The day the earth stood still (1951)

  The day the earth stood still (1951)

This film has been referred to as “the second coming of Christ”.  A man named Carpenter, all powerful,comes to help man, is killed and resurrected but I don’t get that deep in philosophy.  What I see is a very early masterpiece of cold war science fiction.  This is before my time but I grew up with it.  The acting, setting, effects (especially for that time) and music are great.  No, this is not the Keanu Reeves version; this is Michael Rennie at his finest.  Supported by Patricia Neal (not the best hair I’ve seen) as the chic, Hugh Malowe (veteran of other SciFi classics) and even Aunt Bee (Francis Bavier) make a stop over from Mayberry.  The reporters on the TV and radio are the actual news people of the day and Lock Martin (Gort) a 7’ tall usher from Grumann’s Chinese Theater is one of the best robots of all time.

I have no doubt that some of my love for this movie is nostalgia and colored a bit but the moral after 60 years is STILL valid and it is still fun at the same time.  The plot flows well and blends with the reality of the day.  I love Sam Jaffe (Pro. Branhart) as the Einstein look-a-like as well as the rampant paranoia that I can see actually happening then or now.  All this was done without a single persons head exploding or entrails tossed about like confetti at a New Year’s Eve party.

I really don’t know how this would translate into today’s generation used to movies of mindless viscous, violence, no plot, massive number of CG effects and very little acting but I suspect that those out there that still use a couple of their brain cells will get it and enjoy it, maybe not as much  as I, but still have fun.

All I have to say is KLAATU BARADA NIKTO