The Day The Earth Stood Still

-20^th Century Fox (1951)

Summary:

A know-it-all from space messes with us.

My Thoughts:

The Day the Earth Stood Still is one of those rare films that's a science fiction masterpiece that doesn't require a ton of explosions to be enjoyable. I've liked it since I was a kid, so I was more than happy to find it in the near-bargain bin rack at a certain retail store.

The film begins with reports flooding in that a U.F.O. is being seen all around the world. Soon, the flying saucer lands in Washington D.C. A spaceman emerges from the craft and is quickly shot by a moron. The spaceman's robot, Gort, goes ape-shit and starts melting tanks. Mr. Spaceman, or Klaatu as he calls himself, orders Gort to calm down and is put into military custody. Klaatu escapes and lives among the citizens of D.C., seeing what humanity is really like. He also tries to get a professor to help him spread an important message to the people of Earth. After lots of dialogue and some shenanigans, he reveals his message to the world before leaving, which is basically if we (the people of Earth) bring our problems out into space we will be destroyed (via insane robot powers).

I know that my description of the plot may not sound exciting, but much of the appeal of the film is found in the fantastic script. The pacing is a lot slower than the sci-fi films today, and there's not a whole lot of action. Instead, this is a cerebral type of experience. The main theme is a very 1950s concern, which is the problem with the rather new found ability at the time for mankind to destroy itself via atomic bombs, but it still applies today. People and their small minded thinking are also portrayed perfectly, reminding even modern day viewers of how society still reacts to the unknown. I must admit that this film does stink of pro-space robot propaganda, but it doesn't ruin the entire experience.

The cinematography of The Day the Earth Stood Still is fantastic. The use of light and shadows in conjunction with the framing leads to some of the greatest shots in film history, like the scene where Klaatu first enters the boarding house.

The acting is great and there's a strong supporting cast. Michael Rennie leads in a convincing performance as Klaatu. Other notables include Hugh Marlowe as the jerk, Tom, who wants to sell Klaatu out, and Billy Gray is one of the least annoying kids in film.

As good as The Day the Earth Stood Still is, it still isn't without some unintentional humor because of its age. One of the funniest moments takes place when the crowd flees in panic from the first appearance of the robot Gort. It’s very obvious that the film has been sped up considerably in this scene. Otherwise the special effects are decent, and the robot suit looks nice, but it too is also incredibly dated.

This is a THX certified edition so you're getting a great looking and sounding edition of the film. There's no 5.1 mix, but that would have been pointless anyway. The black and white film looks crisp and clean, and thanks to the great restoration work there are hardly any visible particles on the print.

Extras:

The Day the Earth Stood Still got some serious recognition as a DVD. This edition is a double-sided disc that contains a large amount of extras for a sci-fi film that’s as old as it is. Granted, most of these extras seem to be lifted from the laserdisc edition. On the first disc you'll be pleasantly surprised to be greeted by motion menus. There's also commentary by director Robert Wise, which is interesting, but almost pointless if you watch the extensive documentary on the second side of the disc. One feature that you have to watch is the “Movie Tone News 1951” that is simply hilarious. It shows the exact kind of political climate that the film addresses, plus you get to see footage from the Ms. and Mrs. America pageants. Hotdog! The “Theatrical Trailer” is a lot better than the dozens of old film trailers I've seen over the years.

The best special feature of this edition is located on side to and it's a documentary entitled “Making the Earth Stand Still.” It's a 70 minute doc that covers every aspect of the making of the film right down to people who collect props from it. I wouldn't recommend this for anyone but hardcore The Day the Earth Stood Still fans, or film buffs, because it's a little slow for anyone who doesn't have that much interest in the film. If you are willing to sit through it though, its fantastic.

“Restoration Comparison” is a nifty side by side peak at two versions of the film, showing how much better the restored laserdisc and DVD print looks compared to an older print.

“Still Galleries” are a great amount of pictures of anything from behind the scenes shots, promotional stuff, and even construction blueprints. The “trailers” section contains trailers for One Million Years B.C. and Journey to the Center of the Earth, which feel a little more than tacked on.

Score:

Film: 8.5

Extras: 8.5

Edition: 8

-Paul