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The Day the Earth Stood Still

The Day the Earth Stood Still

List Price: $14.98
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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Amazing
Review: One of my all time faves. With alot of similiaries to Star Trek (Live long and Prosper / Clatu Barata Niktu) this thing lives on as a world class flick that won't stand still. Time-tested and still tickin, the earth won't see another day like the hour and a half it makes you sit still - in the twilight zone of the outer limits. Take me out of orbit mr zulu - daaah

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A futuristic look at aliens that will save the earth.
Review: This movie, made in the 1950's, shows us that not all aliens need to be feared. It shows that if intelligent life exists in the universe it would not have to be malevolent....

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: One of the first is definitely one of the best.
Review: The Day the Earth Stood Still is perhaps the most successful science fiction film in entertwining global/gallactical issues with intimate storytelling as Klaatu, the visitor from a nearby planet, places himself into the ordinary lives of a boy and his widowed mother. The screenplay is first rate as are the performances, particularly Patricia Neal--who artfully embodies the angst of a doubtfilled mother, watching after her son and his new friend (from outer space) and dealing with an ultimately opportunistic suitor, Hugh Marlowe. Bernard Herrmann's novel use of electronic music enhances the film as does understated performance of Micheal Rennie as Klaatu. The flying saucer has since yet to be topped in style and design.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: One of the top 10 sci-fi flicks of all time.
Review: One tends to underestimate how fundamentally good this movie is; because it's completely entertaining, while intellectually engaging. It's timeless, and , in my humble opinion, a work of art. You're not really a sci-fi fan if you haven't yet seen it.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Classic sci-fi
Review: Watch this movie and become a FOG (friend of Gort). Where else can you hear the immortal words, "Klaatu Barada Nichto"? Get a bag of popcorn and a coke, turn off the lights and transport back to the days when movies were great without all the high tech glitz (this is as high tech as 1951 gets). Moral themes, great lines ("reduce your planet to a burning cinder") and a top notch score (Bernard Hermann creates eery music that is out of this world). Billy Gray ("Father Knows Best")plays the lad who befriends Mr. Carpenter (Klaatu's alias). Even Aunt Bea has a cameo. A classic sci-fi film!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Classic Sci-Fi film is the first to depict benevolent aliens
Review: TDTESS is the best-regarded Sci-Fi classic of the '50s. It is best known for being the first sci-fi film to depict aliens as benevolent and superior in every way to humanity. And it delivers a timeless message about our place in the universe and our possible future.

Michael Rennie delivers a terse, restrained performance as Klaatu, a messinger from a superior alien race. His character has a pacifist nature, yet he matter-of-factly warns that the earth might be casually obliterated unless humanity shapes up. Ironies abound - human doctors marvel at his physical condition and advanced medicines, all the while smoking cigarettes. At all turns, humans are depicted as petty, stupid, savage creatures, with the exception of the scientists, who at least try to understand Klaatu's message.

And then there is Klaatu's companion - Gort, a giant robot capable of laying waste to the surface of the earth. Totally silent throughout the film, he has more screen presence than any of the human characters. It is not what he does, but what he represents, that gives him such presence. Together with Klaatu, they represent two possible futures for mankind - Klaatu's rational pacificism that rises above human savagery, and Gort's promise of oblivion. END

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: "Klaatu barada nikto"
Review: There are a handful of 1950's sci-fi movies that have a big reputation - "When Worlds Collide", "The Thing From Another World", "Forbidden Planet", and "The Day the Earth Stood Still". Unfortunately, the first two are really lame in today's world, and only "The Day The Earth Stood Still" really stands up (except for the robot).

Although it has a little of the hokiness inherent to all movies of the 1950's, "The Day The Earth Stood Still" actually has a good meaningful story. The typically-round flying saucer lands in a baseball field in Washington DC. A normal-looking man (Michael Rennie) emerges, offering a small gift. As usual, the military shoots first and asks questions later. A large robot (to be known as "Gort") emerges and stands guard near the ship. In the hospital, the man requests a meeting of all the heads of world government to share an important message. He is told that a meeting of all nations is impossible under the current state of international tension. After recovering a day in the hospital (and self-healing) the man, named "Klaatu", escapes and assumes the identity of Mr. Carpenter (another patient whose clothes he takes). After renting a room in a boarding-house (run by 'Aunt Bea' from the "Andy Griffith Show"), he befriends a young boy ('Bud' from "Father Knows Best"), and later his mother (Patricia Neal).

