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The Day the Earth Stood Still (Special Edition) [Blu-ray]

Michael Rennie (Actor), Patricia Neal (Actor), Robert Wise (Director) Rated:
G
Format: Blu-ray
4.8 out of 5 stars 7,209 ratings
IMDb7.7/10.0
$39.00
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December 2, 2008
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Format AC-3, Multiple Formats, Dolby, Blu-ray, Black & White, Dubbed, DTS Surround Sound
Contributor Bernard Herrmann, Michael Rennie, Frances Bavier, Leo Tover, Robert Wise, Hugh Marlowe, Patricia Neal, Sam Jaffe, Lock Martin, Billy Gray See more
Language English
Runtime 1 hour and 32 minutes
Color Black & White
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Product Description

Klaatu and his guardian robot, Gort, come from afar to warn Earth about nuclear war. Directed by Robert Wise.

Product details

  • Aspect Ratio ‏ : ‎ 1.37:1
  • Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
  • MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ G (General Audience)
  • Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 0.7 x 7.5 x 5.4 inches; 0.01 ounces
  • Item model number ‏ : ‎ FOXS2292658BR
  • Director ‏ : ‎ Robert Wise
  • Media Format ‏ : ‎ AC-3, Multiple Formats, Dolby, Blu-ray, Black & White, Dubbed, DTS Surround Sound
  • Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 32 minutes
  • Release date ‏ : ‎ December 2, 2008
  • Actors ‏ : ‎ Michael Rennie, Patricia Neal, Hugh Marlowe, Sam Jaffe, Billy Gray
  • Dubbed: ‏ : ‎ French, Spanish
  • Subtitles: ‏ : ‎ English, Spanish
  • Studio ‏ : ‎ 20th Century Fox
  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B001G7PWYU
  • Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 out of 5 stars 7,209 ratings

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4.8 out of 5 stars
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Still a classic; The Day The Earth Stood Still(1951)
5 out of 5 stars
Still a classic; The Day The Earth Stood Still(1951)
I first watched this excellent movie in the early 60's in black and white and it was a classic then as it is now. The remake is not exactly the same but is also good because of the special affects. About 11 years later I was 21 and went into the U.S. Secret Service and I got to see some of the actual locations where that film was made. Especially since I worked at the White House and I could see the Ellipse just south of the White House. Billy Gray is an excellent actor and played Jim Thorpe(later Burt Lancaster) when Thorpe was a young boy. Michael Rennie is the perfect Klaatu as is Patricia Neal as Mrs. Benson and all the others. Being former law enforcement I sometimes wondered what it would be like if we had a GORT too? I know there are Aliens here, but I don't think they woudl want to harm the Earth as it is a plethora of Life that we still know nothing about.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • ChicGeek
    5.0 out of 5 stars MOVIE: 4.9 • VIDEO: 4.4 • AUDIO: 3.6
    Reviewed in the United States on March 6, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    FORMAT: Blu-Ray
    UPC: 0-24543-55466-0
    RELEASED: 2008-12-02

    TITLE: The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) • G • 1:32:11
    Michael Rennie, Patricia Neal, Hugh Marlowe, Sam Jaffe
    Robert Wise (Director)

    The ORIGINAL thinking-man's science fiction movie. Those of you that have seen it KNOW what I'm talking about (and can skip my rather long-winded musings and go directly to the "VIDEO" and "AUDIO" portion of this review). For the rest of you: please, read on.

    If you are one of those people who was raised on the action-oriented, extremely loud, special-effects driven, "sci-fi" movies of the last twenty, or so, years (hey, I ain't hatin', I liked most of them too), AND you have yet to see this movie, then probably EVERYTHING that you see and hear ABOUT it will make it seem like another potentially huge waste of time — a waste of time, that the old-timers (like your mom and dad), for reasons known only to them, are always ranting and raving about how YOU should drop everything and watch it NOW, because of how great THEY think it is. Yes, it is a black-and-white movie from the fifties (the poodle skirt wearing, tail-finned car driving, pipe-smoking father-knows-best NINETEEN-FIFTIES(!!!), for heaven's sake). Yes, the special-effects are dated, and, in some cases, even kinda cheesy looking. And, yes, it does star a bunch of people that you have probably NEVER heard of. However, every "serious" science fiction aficionado (i.e.—someone who READS science fiction, as well as, WATCHES it) that I have EVER met LOVES this movie. Heck, every self-professed non-sci-fi person (young or old) that I've ever corralled into watching this movie, has — at the VERY least — liked it (and usually LOVED it). The main reasons being: that it is very well written, it is very well directed, it has very good acting, and (for its day) it has high production values (In fact, this movie (along with "The Thing from Another World" [commonly known as The "original" Thing]) were the first "modern" science fiction movies that were released by a major studio [Fox for this movie and RKO for "The Thing" — also, because of their HUGE popularity, they helped to quickly usher in the 1950's science fiction "craze"]). Also, its main plot points, regarding paranoia and fear, are still VERY relevant today.

