Aside from its philosophical message, the film also boasts memorable imagery--notably the giant robot Gort--a much-quoted catchphrase in "Klaatu barada nikto", and one of composer Bernard Herrmann's most admired scores, featuring the theremin and other electronic instruments that must have sounded very otherworldly back in 1951. The result is a bona fide landmark in cinema SF with a central message about "weapons of mass destruction" that's still uncannily relevant today.

On the DVD: The Day the Earth Stood Still has been splendidly restored for its DVD incarnation from the original 35 mm print, and the results are demonstrated in the "Restoration Comparison" feature. Also included is a fascinating 1951 newsreel showing Klaatu receiving a certificate of merit amid stories of Communist threats, the Korean war and beauty pageants ("Pomp and pulchritude on parade in Atlantic City"). Best of all is an absorbing commentary track with director Robert Wise in conversation with Nicholas Meyer (both men have Star Trek movies on their CV). --Mark Walker

A flying saucer touches down in Washington D.C. and is immediately surrounded by armed troops. A hatch on the saucer opens and a figure named Klaatu (Michael Rennie) emerges. After he is shot by a nervous soldier, his robot companion Gort (Lock Martin) destroys some of the weaponry gathered around the saucer. Klaatu halts Gort's destructive spree and is taken to a nearby hospital. He soon escapes after making no headway in his plan to assemble the leaders of the planet to listen to a message he wants to deliver. With the help of a young boy named Bobby Benson (Billy Gray) and his mother, Helen (Patricia Neal), Klaatu makes contact with Professor Jacob Barnhardt (Sam Jaffe), a respected mathematician, who he hopes will assemble for him an audience of the world's leading academics.

While other science-fiction films of the period were content with one-dimensional storylines complete with rubber-suited monsters and spaceships straight out of model kits, Robert Wise proved that the genre had much more potential. He avoided silliness and absurdity and instead infused his film with meaning and food for thought. Much like the television series "Star Trek" did a decade later, "The Day the Earth Stood Still" used science fiction to explore the human condition and to critique the puzzling obsession the human race has with total annihilation. Rennie's stoic performance is chilling because of the weight behind Klaatu's message. Gray, Neal, and Jaffe also turn in great work and more than manage to keep from being overshadowed by Gort. Although it is rarely referred to as a "Cold War" film, "The Day the Earth Stood Still" nevertheless effectively captures the nuclear anxiety and political grandstanding that characterized the early Fifties.


Sci-fi masterpiece with a message   October 19, 2005
 5 out of 6 found this review helpful

In a time when most science fiction movies were Earth versus mean aliens, Earth being invaded by mean aliens, or Earthlings encountering mean aliens during space exploration (all of which were just us civilized people against the ignorant barbarians, with lots of campy effects and shooting), this film was different. It started from a different premise and carried strong social messages. It was a message of peace in an era of hostility and paranoia.

Dignified, peaceful humanoid alien Michael Rennie comes to visit Earth and try to instill more peaceful ways on our world. His visit is misinterpreted by paranoid humans and he is shot. He escapes from the hospital where he was being treated for the wound, blends in with average, ordinary people, and finds our underlying good. His faithful robot is also a model of dignity and loyalty.

The acting is very good, which separates it from many early sci-fi movies, which were little more than extensions of cartoons or Saturday serials (What's a "Saturday serial"? Ask an older relative). The special effects were okay, but they didn't need to be spectacular, as that was not the focus of the film. The story was meaningful, it flowed, and it had some action mixed with much depth.

An early science fiction movie for people who like to think.


yThere are signs of normalcyy   July 7, 2005
 3 out of 4 found this review helpful

We are visited by a flying saucer that lands near the U.S. capital. As a precaution the saucer is surrounded by the military with tanks, carbines, and side arms. The ship opens up and a being, Klaatu (Michael Rennie), steps out. He makes a menacing move with a foreign object. A quick thinking well trained military man shoots first.

Why are we being visited? A mysterious man named Mr. Carpenter may hold the answer. However the only people that will listen to the message are the world's scientists. To bring his point home Klaatu holds a demonstration. The result of the demonstration gives the movie its title "The Day the Earth Stood Still"

Besides being a classic this movie also captures a time. It is intriguing looking at the technology of the time and even the locations before they changed (some have not changed).

It is still fun to watch as Klaatu is encountered, detained, and the state of the governments (does not look like things have changed much). We all want to say to Gort "Gort! Klaatu barada nikto!"

This movie was better built than most for its time and rivals some movies of today. The message is still relevant and we sometimes try to apply the same solution here.


A sleek spaceship and a big scary robot.   October 13, 2004
 9 out of 10 found this review helpful

A classic from the opening credits. There's very little bad, if anything at all to say about this film.

It's a Robert Wise film with an immensely effective score from Bernard Herrmann and a suitable 50's cast (Michael Rennie is magnetic as Klaatu- eerily calm and self-assured) and very stylish design- especially the spacecraft and Gort.

When I first saw this as a kid I loved it- on face value as a Sci-Fi classic (a sleek spaceship and a big scary robot) but now I guess the biggest talking point is the subject matter- that of Post-War pacifism in the midst of the Cold-War.

It's amazing this ever got made. The military reaction to an alien arriving in the middle of Washington is understandable but I felt ashamed at our pettiness as a species.

Compare this reaction though to that of the dove-wielding Jack Nicholson in 'Mars Attacks' and you begin to wonder whether they are right to be mistrustful. Klaatu is very arrogant that he is right....

Anyway, enough of this- the pace and build up superb and it make great viewing- you can watch it again and again.