Klaatu explains his mission on Earth - to bring about the end of nuclear-arms proliferation - to an Einstein-like mathematician, who agrees to help. The mathematician suggests convincing industry and world leaders to meet to hear the message by having Klaatu perform a show of strength. This is the event behind the movie title when Klaatu stops everything that relies on electricity to operate (though sparing hospitals, in-flight airplanes, etc.)

Klaatu confides his plan to Patricia Neal, who helps him. Later, when they are being chased, Klaatu gives the robot-command codewords to Patricia Neal as a safeguard in the event of Klaatu's capture. As is somewhat predictable, the army again shoots first and asks questions later, so Patricia Neal does indeed need to issue commands to the robot, who might otherwise destroy the world.

The robot recovers the dead body of Klaatu from a jail cell and returns him to the spaceship where he undergoes a sort of resurrection. Klaatu is able to give his anti-aggression message to mankind.

The movie was directed by Robert Wise, who went on to "Run Silent, Run Deep", "West Side Story", "The Sound of Music" and "The Andromeda Strain". Score by Bernard Hermann, famous from a long list of Alfred Hitchcock movies, but also for "Citizen Kane" and "The Magnificent Ambersons" prior to "The Day The Earth Stood Still".

The reasonably-priced DVD has the restored black-and-white full-screen movie; a good "making of" documentary; a commentary with director Robert wise and Nicholas Meyer; some "Movie-Tone News" clips from 1951 having to do with a peace treaty, the Korean war, a beauty contest, and an honorary promotional award given to Klaatu (but a different actor in the suit); a restoration comparison; still gallery including the script; and some other goodies.

Highly recommended. Klaatu's message is still valid.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: a great classic sci-fi film
Review: I remember how intreguied I was the first time I saw, "The Day the Earth Stood Still and still am no matter how many times I see it. It's oneof those few movies you can absolutely never tire of seeing. This is one of my all time favorite sci- fi films and would recommend it to anyone. Michael Rennie and Patricia Neal are great in it really wonderful actors that give excellent perfomrances in this film. The setting in Washinton D.C is perfect for unidentified flying objects like a spaceship to land. The Robert is like a star in the film too. Each moment of the film is suspensful entertaining and keeps you guessing what will happen next. There's not a dull moment in the entire film. It's sci-fi at its best. This DVD adition has great extra footage like a documentary very well done and interesting and a trailer and plenty of other things too. Overall it's an exciting film for all ages.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Day Earth Stood Still
Review: Despite it's age, this movie is ageless. Heck, I'm only 16 years old, and I enjoy it!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Day Sci-Fi Cinema Matured
Review: Probably the most intelligent and thought provoking sci-fi movie ever made. THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL is probably the primer and set the tone for such television shows as THE TWILIGHT ZONE a few years later. The title of the film itself stands for a segment during the film. An alien from another world demonstrates his advanced technology of his alien civilization by turning off all power and machines around the world for an hour thus frightening the world population. This plot device was lifted somewhat for the classic TWILIGHT ZONE episode "The Monsters are Due on Maple Street". Michael Rennie as Klaatu (aka Mr. Carpenter) gives a caring and compassionate performance as the Christ-like metaphor alien. He is sent to Earth to warn the leaders that they are being observed and that their current behavior can lead to their future anhilation. Earth, with its uncoopperative nations and in the dawn of its nuclear age can be a threat to a certain interstallar alien alliance whose main goal is peace and stability in the universe. The film has its stereotypical military paranoia baffoonishness that's played just right and has the classic alien robot(Gort)and spacecraft/flying saucer. However, the real treat is Klaatu's relationship with the boy Bobby Benson (Billy Gray from tv's FATHER KNOWS BEST) he befriends while escaping military incarceration and ends up in a boarding house to live among human beings. The tour they take to Arlington Cemetary and the Lincoln Memorial are great scenes which leads to a meeting with a celabrated Einstein-like scientist Dr. Barnhardt played by Sam Jaffe. The "formula-on-the-blackboard" segment in the film was another intelligent plot device. Overall, a classic piece of science fiction with a great script, great cast, excellent characters, just the right amount of special effects for its day, and a timeless anti-war/anti-nuclear theme.


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