    I think, if you keep an open mind (and focus on the message of the film) while watching it, that you will be VERY pleasantly surprised at how much you actually like this movie — plus, you'll finally know what the old-timers are talking about when they say things like "Gort! Klaatu barada nicto!" around you. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

    See the other reviews for more detail and/or other opinions regarding the plot of the movie.

    VIDEO: 1.37:1 • B&W • 1080p • MPEG-4 AVC (35.3 Mbps)

    Fox Home Video is to be commended for its first-rate results in the re-mastering of this classic 1950's sci-fi gem. Because, this transfer exhibits very-good to frequently excellent picture quality — due, I'm sure, to its MUCH higher than average bit-rate (particularly for an "old", 4:3, B&W, movie). Another reason for the commendation is, that there were virtually NO artifacts such as black specks, white dots, hair-lines or dropped frames (though there was some weird fluttering for a few frames starting at approximately 1:10:50 into the movie, which is very likely because of the source elements used). In addition, sharpness and detail (except for some rather obvious stock footage, and some (probably) second-unit outdoor shots) are usually EXCELLENT throughout most of the film — with the textures of hair-styles, clothing and furnishings being readily apparent and natural looking. (In fact, the sharpness in this version is so good that, for the first time ever, in my 18 or 19 viewings of this movie, I could CLEARLY see black support wires holding Patricia Neal as Gort carried her into the spaceship!) Also, contrast and gray scale are VERY good overall, and in the outdoor daytime scenes, and in most of the well-lit indoor scenes, even excellent; however, there is almost NO shadow detail (and LOTS of black crush) in nearly all of the outdoor nighttime scenes (which, given the age of the film, is acceptable [at least, to me]). The only major issue that I find with this restoration and transfer of the film is that, it is SO GOOD that you see just how BAD and dated most of the special-effects are in the movie — which, all things considered, is a very nice "problem" to have. Overall, this movie's presentation on blu-ray has VERY good picture quality, and should satisfy all but the VERY pickiest of viewers.

    AUDIO: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)

    Fox Home Video has also done extensive clean-up work, and a 5.1 re-mix, on the film's soundtrack. First-off, the good news is that there are no loud bumps nor objectionably high levels of hiss to be found anywhere. In addition, the dialog is very clear and all voices are easily understood — however, dynamic range is quite limited, and there isn't very much bottom-end nor any top-end to speak of (which makes the few sound effects contained in the movie seem a little harsh and constrained). Finally, although the soundtrack has been redone as a "5.1" re-mix, it is still essentially a MONOPHONIC soundtrack; yes, there is music (surprisingly good sounding music, considering its age) in the surrounds — but there is VERY little else there (aside from VERY infrequent crowd-noises and RARE environmental street-sounds). Overall, considering the age of the source elements and the fact that this is (despite proclamations to the contrary) still a monophonic, dialog-driven, movie from the early 1950's, its soundtrack has more than acceptable sound quality.

