The Day the Earth Stood Still (PG)
Earth May Not Stand Still Now, But Sci-Fi Classic Still Worth a Watch
The innocent state of the world that saw one of the original Sci-Fi greats, The Day the Earth Stood Still, horrify and shock audiences throughout America and the world is often the source of scorn today.
Many snicker at the simplicity of the picture, it's melodramatic themes, poor quality acting, and syrupy sweet message. But the reality is, the world could do a lot worse than, in this wonderfully modern, progressive society, have another look at this instructive piece of Cold War drama.
Set in the early 1950s, with the Korean conflict raging, and the communist dual threats of the USSR and Red China occupying the minds of the free-world, The Day The Earth Stood Still is at times a chilling reminder of a period in history where annihilation was a constant issue.
The story begins with a blip on a navy-man's radar travelling at the astounding speed of 4,000 mph. The blip soon becomes an opaque object on the Washington D.C. horizon, and lands in a park adjacent to the Capitol.
Out steps Klaatu in a suit so futuristic, it can be seen most days on Fashion TV slinking along a catwalk in some corner of Italy or France. Klaatu comes in peace. Numerous weapons are trained on him, naturally, and as he reaches for an instrument, a toey private pops a cap in his arm. Klaatu's protector, the 10-foot tall original Iron Man, named Gort, steps out of the craft and melts, with a red laser, all of the weapons, including tanks, artillery, and personal armaments. Gort's suit is also a sight for sore eyes, and no doubt the reason why C3PO had knee joints built into his costume.
But I digress. Klaatu is taken to a military hospital and kept under lock and key. He recovers at a remarkable rate from his injuries, and explains that he has a message for all nations, and must speak to a gathering of their leaders at once.
He delivers this message to the President's Secretary, who explains how impossible such a meeting is, and rebuff's his request. Klaatu breaks out of the substandard confinements, and decides to assimilate with Humans to understand them better.
He soon finds himself in a D.C. boarding house where he meets a lovely widow, Helen, and her son, Bobby. Klaatu befriends Bobby, and gleans much information from his eager and friendly young buddy. Klaatu also decides to break into the home of an eminent Professor in hope of catching his attention, and securing the meeting he so desperately needs.
He gets the professors attention by easily solving a mathematical equation light years ahead of current wisdom, and persuades the Professor to listen to him. He says his message is a warning. That earth must solve its intercontinental differences without resorting to atomic destruction and advancement, or the other inhabitants of the universe will be obliged to step in, and sort out the earth in a quick and fiery manner, as a, dare I say it, pre-emptive strike in order to protect their own sanctity and security. Hmmm. Maybe G.W. is from another planet after all?
It seems these spacemen have determined that earth, in its current format, cannot be trusted with such supernal powers.
Well anyway, the meeting is arranged, but humans, being the control freaks they are, end up shooting Klaatu. It is at this point that Gort, who has been motionless for days standing guard of the ship, springs to life and rescues his master, along with Helen and Bobby.
The melodrama continues for a few more minutes, and Klaatu is revived to deliver his message with the world's leaders all ears. Then, off he goes, back into space at that withering speed of...you guessed it, 4000 mph.
As I mentioned, this is a simple movie, made simply, and leveraging on the fears of millions the world over. I can see that kids and adults alike would not have slept for days after watching Gort use his lasers, or Klaatu revived from the dead. But those things aside, to sneer at The Day the Earth Stood Still is to miss the salient point of its message.
That surely, at some point in our history, we will be able to, as John Lennon put it, 'give peace a chance'. But then again, maybe that is the most simple, naïve part of this story, that such a complex problem can be solved in 90 minutes.
In any case, The Day the Earth Stood Still is a fascinating time capsule of the 1950s. Complete with Leave it to Beaver-esque dialogue - I challenge you to count the number of times someone says 'swell' - and severe lack of clothing styles, The Day the Earth Stood Still is harmless fun that might even provoke some serious thoughts about the state of our fragile planet.
Certainly suitable for the whole family, and an interesting comparison to the 2008 version about to be released. I'm prepared to wager the word 'swell' won't get much of a run there!
With a remake due for release on December 12, now is not a bad time to check this out again, or possibly for the first time.
By Brett Stringer
