Recently, a prop from the movie called Forbidden Planet broke a record for auctions. To be exact, Robby the Robot sold for a massive $5.375 million, which was a significant step-up from the previous record-holder, which was the Batmobile from the 1966 Batman that had sold for $4.6 million in 2013. This is rather remarkable considering that Robby the Robot cost around $100,000 to build, though it should be noted that it came with its Jeep, its control panel, and even the original packing crates from MGM that were used to store them, which added to its overall value as a piece of film-making history.
What Was Forbidden Planet?
For people who are unfamiliar with Forbidden Planet, it was a 1956 movie made in the United States that had an enormous influence on the movies that followed it. After all, it was the movie that claimed a number of firsts. For example, Forbidden Planet was the first movie to be set on another planet out there in interstellar space as opposed to either the Earth or one of the other planets circling our sun. Furthermore, it was the first movie to feature humans traveling in a faster-than-light spaceship of their own making, which has become a staple in sci-fi movies and TV shows ever since. Finally, it should be mentioned that Forbidden Planet was the first movie to have an all-electronic music score, which is rather interesting considering that electronic instruments were introduced in the 1920s and 30s. Based on these firsts, it is no wonder that Forbidden Planet is one of the movies entered into the National Film Registry on the basis of its significance.
As for Robby the Robot, well, suffice to say that it was one of the first robots in movies to be more than what amounted to a tin can on legs, which explains the cost of making it in the first place. Furthermore, it was notable in that it was a full-fledged side-character in its own right rather than just a mere piece of moving scenery. For proof, look no further than the fact that Robby the Robot was capable of ignoring its master’s command, which was one of the more memorable moments from late in the movie. Combined with the importance of Forbidden Planet itself, these factors make the $5.375 million auction price for Robby the Robot that much more understandable.
Further Considerations
With that said, it will be interesting to see how long Robby the Robot can hold onto the record for a movie prop. After all, there are a lot of people with a lot of money who are interested in props from various movies of note, meaning that there is bound to be significant competition if something interesting shows up in the auction houses at some point in the future. As a result, the interesting issue is not when Robby the Robot will be dethroned, but rather by what it will be dethroned by as well as when that will happen. Considering the countless movie props of note used by countless movies of note, this could prove to be an interesting process.
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