    EXTRAS: Director's commentary
    Commentary by several Film and Music Historians
    Several 'Making Of' videos
    Several Featurettes
    Newsreel
    Interactive Games
    Trailers

    None of the extras were reviewed.
    43 people found this helpful
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  • Jim Phillips
    5.0 out of 5 stars THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL
    Reviewed in the United States on April 23, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    The very first Sci-Fi movie I ever watched back in the early 50s. Still a great movie after all these years. Highly recommend.
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  • Sharon Burks
    5.0 out of 5 stars Movie
    Reviewed in the United States on April 25, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Item was as described
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  • JinxVia
    5.0 out of 5 stars Classic must have for any sci-fi fan
    Reviewed in the United States on March 26, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    I have always loved this story and glad I finally own it. I can watch anytime I want now. As a child when Gort cornered Helen and raised his visor, I was so scared and thought she was going to get zapped. Even now knowing the outcome, that is still a terrifying scene.
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  • The Night Falcon
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Truly Great Classic!
    Reviewed in the United States on January 3, 2007
    Verified Purchase
    When I look back over my life, I remember not hearing the name of Michael Rennie until the Rocky Horror Picture show that came out in the 1970's. His name was used in the opening lyrics of the opening song of that movie. Even back then I had wondered what ever happened to the old film "The Day The Earth Stood Still".

    The story line of this movie is simple: Klatu comes from a far away Galaxy to bring a message to this world to abandone all violence and pursue the pathway of peace and love or be destoyed by its neighboring worlds forming a galactic community of peace. He is first greeted by being shot by a U.S. soilder after exiting his space craft. He then escapes the military hospital, where he is kept under close guard; only to mingle with the earthlings and learn of their ways before reporting back to those who sent him for a judgement over this earth. He finally meets the world's top scientist, Professor Bernhardt, where he is asked by Bernhardt to perform a demonstration to the world that will convince everyone we must either stop our violence or be utterly destroyed by the community of planets Klatu represents. Klatu comes complete with his own military power in a single robot named "Gort" which has the power to selectively destroy objects while sparing human flesh of total disintegration. Gort also has the power to destroy the entire planet if need be, we learn.

    The property work done to create the space ship seen in this film is very well done, but what really carries this film is not the limited special effects, but the story. Even though the film is in black and white, the lighting and cinematography in this work is marvelous to say the least. The only orchestral sound effect used that adds a "creepiness" to the feel of the film is the use of a bow on a saw blade. This was before synthesizers and digital sound were created; so given the limitations of what was available, allot had to be done to focus on a good story to drive home the product. I remember seeing a fellow demonstrate the use of a bow on a sawblade when I was much younger which is how I can tell the sound was created in the opening music of the film as the picture starts from outer space, while slowly focusing in on the earth, as a suggestion we are following Klatu's journey toward the earth while the opening credits being.

    While I was born 11 years after the end of World War II, This film is literally a post World War II peace keeping tool with a powerful message behind it, although it certainly doesn't use a Gandi type approach to solving world peace. This film is great for the whole family however, including little children: It is also a good topic parents can use for discussion to help their children think when it comes to dealing with the violence and evil this world is subject to. The only real violent scenes are when two military gaurds are totally disintegrated by Gort's light beem and when the military shoot down Klatu while running from the military police to reach a meeting of scientists to give his message. Even this violent act is redeemed when Gort comes for Klatu's body, takes him to the space ship and restores full life to Klatu's body as a form of resurrection.

    While we all dream for either God or a messenger from space coming to knock some sense into this violent ridden planet of ours, so as to teach us we are one fragile small world, the truth is, the burden of making this world work is our own, which this film teaches in its final message. This story teaches without being preachy, while asking the viewer in the end "what outcome will you choose for your world?". The only controversy for discussion with the story premise is that violence is being offered by the worlds Klatu represents, if this world does not turn from its own violence: Kind of like "There is always a greater bully to bully the bully" concept. On one side of the argument, you get a post Nazi dictatorial approach to solving world peace, which the world had just come out of in 1951 with the story line of this film. This would suggest the Universe is as violent as George Lucus's Star Wars. However, on the other side, you can't help but wonder if the report Klatu will make to his superiors, in the end, will avert the use of destructive force on the earth to get it to depart from its own violent ways. It is an interesting paradox for study and would have made for a good sequel to this original film.

    Regardless, it's great now to have this old 1951 classic gracing my library these days in DVD format. It never gets old to watch, nor the message of peace it tries to deliver to a post WWII generation, which is my generation.

