The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)

 Still a Sci-Fi Classic
I couldn't agree or add much more with the positive reviews already posted here. I first saw this film in the 60's on "Saturday Night at the Movies". The film was introduced by the star, Michael Rennie, who spoke to the continued timeliness of the underlying theme of the movie. I now own this particular DVD version of the film and I have to agree with the less favorable reviews of some others give here that focus on the technical failings of this reproduction (not restoration).
Nonetheless the message of this movie is still relevant. I have read that a remake is in production but the focus of Klaatu's concern will be our disregard of the damage being done to our planet in general rather than specifically the nuclear proliferation threat emphasized in the 1951 film. There are also rumors that the film may return to the final twist of the short story "Farewell to the Master" written by Harry Bates.
Let's hope that with a remake coming up the studio will reissue a properly "restored" version of this classic on DVD.

May 9, 2008

 Dated but still highly watchable
It may be dated but I still found the film very watchable. Early SFI films have a nostalgic atmosphere all of their own. April 7, 2008

 The Best SciFi movie ever made
The Day the Earth Stood Still was decades ahead of its time and being made in 1951 truly makes it so.

Not like the cheap junk that followed being stupid looking, jerky, monster aliens that ate, killed, enslaved or mind controlled every human, this movie has a believable story line with real actors, actresses, acting and a plot.

I saw this movie with my Dad and although he's gone now remember being a kid and liking what my Dad liked and that was a good thing.

My father served in WWII and only talked of it when he recalled a funny or interesting story that never contained the death or grossness of war. He was able to put that behind him and see this movie as entertaining. As you can read in the inside jacket info the US military (then the War department) would have no part of the movie so the tanks and other military equipment was loaned by the Virginia National Guard.

Remember there was no CGI (computer generated images), heck there weren't even any computers and special effects were extremely limited. So when and if you watch The Day the Earth Stood Still keep this in mind and don't expect a display of 2000+ technology when this was made in 1951 and before color movies were a must, it is in black and white. However, you will see real actors, a mostly believable plot and of course remember it was the Winner of the Golden Globe 1951.

The decency of SciFi was not returned to until as far as I remember Star Trek. Also you'll learn where and what "Klaatu Barada Nikto" means. My son had heard it many times but didn't know where it came from or what it meant until he watched watch The Day the Earth Stood Still with me. Three generation can't be all wrong, this is a timeless creation if you can let loose of your must be today stuff to be good intolerance.
March 25, 2008

 Still holds up after all these years
Even as a kid growing up in the 50's, i knew it was more than just an recycled sci-fi throwaway. We were so bombarded with space travel, alien invader and radioactive charged "big bug" movies back then, it was hard to separate them in my mind. But the 1950's of my childhood was a science fiction orgy and i loved it. If not on the theatre, i managed to catch every one of them as they were replayed on Saturday afternoon tv.
But this movie stood out then as it still does now. The acting, effects, cinematography, direction and especially the script are just top notch.
I have recommended it to my adult friends over the years and except for the occasional jab at it's obviously dated effects, every one of them reacted with the same admiration of the story and it's emotional impact.
We are jaded and spoiled by today's digital effects. But movies like this remind us of how well a great story, tastefully executed, can have a longer lasting effect on the moviegoer. February 28, 2008

 A classic movie, and classic reminder that nothing has changed
This is a classic Sci-Fi move, the one that put "Klaatu barada nikto" into our vocabulary.
Re-watching this movie reminds us that in 50 years nothing really has changed. We still await (and yearn for) signs of intelligent life in the universe. February 25, 2008

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