Science on Screen: Forbidden Planet

I’m gonna keep it real here: Forbidden Planet, playing this weekend as part of the Belcourt’s Science on Screen series, hasn’t aged well. The plot for this influential 1956 sci-fi flick — hailed as one of the earliest examples of techno-horror — is goofy as hell. A brotastic crew of spacemen (led by a dashing young Leslie Nielsen) land on a planet only occupied by a mysterious scientist (Walter Pidgeon), his gorgeous daughter (Anne Francis) — who, of course, everyone on the crew wants to smash — and the scientist’s ever-accommodating robot (Robby the Robot, who would be later used in other movies and TV shows). Oh yeah, there’s also an invisible monster ready to take these space cowboys out. Cheesy plot aside, it does have some impressive-for-its-time special effects, and a trippy score from electronic-music trailblazers Bebe and Louis Barron. Some might argue that seeing this movie high would enhance your viewing experience. 12:45 p.m. Saturday and 7:30 p.m. Sunday at the Belcourt, 2102 Belcourt Ave. CRAIG D. LINDSEY