    Disk quality and cover were excellent! No complaints. Good purchase price for the quality. Thanks for offering it on Amazon!
    13 people found this helpful
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  • juli
    4.0 out of 5 stars Great old movie
    Reviewed in the United States on April 18, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Great old si-fi movie I have added to my collection. worth the watch.
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  • Charles A. Ward
    5.0 out of 5 stars Classic remake
    Reviewed in the United States on April 2, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    A favorite classic
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  • B.M.
    5.0 out of 5 stars A faithful reproduction of the original.
    Reviewed in the United States on March 9, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    An excellent reproduction of the original film in DVD format. Good quality in sound and video. A landmark motion picture that established standards for the future and a persistent message.
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Vince
    5.0 out of 5 stars Con castellano
    Reviewed in Spain on January 11, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Opinión de Day The Earth Stood Still The BD [Reino Unido] [Blu-ray] con ASIN: B001GPTCDE
    La edición bluray del Reino Unido de "Ultimátum a la Tierra" (de 1951) tiene audio castellano y subtítulos en español en los extras.
    ¡Un saludo! Espero que os sea de utilidad mi comentario.
    Report
  • Gilles
    5.0 out of 5 stars un classique
    Reviewed in Canada on April 1, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    C'est un classique. Je l'aimais quand j'étais jeune et je l'aime encore aujourd'hui,
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  • Ralf Murk
    5.0 out of 5 stars Sehr gutes Stück Filmgeschichte
    Reviewed in Germany on January 28, 2009
    Verified Purchase
    Es ist ein schöner, sonniger Tag als in Washington D.C. ein Raumschiff landet. Ihm entsteigt der Außerirdische Klaatu (Michael Rennie). Als er aus seiner Tasche ein Geschenk für den Präsidenten nehmen möchte, wird er von einem übereifrigen Soldaten angeschossen. Klaatu wird ins Krankenhaus gebracht. Dort redet er mit einem Sekretär des US-Präsidenten und spricht von einer Botschaft, welche er allen Staatschefs zur gleichen Zeit mitteilen möchte. Ein solches Treffen kommt, wie zu erwarten, nicht zustande.
    Klaatu verschwindet aus dem Krankenhaus und mietet sich unter dem Namen Mr. Carpenter in der Pension von Helen Benson (Patricia Neal) ein. Dort freundet er sich mit deren Sohn Bobby (Billy Grey) an, und lässt sich von ihm die Stadt zeigen. Dabei stellt er fest, dass es Menschen gibt, die gewillt sind, ihm zuzuhören. Dem Physiker Professor Barnhardt (Sam Jaffe) gibt er sich zu erkennen und teilt ihm mit, dass die Menschheit von den Außerirdischen in der Galaxis beobachtet wird und dass der Menschheit nicht erlaubt werden kann, Atomkraft für die Raumfahrt zu nutzen, da die Außerirdischen dadurch eine Bedrohung des Friedens im Universum sehen. Barnhardt schlägt vor ein Treffen mit den internationalen Wissenschaftlern zu vereinbaren, welche Klaatus Raumschiff untersuchen. Ferner schlägt Barnhardt vor, dass Klaatu der Menschheit eine eindrucksvolle Demonstration seiner Macht geben soll. Folglich sorgt Klaatu dafür, dass am nächsten Tag um 12 Uhr Mittags kein elektrisches Gerät mehr für eine halbe Stunde über Strom verfügt.
    Lediglich Krankenhäuser, gestartete Flugzeuge und ähnliches verfügen über Elektrizität, so dass keine Menschen zu Schaden kommen. Leider ist der Verlobte von Helen Benson, Tom Stevens (Hugh Marlowe) misstrauisch gegenüber Mr. Carpenter und findet heraus, dass er der gesuchte Außerirdische ist, und verpfeift ihn bei den Streitkräften. Klaatu wird daraufhin verfolgt und erschossen. Er schickt Helen zum Raumschiff, wo sie dem Roboter Gort (Lock Martin) die Worte 'Klaatu Barada Nikto' sagen soll, damit Gort nicht seine Programmierung befolgt, welche besagt, dass er die Erde vernichten soll, sollte Klaatu etwas zustoßen. Helen befolgt seine Anweisung und sagt Gort die Worte, worauf Gort sich auf den Weg macht, und Klaatus Leiche ins Raumschiff bringt.
    Dort wird er wieder zum Leben erweckt und spricht zu den Wissenschaftlern. Er erzählt, dass er Vertreter einer Gemeinschaft von Planeten ist, welche Roboter wie Gort erschaffen haben, um die Planeten im Universum zu überwachen und jeden Aggressor zu vernichten, welcher einen anderen Planeten angreift. So wird im Universum der Frieden bewahrt. Die Menschheit weiß nun was ihr bevorsteht, wenn sie ihre Aggressionen in den Weltraum tragen. Klaatu hat seinen Auftrag erfüllt, die Warnung ist verkündet, er verlässt die Erde wieder.

