The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
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The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)



The film really calms down after this first act; the story becomes a mostly quiet exercise of observation of our culture by an intellectual alien. Rennie was a fortunate bit of casting; unknown to American audiences at that point, he suggests a slightly alien presence in human form - it's mentioned that his character, Klaatu, is 78 years old (life expectancy is 130 years old for his race, due to advanced medical capability); he does convey this impression. Also excellent is Sam Jaffe as the scientist Klaatu contacts, Patricia Neal as the not-so-average woman Klaatu gets to know and Billy Gray as her son.

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There are some basic limitations to the story: Klaatu is visited by a Secretary of State when he's in the hospital, but there's no sign of the President or even the V.P. - this is the single most monumental event in recorded history but is treated as just another milestone, like man first walking in Antarctica or first climbing Mt. Everest. More to the point, only two soldiers are left to guard the immobile Gort and the empty ship - a very blase attitude on the part of the military. This was done so that Klaatu could sneak back later and the boy could spy on the whole scene; these days, I would think there would be tons of curious citizens camped out nearby. 
As for the message which the alien society brings to us, it's a little mixed; Klaatu starts out by saying it's a message of good will but later details how Earth may be reduced to a burnt out cinder. I guess alien societies have a different interpretation of good will. Some analysts of this film claim that it's fascistic; others say it's merely a logical extension of our own police force. Still, it should be noted that the alien society essentially imposes its policing on us; it's one thing for a society to police itself, quite another for a society to police others. BoG's Score: 8.5 out of 10

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» Theory: Just a Sailor Earth thought...
» episode #15, segment 2: A Small Talent for War
» Soccer's Hell On Earth
» We are all Travellers and Residents of Spaceship Earth
» Theory: Just a Sailor Earth thought...
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