Review Detail

I think it's safe to say that this version of Forbidden Planet doesn't need a thorough or detailed review. The test for whether this edit works or not is dependent on whether you think the change in music works or not, and for me, it did.

Now, I must confess that I like the original version's musical score. It was highly ambitious to use mostly synthesizers in a time when the norm was to be as classical as possible. With that said, though, I do think the music of Miklos Rozsa does a nice job of making things more "emotive" here than in the original edit. This version definitely felt like something from the 1950s, and I mean that in a good way. The change in music makes this feel like an authentic vintage blockbuster from the 1950s. One that almost reaches the same level as the more biblical epics of the time like The Ten Commandments or even Ben-Hur (Which is a fair comparison, since Rozsa also did the score for the latter).

So, with a comparison like that, am I saying that this edit is better? Well, in all honesty, I don't know. They're both equally good if you ask me. This is one where I believe your own personal tastes will make the best judgment. My guess is that if you crave ambition, you're most likely to prefer the original version. However, if you want things to sound more like a 1950s epic, and you want something that packs a more emotional punch, this edit will most likely impress you more. Whatever the case, I highly recommend giving this one a watch to see (or hear) for yourself.