    Die Umsetzung:
    Seit dem 11. Dezember läuft die Neuverfilmung mit Keanu Reeves in den Lichtspielhäusern und da dachte ich mir, ich könnte mir mal das Original von 1951 vorknöpfen. Wenn man sich den Film vor dem Hintergrund der Zeit anschaut, in der er gedreht worden ist, dann erkennt man die brillante Botschaft des Films. Denn in einer Zeit, in welcher der Zweite Weltkrieg gerade erst vorbei ist und die Sowjetunion jetzt auch über die Atombombe verfügt, dann erscheint die friedfertige Botschaft des Films nicht nur revolutionär, sondern auch mutig. Doch nicht nur die Botschaft des Films ist friedfertig, sondern auch die Machart.
    Der Film wird sehr ruhig und gemächlich erzählt, und nimmt dabei den Zuschauer doch gefangen. Das hat mir sehr gut gefallen. Die gut aufspielenden Akteure und die niemals billig wirkenden Spezialeffekte tragen sehr zur Unterhaltung bei und sorgen dafür, dass der Film auch heute noch zu gefallen weiß. Nicht umsonst ist 'Der Tag, an dem die Erde still stand' einer der Klassiker des Science-Fiction-Kinos. Auch sollte man nicht vergessen, dass es 57 Jahre dauerte, bis er neu verfilmt wurde, während irgendwelche Blobs, Fliegen und Dinger aus anderen Welten grade mal ca. 30 Jahre schafften. All dies spricht für die Nachhaltigkeit des Films.
    Was mich ein wenig verwundert, ist die Tatsache, dass dieser kongeniale Film nur sehr, sehr selten im Fernsehen läuft. Das ist unverdient. Zum Glück gibt es diesen Klassiker auf DVD. Was mich noch mehr wunderte, ist die Fehlinterpretierbarkeit des Titels. Bis neulich, als ich den Film zum ersten Mal sah (den fehlenden Fernsehausstrahlungen sei Dank), dachte ich es ginge darum, dass die Rotation der Erde gestoppt wird. Hmmmm. Das passiert in dem Film nicht. Die Filmemacher dachten wohl, dass eine halbe Stunde weltweiter Stromausfall, oder das Erscheinen eines Außerirdischen genug Stillstand bedeutet. Das kommt so nicht rüber und hat mich als Zuschauer nicht befriedigt. Aber ansonsten ist der Film schon stark.

    Die DVD:
    Es gibt den Film in drei Versionen auf dem Markt. Da gibt es die Veröffentlichung im Rahmen der FOX-Reihe 'Große-Film-Klassiker' als Single-Disc im schicken Pappschuber und 16-seitigem Booklet, sowie eine Veröffentlichung im Rahmen der 'Cinema Premium'-Reihe mit toll ausgestatteter Bonus-Disc. Die getestete Version ist die 'normale' Single-Disc-Edition in Amaray-Hülle. Technisch sind alle Versionen gleich. Das heißt, der Film hat ein sehr gutes Bild und lediglich die Tatsache das der Film in Schwarz/Weiss gefilmt wurde, lässt aus technischer Hinsicht das Alter des Films erahnen. Den Ton gibt es in Stereo auf Englisch, sowie auf Deutsch, Französisch, Italienisch und Spanisch in Mono. Zur visuellen Unterstützung gibt es eine ordentliche Anzahl an Untertiteln.
    An Bonus-Material weisen die Single-Discs einen Audiokommentar mit Filmregisseur Robert Wise und Regisseur Nicholas Meyer, einen Wochenschaubericht über den Film und andere Ereignisse im Jahre 1951. Ferner gibt es einen Vergleich des Filmmaterials vor und nach der Restauration und den Kinotrailer. Die 'Cinema Premium'-Fassung hat eine prall gefüllte Bonus Disc mit einem 80minütigem Making-Of, einer viertelstündigen Featurette 'Warnung und Ultimatum', Trailern, Fotogalerien, zwölf Seiten Booklet und vier Postkarten.

