Forbidden Planet: Entry Two

Part 2 of the "Forbidden Planet" posts, imported from my other blog "My Monster Memories."

Here's a special bonus for you... "Forbidden Planet" painted by Vincent Di Fate as featured in Cinefantastique in 1979. Makes a great wallpaper!
(Click for Monster-Sized version!)

More lobby card photos of the alluring Altaira, Robby the Robot, Commander Adams and the C-57D.

More to come next time!

Forbidden Planet: Entry One

(Reader take note: this entry was originally posted on my other blog "My Monster Memories," but now that I am also doing one on Sci-Fi, it fits here even better. Hence, the re-post!)-Fred

I'm kicking things off with some images from my all-time favorite Sci-Fi movie, "Forbidden Planet." You might enjoy seeing these images if you haven't before, which highlight the sexy, impish Altaira, played by the lovely Anne Francis. One envies Robby, as Jerry Farnam said! This is only the first entry on the subject, there will be others with more photos and behind the scenes extras!

As a kid and teen I was keenly aware of Forbidden Planet through the monster movie mags and such, but it was one of those seemingly unattainable goals to see it. Finally, when I lived in Ft. Lauderdale FL as a teen, around 1978 I went to a showing at a nearby public library. I took along my Radio Shack flat tape recorder and sat near the projector, taping the whole thing. I was like a dream come true to finally see it! I listened to the tapes of it many time later, projector noise and all. Now I can take out my Special Edition DVD and watch it on the big plasma screen any time I want to. Who would have imagined that, back then? It would have seemed like a science fiction fantasy to me at the time.

Come back soon for more pictures!

1979 article on "The Star Wars Holiday Special"

From issue #19 of Starlog Magazine, published in February of 1979, comes this cover article on one of the darkest chapters in Star Wars history... the legendarily-bad "Star Wars Holiday Special." (See an earlier post on it here from another of my blogs.) Many might want to forget it, but as Master Po said to Grasshopper, "We do not learn by forgetting."

(Click on images to enlarge if you are a glutton for punishment.)

Bea Arthur is easily the scariest of any of the denizens in the cantina.

"Yes, son, we are your father Chewbacca's dirty little secret. Never forget that."

Whenever the pain of contemplating "The Phantom Menace" threatens to overwhelm you, recall this and you will be comforted.

1973 Mad Spoof On Apes Movies

The collection cabinets open this time to bring forth issue #157 of Mad magazine, published in March of 1973. By this time there were four films in the Apes series, with another in the works to be released the following year, with a TV series soon after that. Enjoy this Mort Drucker-drawn overview of the films titled "The Milking Of The Planet That Went Ape."

(Click on images to enlarge.)

Bonus: Below, an ad I clipped from a newspaper sometime around 1974.

Bonus: below, a unique photo of McDowell as Cornelius in a rare good mood; most likely thinking of his fiancee, Zira.

Below is one of my pencil drawings of Galen from the TV series, drawn in 1974 sometime, probably while in homeroom. I was big into Apes that year!

More Sci-Fi Book covers

As a young boy and teen I devoured the old science fiction novels I picked up at the used bookstore. Here are a few of the cool covers from some off my bookshelf...

(Click on images to enlarge.)

Burl realised he should have been suspicious of a videophone booth way out here.

Spreading his arms like the robot did nothing to help him get away faster.

G'nrex had 500 quatloos riding on this guy and he wasn't about to let him rabbit.

As he faded away, Sam knew he shouldn't have tried to put the space fireflies in a bottle.

"V - The Final Battle" 1984 TV Guide article

Back in 1984, one of the most anticipated events on TV (at least for me) was the sequel to the highly-rated "V" saga. The article featured this time is from the May 7, 1984 edition of TV Guide, revealing the makeup technique used on the memorable scene where the Visitor is revealed to the rest of the world.

(Click on images to enlarge.)

It was then that "John" realised he should have disguised himself as someone more beloved than TV's Karl Maldan.

Below, the TV Guide Close-Up on the return of the popular V epic.

Below are some splash ads for the miniseries.