The Day the Earth Stood Still
Tuesday, 6. January 2009, 07:02:02
After the debacle that is The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008) (Should have been called 'Klaatu and GORT's bogus journey. Imagine a film in which GORT, the robot, has a better emotional range than Keanu. It's the day movie sensibilities stood still), I decided to see the original 1951 version. And what a great sci-fi movie it turned out to be.
For starters, the story and direction is really good. A sci-Fi movie with a story! A rarity indeed. And luckily, it doesn't rely much on special effects (Thank heavens too. The special effects look like they've been done in MS paint. Can't expect anything otherwise in 1951). The spaceship looks impressive, but GORT, looks like a rejected power ranger. And even with little action, little special effects, the movie does not tend to lag - credit that must be given to the director Robert Wise.
The acting is generally good, especially when compared to 2008 version. Some allowance must be given for the sensibilities of that age - like, overly melodramatic scenes with delayed, irrational screams, walking two steps forward and talking to the camera when the interlocutor is behind this character (like the soap operas of today).
As with most sci-fi classics, the movie does have a moral message to give. As with most sci-fi classics, humans, with their inherent trait of despising and threatening any species that is different from theirs, are shown in poor light. The moment that this benevolent alien lands on Earth, he is shot. He is immediately regarded as a threat. And, you can't help but agree with him that humans do pose a threat to all other civilizations (His message: Stop this violence, else we'll kill you ALL). We're inherently war-mongers.
But, the movie is hindered by too many minor plot-holes. Well, it just shows how simple that time was:
1)The space ship is said to travel 4000 miles/hr (it was later updated to 10^7 miles/hr in the 2008 version). 4000 was considered to be inhumanely fast!!!
2) Stranger (the Alien, incognito) to Mom: 'Can I spend time with your son'. Mom:'We'll ask little Billy how he feels'. She does say yes without any hesitation. Child safety related paranoia was non-existent in the pre-Michael Jackson era.
3) The Spaceship landing is the most important event in Human History. Yet, the spaceship was guarded by only two guards and a feeble corrugated steel wall! Even when GORT attacks the guards, the military persists in placing only two guards around it! When Klaatu is placed in the hospital, hi-tech military security involves locking him, and hiding the key!
But, even with all these minor flaws, the movie is still a Classic.
8 out of 10
1 star removed for its niggling plot holes.
1 star removed for the spaceship scene (when GORT lifts Mrs Barley and takes her into the spaceship). Slightly irritating.
(0%)
WIDGETIZE
King Nutin # 11. March 2009, 14:08
King Nutin # 12. March 2009, 06:23
Anonymous # 5. December 2009, 23:16
Excuse me please, in the 2008 movie version space ship is traveling at the speed of light. The movie used 3*10**7 meters per second. The speed of light is 299,792,458 meters per second which is approx 3*10**7.
As a side note, the science world always uses metric system. One such mistake took place 1998 when the $125 million Mars Climate Orbiter was lost. Miscalculations where due to the use of English units instead of metric units which sent craft off course 60 miles leading it on a suicide course through the Martian atmosphere. Thank You.