    Fazit:
    Es ist gewiss interessant im Rahmen der Neuverfilmung das Original zu schauen und evtl. neu zu entdecken. Er ist es wert.
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  • J. L. Sievert
    5.0 out of 5 stars We have been warned
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 3, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Both sci-fi film classic and Cold War document, the film was made in 1951 when the battle lines between the United States and Soviet Union were being drawn. Nuclear battle lines, that is. We still live with the spectre of such menace today even if the the old U.S.S.R. has dissolved, as there are over 15,000 nuclear weapons in the world, 90% of them in the U.S. and Russia, two gangs in a turf war with the world held hostage to it. What a way to live!

    So I thought I’d write about this classic film now, as important today as it was when made over 60 years ago.

    A UFO is detected in the atmosphere surrounding Earth. U.S. radar and tracking stations around the world are tracing its movements. As it draws closer to the surface many other people around the world are increasingly tense and worried. What is it? Where has it come from? Why is it visiting? What do its inhabitants want? In due course these questions will be answered, but for now anxiety reigns. The terrible Second World War was one thing. So is this ghastly Cold War, a stalemate between superpowers with nuclear weapons in their arsenal. But this is something beyond those crises, something intergalactic and unknown.

    The film is clever. It keeps us guessing and wondering for as long as possible, just as it does with persons on Earth in the film. The spacecraft circles the globe, surveying terrain for its best landing site. The Siberian tundra is clearly out. Instead, it lands in Washington, D.C. in the U.S., setting down on several baseball fields in a public park. The spaceship is metallic silver and huge, a saucer-shaped craft the size of Wembley Stadium’s football pitch.

    It was patient and silent as it moved through Earth’s atmosphere. It remains silent and patient now as it rests in the park. The U.S. army has surrounded it with armed soldiers, tanks, howitzers and grenade launchers. The D.C. police are out in force as well to keep curious onlookers at bay beyond the protective cordon.

    The craft landed in the afternoon. Radio and television broadcasts around the world — in French, Russian, Hindustani and scores of other languages — are covering the event. Two hours pass. Nothing, silence. Then, before dusk, something begins to stir. A faint hum is heard. Cracks in the spacecraft appear. A ramp opens up. Then a door. The crowd is aghast, all eyes on the door. From it an 8-foot metallic robot emerges. He is massive. His name is Gort. The crowd shudders. Gort stands on the ramp, impassive, immobile. Then Klaatu emerges, a thin being with skinny arms and legs (two each). He wears a space helmet, his face obscured. He walks down the ramp and stands on the grass, the first alien being (presumably) to ever set foot on our planet.

    He removes his helmet. He looks like a man, a human being. But his voice is flat and monotonal, free of inflexion. He says he has come bearing a message. He intends it to be heard by all people on Earth. He states he wants the heads of all states to assemble to hear him speak. As a token of goodwill and peace he removes an object from his breast pocket, holding it in his hand. But he does not tell the jittery soldiers what it is. Suddenly the object springs open and makes a noise. A nervous soldier fires. Klaatu drops to the ground, bleeding. Thus his first encounter with mankind is violent. He may have come in peace, but he is gunned down before he can bring it.

    Klaatu delivers a command to Gort. The robot’s visor opens. A powerful laser from Gort destroys the army’s violent weapons: its rifles, tanks, artillery. The display is awesome, unbelievable. Gort is ready to destroy more, but Klaatu commands him to stop. Thereafter Klaatu is taken to Walter Reed General Hospital in Washington for examination and treatment.

    The doctors are amazed to see how similar his anatomy is to that of humans. The X-rays reveal few anomalies. A bullet is removed from his shoulder. He’s in bed a day or two. But after this, astonishingly, his wound completely heals. How? Klaatu has brought his own medicine, in this case a salve with miraculous healing properties.

    Gort stands inert, harmless. The spacecraft is sealed tight again. Engineers examining its design and texture can find no seams in the surface of the craft. They are baffled. They cannot explain the ramp and door openings. Chemists on the scene are also startled by the composition of Gort’s outer layer, a metal alloy so strong it seems completely impenetrable. No metal found on Earth is comparable.

