Changes

== Themes ==

== Themes ==

This film is a loose adaptation of [[William Shakespeare]]'s play, ''[[The Tempest]].'' The most recognizable characters in it are Prospero (Morbius), Miranda (Altaira), Ariel (Robby), and a ship's captain (Adams) and boatswain. But the theme is entirely different. Unlike Prospero, Morbius has blinded himself by his own arrogance, and seeks to protect his own "empire" at all costs.

=== The Id—or the sin nature ===

 

The most important theme concerns those dark desires that Morbius speaks of. What [[Sigmund Freud]] called the "Id" is nothing more nor less than the [[sin]] nature of man. No matter how civilized man believes himself to be, he cannot escape the sin nature, not without the assistance of [[Jesus Christ]]. And so the Krel, arrogantly believing that they had conquered the sin nature for good (and perhaps not even believing that they ''had'' a sin nature), built  a device that would respond instantly to mere thought. Result: mutual murder, as the sin nature finally expressed itself without check, with the aid of a machine that none could turn off.

The most important theme concerns those dark desires that Morbius speaks of. What [[Sigmund Freud]] called the "Id" is nothing more nor less than the [[sin]] nature of man. No matter how civilized man believes himself to be, he cannot escape the sin nature, not without the assistance of [[Jesus Christ]]. And so the Krel, arrogantly believing that they had conquered the sin nature for good (and perhaps not even believing that they ''had'' a sin nature), built  a device that would respond instantly to mere thought. Result: mutual murder, as the sin nature finally expressed itself without check, with the aid of a machine that none could turn off.

Ironically, this story, based though it is on an [[atheism|atheistic]] premise (including [[evolution]]), illustrates the fatal flaw in atheistic thinking: the sin nature ''will'' reveal itself, no matter how often or how forcefully an atheist denies that nature. Furthermore, one could argue with strong justice that human beings have been attempting a Krel-like project for over a hundred years, a project that fails to account for that sin nature, and denies its existence. Or worse: it assumes that a class of [[human]] beings that are somehow ''above'' the sin nature, while the rest of humanity is not, exists and deserves to rule.

Ironically, this story, based though it is on an [[atheism|atheistic]] premise (including [[evolution]]), illustrates the fatal flaw in atheistic thinking: the sin nature ''will'' reveal itself, no matter how often or how forcefully an atheist denies that nature. Furthermore, one could argue with strong justice that human beings have been attempting a Krel-like project for over a hundred years, a project that fails to account for that sin nature, and denies its existence. Or worse: it assumes that a class of [[human]] beings that are somehow ''above'' the sin nature, while the rest of humanity is not, exists and deserves to rule.

Morbius also provides a prize example of the arrogant scientist, complete with his own set of [[professor values]]: an attitude that he is above human law and permitted to write his own law.{{cquote|Perhaps I do not prefer to be dictated to on my own world.}}

Morbius also provides a prize example of the arrogant scientist, complete with his own set of [[professor values]]: an attitude that he is above human law and permitted to write his own law.{{cquote|Perhaps I do not prefer to be dictated to on my own world.}}

The problem being, of course, that he presumes to command a device that commits murder on command, without his even having to come to grips with what he does, until Adams, as a representative of the law, forces him to.

The problem being, of course, that he presumes to command a device that commits murder on command, without his even having to come to grips with what he does, until Adams, as a representative of the law, forces him to. Happily, he has a chance to redeem himself. Unhappily, the price of that redemption is his own death, for only by laying down his own life can he stop his "evil self" from murdering his own daughter and the man she loves.

Happily, he has a chance to redeem himself. Unhappily, the price of that redemption is his own death, for only by laying down his own life can he stop his "evil self" from murdering his own daughter and the man she loves.  

More to the point, Morbius is an approximate example of [[professor values]], of which arrogance is an almost defining characteristic. Sadly, university professors of every stripe risk thinking themselves above the laws that apply to less-intellectually gifted persons, and fully qualified to be laws unto themselves. Morbius arguably wishes only to be left alone, and lays full claim to the advanced science that he has discovered. Were this the full description of Morbius' thoughts and actions, he would have a case for claiming exclusive rights to his discoveries. But because he has secured those discoveries by murder (in the defense of which he can only plead insanity), his claim no longer has any justice.

 

Sadly, this story employs a device quite common in the [[science fiction]] and horror genres: the destruction of all record of an advanced science, or an ancient curse, in order to protect the rest of civilization from an influence with which it might not be able to cope. How and why the Krel or Morbius installed a self-destruct mechanism in the laboratory next to the great machine, or why the Krel didn't activate it before they ended up using the machine to kill one another, the story never explains.

 

This film is a loose adaptation of [[William Shakespeare]]'s play, ''[[The Tempest]].'' The most recognizable characters in it are Prospero (Morbius), Miranda (Altaira), Ariel (Robby), and a ship's captain (Adams) and boatswain. But the theme is entirely different. Unlike Prospero, Morbius has blinded himself by his own arrogance, and seeks to protect his own "empire" at all costs.

== Awards and Nominations ==

== Awards and Nominations ==