By Jonathan Klotz
| Published 1 second ago

Great science fiction is both a representation of its times and a window into the world of the future. 73 years after its debut, The day the Earth stood still unfortunately remains current. Released during the early years of the Cold War, the sci-fi classic explores what happens when an alien arrives in peace and is mystified by our fractured world and the man-made divisions between us. The classic story has been told many times, but the original 1951 film remains the best and serves as a reminder that humanity hasn’t progressed as much as we’d like to think.

A historical science fiction film

Even if you’ve never seen The day the Earth stood stillyou’ll recognize the opening with a flying saucer landing in Washington, D.C., as the military immediately surrounds it. Klaatu, a stern-looking humanoid stranger played by Michael Rennie, may appear human, but it is clear that he is alien in the way he moves and speaks, while his bodyguard, Gort, is a tall, imposing robot who silently protects his master. Announcing that he has a message for all of humanity’s leaders, Klaatu is almost immediately shot down, prompting Gort to attack the soldiers in a moment that does not require modern special effects to get the message across.

Klaatu eventually meets Helen Benson and her son, Bobby, during his mission to better understand humanity. The young boy takes the alien around the city, answering his questions about Earth and humanity along the way, which brings up the theme of war. This is the pivot of the message found in The day the Earth stood stillas Klaatu explains a few scenes later to a gifted scientist, that the aggressive nature of Earthlings combined with the recent advent of nuclear power has set a target on Earth to contain humans.

A timeless allegory

The day the Earth stood still ends predictably with Klaatu, disappointed in humanity, warning the gathered crowd to put aside their warlike nature, abandon the current path to nuclear annihilation, or face destruction. It’s very different from the original story, Farewell to the Mastera short story written by Harry Bates and published in 1940, before Oppenheimer helped invent the atomic bomb, but by relying on the Cold War allegory, the 1951 film has become a timeless allegory. There’s little action and rudimentary special effects, but Michael Rennie’s performance as Klaatu is haunting and set a template for aliens Hollywood still uses it today.

When I was a child and I became interested in science fiction, The day the Earth stood still was one of the cassettes my mother rented from the local library so I could see the type of science fiction she grew up with. Even then, I had been exposed to countless parodies and homages to the film, from the concept of an alien coming in peace to speak to the leaders and the concept of Gort in Saturday Morning Cartoons. Still, the dark nature of the film, aided by the fact that it was in black and white, fascinated me, and it remains one of my favorites today.

The soulless remake

The day the Earth stood still was remade in 2008 with Keanu Reeves like Klaatu, and the Cold War theme of nuclear annihilation was pushed aside to be replaced by an environmental message. Unfortunately, despite the all-star cast which includes Jennifer Connolly, John CleeseJon Hamm and Kathy Bates, the remake went too far to become a sci-fi spectacle. It looks amazing, and it was a minor hit in theaters, but there’s a reason it sucks at 21 percent. Rotten Tomatoes while the original is 95 percent fresh: it lacks the heart of the original storyline.

In fact, the 2008 film makes a great argument against remaking classic films. The day the Earth stood still is steeped in Cold War paranoia, but even decades after the particular moment that birthed it, the theme of man’s capacity for violence remains relevant. So why start again for a new generation if the film’s true purpose, as an allegory about war, is abandoned in favor of CGI?

An essential classic

There are a few films that I believe should be viewed as part of the essential canon of cinema, but The day the Earth stood still is one of them, in 1995 it was added to the National Film Registry for its cultural significance, which means I’m not the only one with this opinion. Especially for science fiction fans, the original film can be considered a near-perfect film that encompasses the best of the genre. Science fiction, at its best, inspires us to do better. Klaatu baradu nikto.

The day the Earth stood still is only available for streaming as part of video on demand via Amazon Prime, Google Play, Apple TVAnd Fandango at home. And check it out GenreVision Podcast Episode on both versions!