    An assistant to the U.S. President, Secretary Harley, visits Klaatu in hospital. Harley asks him the standard questions posed in paragraph 2 above. Klaatu says he can say nothing at this point. What he has to say cannot be shared with any individual. He must speak to all residents on Earth. Harley says it will be difficult, if not impossible. Tensions are high on Earth, the political situation unstable. It’s unlikely the nations of the world will agree to come together quickly and peacefully for talks. Impatient with Harley, Klaatu says:

    “I won’t speak to any one nation or group of nations. I don’t intend to add my contribution to your childish jealousies.”

    Harley tells him to be patient. Klaatu replies:

    “I’m impatient with stupidity. My people have learned to live without it.”

    Security at Walter Reed is not as tight as it should be. Klaatu vanishes. How he escaped nobody knows, but he’s gone, at large. The media discovers this. Radio and television broadcast horror stories of an alien monster on the loose. Newspapers carry caricatures of Klaatu, none of them accurate, the head and eyes too large.

    Where is he? The manhunt is coming up empty.

    Klaatu has gone undercover. A dry-cleaning tag on the arm of a blazer he has stolen and wears says, “Carpenter”. So this becomes his name: Mr. Carpenter.

    Room for Rent says the sign on a quiet suburban house in Washington. Klaatu as Mr. Carpenter investigates. Mrs. Benson is a war widow. Her husband died at Anzio and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington. She has a 10-year-old son named Bobby, named after his father Robert. Carpenter takes the room. Bobby is precocious, inquisitive, curious. Carpenter recognises his young intelligence. They become fast friends. Carpenter seems to be a New Englander, and he confesses to Mrs. Benson and others who visit the Benson household that he doesn’t know Washington well. On a Saturday Bobby offers to show Carpenter the local sights. They visit Arlington, the Lincoln Memorial and of course the alien spacecraft. A large crowd is still gathered behind a cordon of police and military personnel that surrounds the spacecraft. Gort has stood motionless outside the craft for two days now.

    Bobby is a little puzzled by Carpenter. The stranger knows a lot about science, physics and mathematics, but little about anything else. Carpenter wonders if all those buried at Arlington were soldiers and he doesn’t know who Abraham Lincoln was. He also has no money and has never seen a movie. But he does have diamonds in his pocket, although Bobby fails to understand why this should be so even when Carpenter tells him they are a means of universal exchange. Bobby begins to wonder if Mr. Carpenter is a bank robber, jewel thief or spy.

    Carpenter wants to meet Professor Barnhardt, a local physicist and mathematician. The actor Sam Jaffe plays him. In those days he was old and lined and had long frizzy hair like Albert Einstein. The casting was unmistakable, and indeed Barnhardt seems to be as intelligent as Einstein. But not quite. Bobby and Carpenter visit the Barnhardt home. He isn’t in. Through a large window on the terrace they gaze into his study. In it they see a big blackboard with equations scattered across it. The door is locked and Bobby walks away. But when he turns he sees Carpenter entering the room, the door now mysteriously unlocked. Bobby watches him as Carpenter goes over the equations, chalking a check mark against those that are correct. Then Carpenter adds a few equations of his own.

    A lady servant of Dr. Barnhardt arrives, finding Bobby and Carpenter in the professor’s study. She is irate and says she’ll call the police. Carpenter advises against it. He also tells her it would be unwise to erase anything he has written on the blackboard. The new equations are meant to help the professor, not hinder him. Carpenter writes down the Benson home address and invites the professor to contact him.

    He does. Actually, someone from the government fetches him and brings him to the professor. Barnhardt is astounded by Carpenter’s intelligence. The professor had laboured for months over the equations. But now the solutions look so simple. How had he not grasped the way forward before? Carpenter explains where he went wrong. Barnhardt thanks him but concedes his ideas are only theoretical. Carpenter confirms they are correct.

    Barnhardt:

    “How can you be so sure? Have you tested this theory?”

    Carpenter:

    “I find it works well enough to get me from one planet to another.”

    Barnhardt’s eyes widen. He looks breathless.

    Carpenter (smiling):

    “I am Klaatu.”

