MONTAUK AND THE FORBIDDEN PLANET
Did a classic science fiction film inspire the Montauk myths?

The legend of the Montauk Beast must surely rate as one of the most bizarre myths associated the former Montauk Air Force Station.

The beast legend suggests that a participant in a secret mind control experiment at Montauk conceived a monster in his mind, which was subsequently manifested in reality.

This brain or mind of the individual involved was said to have been linked to electromagnetic equipment of very high power at the time of the incident. Allegedly, the beast then proceeded to wreak havoc on the military base.

Curiously, the story line behind the Montauk Beast myth does not appear to be the first of its kind.

In fact, millions of movie-goers all across the nation witnessed a remarkably similar scenario in 1956. It was during that year, that a film was released that would soon become one of the great classics of science fiction film making: Forbidden Planet.

Forbidden Planet was the story of an ill-fated scientific expedition sent to the planet Altair IV, and of a subsequent mission to rescue the remaining expedition members. The movie starred Walter Pidgeon as Morbius, a brilliant, yet perhaps not entirely rational scientist. Anne Francis played his daughter, while Leslie Nielsen portrayed the leader of the space rescue mission.

The film is notable for its first-rate special effects including the debut of Robby the robot, perhaps the best-known film and television robot of all time.

Curiously, a number of interesting parallels exist between the 1956 film and the Montauk conspiracy stories written three or more decades later.

The movie features an alien Brain Booster which can be used by sitting in a chair and donning a special headset.

The conspiracy stories discuss mind control devices in which a person allegedly sat in a chair connected to a high powered electromagnetic device.

The movie features a huge, 30 foot tall, monster which springs from the thoughts of its creator, Morbius, manifesting in physical form. This monster destroys equipment belonging to the rescue party and kills or injures some of the men.

The conspiracy stories similarly reference a 30 foot tall Montauk Beast which was allegedly created by the thoughts of someone participating in mind control experiments. This beast is said to have run amok on the base, destroying equipment and killing or injuring persons unlucky enough to have been in its way.

The movie features a huge underground facility beneath the planet. The scale of these facilities make the pyramids of ancient Egypt look miniscule as they appear to run for miles in every direction including down.

The conspiracy stories refer to an alleged vast underground base of unknown, although presumably huge, dimensions located directly beneath the former Montauk installation.

Are these items merely coincidental? Or, could Forbidden Planet have served as the inspiration for many of today's rather bizarre Montauk stories?

We may never know.

However, the similarities between segments of the classic sci-fi film and the Montauk conspiracy stories which emerged decades later -- in particular, the use of high-energy devices to connect with the human mind, the manifestations of human thoughts in the forms of giant and destructive monsters or beasts, and the existence of a vast underground complex -- are striking.

Forbidden Planet can be rented at most major video rental outlets. It can also be purchased online and via non-virtual video stores.

For those interested in a possible source of the Montauk conspiracy stories, and for those who just want to see one of the best sci-fi films of the mid Fifties, Forbidden Planet may be just what is needed for an enjoyable and entertaining evening.

Don Bender
November 10, 2000

Copyright 2000 by Donald E. Bender. All Rights Reserved.