The Day The Earth Stood Still appreciation thread

In 1950 legenfdary film producer George Pal released Destination Moon an ambitious science fiction film that became a huge hit and opened the gates for a flood of scifi movies in that decade making it the golden age of science fiction cinema. Other Hollywood studios followed suit and the first two important releases came a year later, 1951. when Universal terrified audiences with The Thing From Another World and 20th Century Fox delivered the awe inspiring The Day The Earth Stood Still. Both films were based on popular science fiction works. The Universal film was loosely based on the 1938 novella "Who Goes There?" by Joseph Campbell (John Carpenter's The Thing is more closer to the Campbell story than the Howard Hawkes original). The Day The Earth Stood Still was inspired in the 1940 short story "Farewell To The Master" by Harry G. Bates. Directed by Hollywood A-list director, Robert Wise (Curse of the Cat People, The Body Snatcher, The Sound Of Music, West Side Story, The Andromeda Strain) and starring Michael Rennie, the film only retained some elements of the Bates story and created a totally new story arc that in my opinion was superior to its original source. The Bates story is set in the distant future, its main character is a photographer who is obsessed with obtain a picture of the mute and unmoving robot 'Gnut' at night in the museum it was build around it after its arrival with the godlike alien Klaatu, who was killed by a fanatic as soon as he emerged from his ship (which just materialized in a blink) two years before.


Spoilers:






The film opens with military radars capting the arrival to earth of a spaceship that eventually lands in Washington near the White House at miday and in plain sight of crowds and television cameras. Klaatu emerges announcing he comes in peace, but almost immediately gets shot by a nervous soldier. Then the robot Gort appears and proceeds to destroy all weapons on sight using a laser beam that comes from its visor. Klaatu orders Gort to stop and then the robot remains still. Klaatu is taken to a military hospital and as he recovers his pleas to be heard by all of Earth representatives is ignored by the military officers. He then escapes and hides in plain sight among humans assuming the identity of Mr. Carpenter. He stays at a boarding house to understand better human behavior, there he befriends an old scientist, a widow and her boy. As the plot advances so does the apparent deadline Klaatu has to deliver his message to mankind. In a demostration of the superior technology he possess he gives mankind a sign: at a determined time all earth's electrical technology paralyzes for a period of time, except in hospitals and airplanes. At the climax of the film Klaatu is shot and killed. Helen (Patricia Neal) follows Klaatu's orders to speak to Gort the words "Klaatu Barada Nikto" which reactivates to robot who would had destroyed earth after Klaatu died. Gort brings Klaatu back to life and now before departing he delivers his message: live in peace or continue the path of agression and face obliteration.





Non spoilers:

The film's anti-war message was clearly aimed at the Cold War era generation, but its universal appeal is as relevant today as it was 61 years ago. The film had nice scarce special effects that holds well even today, the music by Bernard Herrman is considered among the best soundtracks ever, the direction by Wise is impecable. The acting is good for a 1951 film and Michael Rennie was just perfect as Klaatu. Sure the look of the film is dated, particularly the robot who was obviously a man in a rubber suit,but the story is so compelling you forget about those details. This is probably THE greatest science fiction film ever made. The remake with Keanu Reeves was such an aberration I wish I they had never touched this sacred cow. 10/10

 

The film has some symbolism that may or may not have been intentional. The character of Klaatu is a Jesus-like figure: came from heaven to deliver a message of peace and redemption to mankind, was misunderstood, rejected and killed, but also resurrected. The fact that Klaatu passes as "Mr. Carpenter" (Jesus was a carpenter) makes it more obvious. Gort is representative of the wrath of God,the Apocalypse. The need to 'accept the message' or 'be doomed' is similar to the gospel. This is a film you can dissect and find a lot of layer after layer significance. A thinking man's science fiction tale.

 

panchy,

Just admit it. I have better movie taste than you have.

 

Superb movie!
Still one of the best of its genre and era.

Iconic.

 

Based on what? V for Vendetta? :nana::l2:

 

tibids:


Patricia Neal, the actress who played Helen Benson, little Bobby's mom, had never acted in a movie like this before and had a hard time maintaining a straight face and was continually laughing and giggling to the point that an annoyed, but polite Michael Rennie asked her, "Is this how you plan to play this part?"




The tall guy that played Gort the robot, Lock Martin, was not an actor, but the doorman at the Graumann's Chinese Theater. Even though he was like 7' 6" he wasn't very strong and in the scenes where he has to carry Helen or Klaatu a light dummy or children were used. For publicity shots of Gort carrying Helen, a standing seat pole and wires were used.

 

Michael Rennie was not the first choice of the studio to play Klaatu, but Spencer Tracey. The filmmakers convinced the studio that even though Tracey was a great actor, audiences will not believe he was an alien. Then they were about to cast Claude Rains in the part, but producer Zanuck Brown saw this unknown british actor Michael Rennie performing in a play in London and immediately called back excited, "Stop all plans: we have our Klaatu!" This film made Michael Rennie an international star the same way "Superman: The Movie" made unkown Christopher Reeve into a superstar.


Imagine Spencer Tracey as Klaatu...NOT!

 

I agree it was a classic. On my 100 favorite movies ever list it is at number 7. It truly is an epic story and acting is superb. I must have seen the movie 20 times in my life and every time I watch it it feels like I am watching it for the first time. Never gets old. But I've never seen the original you speak of I am kinda curious about it now and might just check it out.

 

This is the original.It was loosely based on a short story, "Farewell to the Master" by Harry Bates. You can read it online since it is in public domain.
http://thenostalgialeague.com/olmag/bates-farewell-to-the-master.html

The remake with Keanu Reeves was so dumb (save the trees! whoah!) I cringed watching that abomination. Jaden Smith was extremely annoying too and turning Gort into a swarm of robotic insects was PLAIN STUPID!!! Only Al Gore enjoyed this remake.