    Barnhardt takes the lead in contacting the government, urgently requesting a meeting of all heads of state on Earth. Only he knows what Klaatu means to say to his fellow inhabitants of Earth.
    But how can Klaatu convince them that total earthly cooperation is needed? His answer: He will make Earth stand still. At precisely noon the following day electricity and other energies will cease to function for 30 minutes.

    The demonstration is carried out. Almost everything comes to a stop: transportation, printing presses, broadcasts, home appliances. A complete, worldwide brownout.

    Clearly, the power at Klaatu’s disposal is immense. This should be self-evident now. But fear still reigns, not reason.

    Even so, the meeting is duly arranged. It will be held in Washington tomorrow night. Yet through a series of events Klaatu’s cover as Carpenter is blown. The army, placed on full alert, is ready to recapture him.

    The following night a taxi is headed downtown. In it Carpenter and Mrs. Benson are seated. They are going to the meeting together. She knows who he is now. Yesterday he was forced by circumstances to tell her the truth. She knows it was he who made the earth stand still.

    As they head downtown they notice a build-up of army personnel along the route. The taxi driver does too and is nervous. Klaatu tells Mrs. Benson he’s worried about Gort. Only Klaatu knows Gort’s destructive powers. He knows what Gort will do if anything happens to Klaatu. And so he teaches Mrs. Benson perhaps the most famous alien words in the history of sci-fi cinema:

    “Gort, Klaatu barada nikto.”

    She repeats the words to herself, committing them to memory.

    They are intercepted. Klaatu runs from the vehicle. The army opens fire. He is shot and killed.

    Mrs. Benson hurries to the spacecraft. Gort has already killed the army guards standing duty. He will try to kill her now too. But as his visor opens she utters the fateful words to him:

    “Klaatu barada nikto.”

    His visor closes. He picks her up and carries her into the spacecraft. Then he departs. Implausible though it may be, he then finds the body of Klaatu and carries it back to the ship. Thereafter follows the famous Christ-like resurrection scene where Gort places Klaatu on a machine that restores him to life, however temporary it will be.

    The meeting that was to be held downtown is shifted to the foot of the spacecraft now. Dr. Barnhardt is at the podium and means to address the assembled foreign dignitaries. But he barely has a chance to speak as the ramp of the ship slides down and the door opens. Gort emerges first, then Mrs. Benson with Klaatu. Gasps from the crowd. Klaatu lives! He was dead. He’s eternal, or seems to be. Christ-like indeed.

    The whole point of the film is summed up in the long, eloquent speech Klaatu makes to the crowd at the end. It’s long but had to be for him to say everything worth saying. He solemnly says:

    “I am leaving soon, and you will forgive me if I speak bluntly.

    The universe grows smaller every day, and the threat of aggression by any group anywhere can no longer be tolerated. There must be security for all or no one is secure. This does not mean giving up any freedom, except the freedom to act irresponsibly.

    Your ancestors knew this when they made laws to govern themselves and hired policemen to enforce them. We of the other planets have long accepted this principle. We have an organisation for the mutual protection of all planets, and for the complete elimination of aggression. The test of any such higher authority is of course the police force that supports it. For our policemen we created a race of robots. Their function is to patrol the planets in spaceships like this one and preserve the peace. In matters of aggression we have given them absolute power over us. This power cannot be revoked. At the first sign of violence they act automatically against the aggressor. The penalty for provoking this action it too terrible to risk.

    The result is, we live in peace, without arms or armies, secure in the knowledge that we are free from aggression and war, free to pursue more profitable enterprises.

    We do not pretend to have achieved perfection, but we do have a system, and it works. I came here to give you these facts. It is no concern of ours how you run your own planet. But if you threaten to extend your violence, this Earth of yours will be reduced to a burned-out cinder.

    Your choice is simple. Join us and live in peace, or pursue your present course and face obliteration. We shall be waiting for your answer. The decision rests with you.”

    So, the age-old question:

    Does the world end in fire or ice, in the heat of a runaway greenhouse climate (as on Venus) or in the deep-freeze of nuclear winter? Choices remain open for us, but for how long?

    We have been warned.
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  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars greatest early sci-fi film
    Reviewed in Australia on August 13, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    fantastic clean version
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