So who here has seen Forbidden Planet?

[Guest _Shallan_]

I recently watched one of Brandon Sandersons livestreams in which one of the questions was if he put reference to other media in his books and for the most part the answer was no, but the exception was the 1956 film Forbidden Planet starring Leslie Nielson in which an advanced race called the Krell was wiped out under unknown circumstances.  which I think is so cool because this is one of my top fave movies of all time and it's a really cool reference.

 

For those who do not know, and who do not care about spoilers, I will share two clips from the film and we can discus both this book and the film if you want, or just the book.  But I had a bit of a fangirl moment as soon as I read the name Krell so I just had to share it.  The first clip does not talk about the Krell but the second one does.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 19, 2020 by _Shallan_

[Ixthos Luke/Luke]

I haven't read the book, but I did watch the film a while ago, and really enjoyed it. There also is a review of it that - aside from a single line - I also enjoyed on SFDebris, though it does still have some adult lines:

https://sfdebris.com/videos/films/forbiddenplanet.php

In themes and aesthetic it really was the precursor to Star Trek TOS.

Incidentally, that first clip gave me chills to watch. It really gives the sense of a terrifying, unstoppable, inevitable monster, something that, without their radar, they never would have seen coming, and even with all their power couldn't stop. And that scream ....

The second clip is a nice contrast, the more introspective philosophical approach, the examination of human - or alien - nature and its flaws, the forgotten darkness of the soul as the mind turns towards the light of knowledge and pretends it was never so base ... yes, the film has the best of both worlds, action and effects unlike any other had for its period mixed with the musings on the nature of the mind. Its a great film :-)

[Guest _Shallan_]

4 hours ago, Ixthos said:

I haven't read the book, but I did watch the film a while ago, and really enjoyed it. There also is a review of it that - aside from a single line - I also enjoyed on SFDebris, though it does still have some adult lines:

https://sfdebris.com/videos/films/forbiddenplanet.php

In themes and aesthetic it really was the precursor to Star Trek TOS.

Incidentally, that first clip gave me chills to watch. It really gives the sense of a terrifying, unstoppable, inevitable monster, something that, without their radar, they never would have seen coming, and even with all their power couldn't stop. And that scream ....

The second clip is a nice contrast, the more introspective philosophical approach, the examination of human - or alien - nature and its flaws, the forgotten darkness of the soul as the mind turns towards the light of knowledge and pretends it was never so base ... yes, the film has the best of both worlds, action and effects unlike any other had for its period mixed with the musings on the nature of the mind. Its a great film :-)

With both of those facts in place, it makes sense that Brandon would refernce it.  So much that I hear the same electronic soundtrack whenever I read Skyward and Starsight.  If an invisible alien shows up in one of the next books I will flip out.  Obviously it does not have to be same as teh ID creature in the first clip, but it would still be cool.  Doesnt skyward also have abilities based on the power of the mind as well? Not id, but it was used for space travel?  Been a while.

[Ixthos Luke/Luke]

2 minutes ago, _Shallan_ said:

With both of those facts in place, it makes sense that Brandon would refernce it.  So much that I hear the same electronic soundtrack whenever I read Skyward and Starsight.  If an invisible alien shows up in one of the next books I will flip out.  Obviously it does not have to be same as teh ID creature in the first clip, but it would still be cool.  Doesnt skyward also have abilities based on the power of the mind as well? Not id, but it was used for space travel?  Been a while.

That would be cool :-D I don't know the full effects, but you are correct in that Skyward - and Defending Elysium - has a form of psionics as fundamental to the setting. It certainly is possible, even plausible, that a similar effect to the Id creature could manifest, especially considering the other creatures I've read are present in the setting - I probably should go and buy those books at some point :-P

There are lots of places cytonics can go in terms of effects - monsters from the id certainly would make sense!

[Guest _Shallan_]

6 hours ago, Ixthos said:

That would be cool :-D I don't know the full effects, but you are correct in that Skyward - and Defending Elysium - has a form of psionics as fundamental to the setting. It certainly is possible, even plausible, that a similar effect to the Id creature could manifest, especially considering the other creatures I've read are present in the setting - I probably should go and buy those books at some point :-P

There are lots of places cytonics can go in terms of effects - monsters from the id certainly would make sense!

Most of that movie has something else in common with sanderson in that most of the movie is spent explaining how it all works, while building the world and characters, and then the end portion is this zerg rush while still containing information.  His radar had to have picked up on that.  In an earlier scene that monster actually sneaks into the ship and murders one of the crew.  I would love to see something similar to that in this book about an invisible space creature sneaking somewhere and murdering someone while everyone else is unaware.  So long as he can do it without completely ripping it off and getting into trouble for it. 

[Ixthos Luke/Luke]

11 minutes ago, _Shallan_ said:

Most of that movie has something else in common with sanderson in that most of the movie is spent explaining how it all works, while building the world and characters, and then the end portion is this zerg rush while still containing information.  His radar had to have picked up on that.  In an earlier scene that monster actually sneaks into the ship and murders one of the crew.  I would love to see something similar to that in this book about an invisible space creature sneaking somewhere and murdering someone while everyone else is unaware.  So long as he can do it without completely ripping it off and getting into trouble for it. 

I remember that part. That could work, though it would be interesting to see how to integrate that into the plot. It would have to be on one of their bases perhaps, training new recruits, and then after someone experimented with new powers maybe. Either way, I think if Brandon did that it would be cool, and, as in the film, disturbing.