Forbidden Planet (Fred M. Wilcox, 1956)

I belatedly got around to this excellent science-fiction picture, and it may be my favorite sci-fi film of the '50s. Trading the Cold War commentary for a psychological free-for-all for barely contained Freudian urges, Forbidden Planet is realized through some of the most impressive matte paintings ever made, along with some great animation. There's just something wonderful about seeing a caricature of '50s all-Americanism launched into space to confront not Soviets or aliens, but their own id.

My post is up over Movie Mezzanine.