraft thought to be at least 300 years old laying at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. It was then decided to assemble and send a team of experts down to the depths of the ocean to study the space craft and learn more about it.

The space craft was found not to be of alien origin at all, but was in fact of earthly U.S. origin possessing a level of technology far surpassing any in the present day. It was determined that the ship and its crew had encountered an "unknown event" that sent the vessel back in time. 

The investigative team eventually stumbled upon a large, perfect sphere with a fluidic surface hovering a few feet above the floor in the ship's cargo bay. They were unable to probe the inside of the sphere, but they realized that while the sphere reflected its surroundings, it did not reflect the humans nearby!

From such examples as these, it can be seen that the track record in terms of encounters with spherical UFOs is not a good one. Which leads us to the subject of tonight’s program which we have called,

THE COSMIC MAN 

Read on for more.....

The Angry Red Planet (1959)

Low-budget sci-fi fun

Directed by Ib Melchior
Produced by Sidney W. Pink, Norman Maurer
Screenplay by Sidney W. Pink, Ib Melchior
Based on Original story by Sidney W. Pink
Music by Paul Dunlap
Cinematography: Stanley Cortez
Edited by Ivan J. Hoffman
Production company: Sino Productions
Distributed by: Sino Productions (originally), American International Pictures
Running time: 83-87 minutes
Budget: $200,000

Cast

Gerald Mohr as Colonel Thomas O’Bannion

Naura Hayden 

as Dr. Iris "Irish" Ryan

Les Tremayne as 

Professor Theodore Gettell

Jack Kruschen 

as Chief Warrant Officer Sam Jacob

Paul Hahn as Major General George Treegar
J. Edward McKinley as Professor Paul Weiner
Tom Daly as Dr. Frank Gordon
Don Lamond as TV Newscaster/Martian Voice
Edward Innes as Brigadier General Alan Prescott
Gordon Barnes as Major Lyman Ross
Jack Haddock a Lt. Colonel Davis
Brandy Bryan as Nurse Hayes
Joan Fitzpatrick as Nurse Dixon
Arline Hunter as Joan
Alean Hamilton as Joan's Friend

Trailer

The first spaceship to Mars!

Presumed lost!

Now found in space and remotely returned to Earth!

Only two of the original crew of four are still alive!

One survivor remains unconscious!

An alien growth on his arm!

The other survivor has blocked out all memory of what happened!

The race is now on to...

Save the unconscious crewman

and….

Help the amnesiac crew-mate to remember what happened back on…..

Read on for more.......

Terror Is a Man (1959)

"Terror Is A Man" is a sci-fi film with more superior acting, production values and cinematography than one would expect for a low budget film. The film’s fine camerawork, competent acting, its mournful score, and dialogue help to keep the audience’s interest in what might otherwise be in parts a somewhat dull presentation. 

Directed by Gerardo de Leon
Produced by Kane W. Lynn, Eddie Romero
Written by Paul Harber (writer), H.G. Wells (novel: The Island of Dr. Moreau - uncredited)
Music by Ariston Avelino
Cinematogrphy: Emmanuel I. Rojas
Edited by Gervacio Santos
Distributed by Valiant Films (United States); E.J. Fancey (United Kingdom); Astral Films (Canada); Hemisphere Pictures (re-release)
Running time: 89 minutes
Country: Philippines/United States

Cast

Francis Lederer: Dr. Charles Girard
Greta Thyssen: Frances Girard
Richard Derr: William Fitzgerald
Oscar Keesee: Walter Perrera
Lilia Duran: Selene
Peyton Keesee: Tiago - the Boy
Flory Carlos : Beast-Man 

What If?…..the events of the film, Terror Is A Man were contained in the pages of a book written by one of the characters after the events had happened? Let’s see as we read excerpts from…...

The Beast of Blood Island 

By 

William Fitzgerald 

Prologue 

The following account is true and begins with me being a shipwrecked castaway on an island whose native inhabitants had inexplicably fled. It is a story about my secretive host, Dr. Charles Girard and his unholy scientific work. It is a story that also involves Girard’s beautiful wife; his unscrupulous assistant; a female native servant and her young brother.

More chilling and shocking still, it is a story of another mysterious presence on the lonely island in the middle of the ocean – a beastly presence with a bloody murderous intent………. 

Read on for more.....

Terror in The Midnight Sun (1959)

 Space Invasion of Lapland

(Rymdinvasion i Lappland)

Invasion of the Animal People 

For some, a Viking good time! 

For others, a bloody waste of time! 

So bad, it’s good some might say 

While yet others might suggest 

It should never see the light of day.

Directed by Virgil W. Vogel
Produced by Bertil Jernberg, Gustaf Unger
Written by Arthur C. Pierce (screenplay and story)
Music by Harry Arnold, Allan Johansson
Cinematography Hilding Bladh
Edited by Shirley Citron, Tom Rolf; 
Running time: 73 minutes (Sweden); 55 minute (US); 80 minutes (TV)

Cast

Barbara Wilson as Diane Wilson
Sten Gester as Erik Engström
Robert Burton as Dr. Frederick Wilson
Bengt Blomgren as Col. Robert Bottiger
Åke Grönberg as Dr. Henrik
Gösta Prüzelius as Dr. Walter Ullman
Doreen Denning as Anna, Dr. Ullmans secretary
Ittla Frodi as girl in the sports car
Brita Borg as the singer
Lars Åhrén as the monster
John Carradine as narrator (US version) 

Trailer

Space Invasion of Lapland is a 1959 Swedish-American black-and-white science fiction-monster film that was heavily re-edited by American producer Jerry Warren and had newly filmed American sequences added. I admit that until recently I was unaware of the existence of this film. Sadly, after viewing it I feel that I have not missed much. 

Read on for more....

A Tribute to Warren Stevens

Screen Sci-Fi Stalwart - 

That & Much More!

Warren Stevens is the actor with the familiar face we have seen in many films such as the sci-fi classic, Forbidden Planet (1956) and the 1954 film, The Barefoot Contessa in which he appeared with Humphrey Bogart, Ava Gardner and Edmond O'Brien. Let’s also not forget the numerous TV series Warren Stevens appeared in such as the original Star Trek.

Warren Stevens was born Warren Albert Stevens on November 2, 1919 in Clark’s Summit, Penn., He attended the Naval Academy but due to vision problems he left before graduating. He did later manage to serve as a pilot in the U.S. Army Air Corps during WWII.

After WWII he worked in radio and joined the Actors Studio in New York. He was then offered a Hollywood contract at 20th Century Fox and made his Broadway debut in The Life of Galileo (1947).

As a contract player, Stevens had little control over the roles he played.

His first movie role was in The Frogmen (1951), starring Richard Widmark and Dana Andrews, followed by other roles including Phone Call from a Stranger (1952), Wait Till the Sun Shines, Nellie (1952).

In 1952 Stevens appeared in seven films, including the Deadline — U.S.A. (starring Humphrey Bogart) in which Stevens had a significant supporting role as a reporter.

In 1956 Stevens was given a very solid role in the classic sci-fi masterpiece, Forbidden Planet (1956) in which he played the part of Lt., "Doc" Ostrow.

His other sci-fi movie appearances included, On the Threshold of Space (1956) as Capt. Mike Bentley and as Dr. Carl Zellar in Cyborg 2087 (1966), starring Michael Rennie. 

Warren Stevens went on to have occasional supporting roles in big films but was unable to achieve a real breakthrough in his career with A-list movies. The direction of his acting career thereafter shifted to television as a journeyman dramatic actor.

Stevens appeared in over 150 prime time shows from the 1950s to the early 1980s, including: Tales of the 77th Bengal Lancers (as Lt. William Storm), Actors Studio, Campbell Playhouse, Studio One, Route 66, Hawaiian Eye, Perry Mason, The Untouchables, Climax!, Surfside 6, 77 Sunset Strip, I Spy, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Ironside, The Mod Squad, Mannix, Cannon and Mission: Impossible.

Stevens also appeared in episodes of some classic Western series such as, Laramie, Wagon Train, Gunsmoke, Bonanza, Daniel Boone, The Virginian and Rawhide.

Fans of film and TV sci-fi / horror will definitely appreciate Warren Stevens contribution to the genre with appearances in Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Twilight Zone ("Dead Man's Shoes"), One Step Beyond ("The Riddle”), The Outer Limits ("Keeper of the Purple Twilight"), Star Trek ("By Any Other Name"), Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, The Time Tunnel, Science Fiction Theater, and Land of the Giants.

Warren Stevens died in Sherman Oaks, Calif., of respiratory failure on Tuesday, March 27, 2012. He was 92. He had three sons and was married to Barbara Fletcher Stevens for 43 years.

©Chris Christopoulos 2019