–

–
–
–

Madison in Space!
Madison in the Groundbreaking Sci-fi of “Forbidden Planet”

Madison in “Forbidden Planet” is actually a new type of adventure for her. While the science fiction titles she’s explored in previous episodes, “Dimension X“, “X-Minus One” and “War of the Worlds” all had creatures from space, each one of those stories took place in “modern” day (to the period of the show) on Earth.  I’d been itching to do a future set episode. Especially since the future would be what the past envisioned the future to be, which is a ton of fun. And then Jeremy ran across the Caltex Theatre’s 1956 version of “Forbidden Planet” and I knew we had to do it!

I had seen the movie many years ago and didn’t really remember it. So first things first, we watched the film. If anything was ripe for Madison’s misogyny bashing, it was this movie! But as I further researched it, I was actually impressed just how influential it had been and continues to be. So, okay, the 1950s was still perpetuating a world where women were toys to men… taking that as a given as a sign-of-the-times, there were other areas worth exploring for Madison as well.

Robby the Robot. Or “robit” if you prefer.  While other films had used small mechanical helpers to humans, Robby was the first real humanoid. He had a personality and human like physical features.  And was the first man-in-a-robot-suit. Truly this was groundbreaking. Even to the “robot vs. robit” pronunciation. You will find this variance in pronunciation throughout science fiction films and TV of the 50s-early 60s. Why? Because it was a NEW WORD. It was always spelled “robot” but without a common pronunciation in place yet for how to say the word, it actually became a regional choice. And as it stands, Leslie Neilsen learned the word and said it as “Robit.”

The adventure being set on Altair IV was also a new concept to science-fiction films. It was a huge undertaking to create all of the sets, which actually lead to a pretty hefty budget by MGM for 1950’s sci-fi. Most sci-fi of the time was low budget geared towards teenagers who voraciously consumed these films. But “Forbidden Planet” would be the first attempt to create science-fiction as a more adult themed, mainstream genre. Truthfully, it didn’t do well with broad audiences. Sci-fi was still too niche. Which is why it was ahead of its time. But future sci-fi creators, most notably Gene Roddenberry, definitely took notice! So for Madison in this adventure, it was very much about referencing the sci-fi that would come later that clearly took their cues from “Forbidden Planet.”

And while the special effects of the film don’t equal today’s SFX, they were incredibly advanced for 1956. Disney was brought on by MGM and truly, the FX hold up! Madison, of course, was solely dealing with the audio FX in the radio play version. That production spent far more time having the cast talk about the events than actually portraying the action from the movie. In case you weren’t aware, I do all of the sound design. Jeremy smooths it over in post to make it blend and have the right levels, but I am the one who seeks out the FX and builds them into the episodes. And if you’re talking sci-fi SFX, there is a ton out there to play with! So much fun to build Robby, Robby’s vehicle, the electric fence, the … er… lady toys. I gotta say, had a blast (pun intended) on this one.

Lastly, let’s look at one of the main themes of science fiction. To show a world that could be, to be a warning of consequences, and a mirror to human behaviors. The film explored the “God Complex” theme and the concern that as science progressed, it would be detrimental to human-kind. Madison presents her own themes. Firstly, if they hadn’t stepped in and tried to tell Dr. Morbius how he should live and demand they have jurisdiction over his world, the monster would never have become a threat. Secondly, if you treat women as creatures just there for your amusement, making them responsible for men’s inability to control their actions and then giving them no autonomy over their own bodies, the women will rebel and do whatever they want without men in the picture at all. Oh, yes, and also… if your fence is broken and it is the only barrier between you and being attacked by a vicious monster, attend to the fence immediately. Don’t wait until morning.

-Chrisi (aka Madison)

Check out other Madison’s Musings!