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Fear is described as the emotion that comes from believing that someone or something is dangerous. Many times, fear is justified and steers us away from risky situations. But when fear clouds our reasoning to analyze and make decisions, then people are bound to make the wrong ones, sometimes without even realizing it. That is the basis of this classic scifi thriller from the 1950s.
Set during the Cold War, The Day the Earth Stood Still begins with a flying saucer landing in the middle of Washington, DC creating all kinds of panic. When a humanoid called Klaatu (Michael Rennie), accompanied by a mysterious robot, claims to have an important message for all humanity, fear becomes the main threat among the population.
This is one of those films that always comes up in pop culture references and discussions about classic films, and understandably so. Even though some things could be seen as typical 50's scifi goofiness in the surface, the truth is that the film manages to instill an effective sense of dread and uneasiness regarding the nature of Klaatu's visit as well as what makes the robot Gort tick.
Rennie's performance as Klaatu is one of the film's strengths as he shows varying degrees of diplomacy, fairness, earnestness, and bluntness, all through the film. The first two are seen during his interactions with law enforcement and the military, while the earnestness can be seen through the friendship he develops with a young mother (Patricia Neal) and his son (Billy Gray).
Unfortunately, fear clouds our reasonings and the way we perceive things, regardless of how honest and well-intentioned they are, and in our fear to have "security", we threaten the security of others. That is why Klaatu's final message to humanity might seem blunt, but in a way, fair. "There must be security for all, or no one is secure."
Grade:
THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL
(1951, Wise)
A film about aliens or alien abductions
(1951, Wise)
A film about aliens or alien abductions
"I am fearful when I see people substituting fear for reason."
Fear is described as the emotion that comes from believing that someone or something is dangerous. Many times, fear is justified and steers us away from risky situations. But when fear clouds our reasoning to analyze and make decisions, then people are bound to make the wrong ones, sometimes without even realizing it. That is the basis of this classic scifi thriller from the 1950s.
Set during the Cold War, The Day the Earth Stood Still begins with a flying saucer landing in the middle of Washington, DC creating all kinds of panic. When a humanoid called Klaatu (Michael Rennie), accompanied by a mysterious robot, claims to have an important message for all humanity, fear becomes the main threat among the population.
This is one of those films that always comes up in pop culture references and discussions about classic films, and understandably so. Even though some things could be seen as typical 50's scifi goofiness in the surface, the truth is that the film manages to instill an effective sense of dread and uneasiness regarding the nature of Klaatu's visit as well as what makes the robot Gort tick.
Rennie's performance as Klaatu is one of the film's strengths as he shows varying degrees of diplomacy, fairness, earnestness, and bluntness, all through the film. The first two are seen during his interactions with law enforcement and the military, while the earnestness can be seen through the friendship he develops with a young mother (Patricia Neal) and his son (Billy Gray).
Unfortunately, fear clouds our reasonings and the way we perceive things, regardless of how honest and well-intentioned they are, and in our fear to have "security", we threaten the security of others. That is why Klaatu's final message to humanity might seem blunt, but in a way, fair. "There must be security for all, or no one is secure."
Grade: