Il robot e lo Sputnik

I feel compelled to add my two pennyworth, as the shade of this movie has been with me for most of my life. One of the most terrifying things I ever saw on TV, and I think I was only four, so this was back in 1959, was a clip from The Invisible Boy. I had no idea what a robot was, and so my introduction to the concept was this most impressive creation, 'Robby'. They must have been very generous with the footage, because I saw the whole kite sequence and the aftermath. I must have been watching through my fingers for most of the time, because when the kid is talking to Robby, he is on the top of a stepladder, and for a long time, I didn't even realise that the robot had a proper body, I thought it was just a great big glass head. Also, I thought that the chap announcing the clip had said Robin the Robot, and, I thought, hey, that's my name, so there was a scary identification thing happening there, too. I only remember that this sequence played on my mind - big giant glass head and a small boy - I was plagued by the notion that Robby the Robot might, one day, come lurching into our house, with his big old twirling pirate-earring antennae.

Flash forward to January 2006. I had never seen a single section of this film since that nightmarish trailer on our little old wooden television set. Now I have it in my grasp, after finding it on DVD. I cut straight to the scene that scared me so much. It's astonishing how clearly it has registered on my memory. I even remember some of the dialogue.

Having now watched this movie all the way through, I can only concur with several of the other reviews, and there is little that I can add. It certainly is a pretty uneven movie, and it looks like several different writers and directors worked on different sequences without ever liaising, although I don't believe this to be the case.

One of the other reviewers referred to this, I think, as a child's nightmare, and that's a very apt description. The film's unevenness of mood adds to its bad-dream quality.

The sequences that contain intentional humour are quite well-devised, but seem to belong to a little film of their own. The cast of competent nobodies deal with their lines pretty well, whether they know what the heck is going on or not.

Robby has quite a lot to do, and, under the evil influence of the super-computer (this is part of the standard published synopsis, so I'm not giving anything away), gets to be menacing, which he's really rather good at, although his credibility wavers at one point, when he actually pops up from behind a bush in the garden. That has to be seen to be believed.

I'm so glad I laid this ghost after 46 years, especially as the film is one of the strangest things I've enjoyed in many a long day.

It's not really a good, or well-crafted film, but it's weird enough to merit my recommendation, especially as it has big, scary old Robby the Robot!

Some movie trivia sleuths consider this film to be sort of a "sequel" to Forbidden Planet" (also a Nick Nayfack production). Look for a scene early in the film where the disassembled "Robby" is found in a present-day scientist's store room, with notes indicating the scientist had developed a way of going into the future, where he obtained the robot. Also in this room is a picture that the young boy comments on, showing "Robby" emerging from the Forbidden Planet saucer ship at the "Chicago Spaceport" in the year 2242, inferring that Commander Adams, Altaira, and the rest of the crew made it back to Earth safely after the Krell furnaces caused the explosion of Altair IV at the end of that film.

The Invisible Boy (1957)

* 1/2 (out of 4)

After beating his scientist father at a game a chess, ten-year-old Timmy (Richard Eyer) gets to rebuild Robby the Robot and soon the two of them are going up against an evil computer that has plans on controlling the world.

Obviously the main goal of THE INVISIBLE BOY was to get Robby the Robot back into a picture after he was a huge success in FORBIDDEN PLANET but sadly the end result is pretty much a disaster from the word go. There's no doubt that the decade offered much worse sci-fi movies but you have to say that this here can go down as one of the most dispapointing and especially when you consider that a major company was behind it. There are countless things wrong with this picture including the screenplay, the performances and the overall tone of the thing leads to some pretty bad and rather embarrassing scenes.

I think the biggest problem is the screenplay. I'm going to say that the "plan" by the computer is a pretty good one and when you think about it, the plans at least makes sense. The problem is that the screenplay is so uneven that it's hard to take anything going on very serious. I say this because the overall tone of the movie is that as a children's film and this here leads to some "comedy" moments that are just downright bad at times. Even worse is that we're treated to some really bad scenes that I think are meant for humor but they just come across embarrassing. One such scene is when mommy and daddy are about to mess around and the boy, who has been hiding in the room, starts giggling. What follows is just weird to say the least. The "serious" nature of the film never really comes into play so the rather good idea about the computer taking over the world is just wasted.

The performances really aren't anything to brag about either and that includes Eyer as the young boy. He's certainly not horrible but at the same time he really doesn't keep you entertained. Phillip Abbott is pretty bland as the father but it's Diane Brewster who comes off the worse but I'm going to guess her poorly written character has something to do with this. Even the special effects in the film are pretty bland and especially those dealing with the boy turning invisible. As far as Robby the Robot goes, he's entertaining but basically just gets lost in the background of this rather bad film.

As others have said, this movie is definitely weird. If you're in the right mood, that's great. Otherwise you might just find it ridiculous and unrealistic.

Although I can't deny that "Forbidden Planet" is a superior film when it comes to acting, set design, visual effects, a more consistent tone & clearer message - I think I kinda enjoyed it's low-budget follow-up, "The Invisible Boy"...more. For one thing, I prefer this brand of humour - the spoofing of 50's sitcom families, the parents' deadpan reaction/nonchalant acceptance of amazing events such as their son's invisibility, etc - much funnier than the booze-seeking shenanigans of the Cook, whose eye-rollingly lame scenes pass for comedy relief on "Forbidden Planet".

The bizarre shifts in tone and plot absurdities/illogic in "The Invisible Boy", can be seen as weaknesses, but at least they make the movie less predictable. One can argue that "Forbidden Planet"'s script ties everything up *too* neatly, that there is too much foreshadowing, and the clues a bit too obvious, as to the origin of the monster. I figured out what was going on there, long before the climax (and I didn't need a brain-boost!) "The Invisible Boy" had more surprises.

Another point in this film's favour - Robby The Robot gets to show more personality, express a wider range of emotions (I'm not kidding!), and is even more lovable than in the first film. It probably helps that Robby didn't have to compete with any great actors like Walter Pidgeon here. But I do think he has more screen time and more opportunities to shine in "The Invisible Boy". He tugs on the ol' heartstrings and really steals the show.

This film loses a few points for it's irritatingly-voiced child star, and some plot holes/contrivances that strain credibility (such as the scientist deducing the Evil SuperComputer's master plan out of...nowhere) Of course, I had to dock "Forbidden Planet" as well, for different reasons (predictability and rampant 50's chauvinism)...so, somehow, they end up with the same rating. Keep in mind my how-much-was-I-entertained rating is more like 7/10 for both...this is my harsh-brutal-analysis rating. 5/10 implies they're only average movies, but they're really above-average entries in the sci-fi genre.

Interesting precursor to "Colossus, the Forbin Project". A child behaves outlandishly after sleep learning seemingly impossible knowledge. He applies his technique first to beating his scientist father at chess in 6 moves and then rebuilding Robby the Robot (of "Forbidden Planet" fame). Any child would enjoy the adventures of this rather naughty boy. Adults not too jaded by current "action movies" should enjoy it too.