The Day the Earth Stood Still 1951
7.8 / 10
The Day the Earth Stood Still
An alien and a robot land on Earth after World War II and tell mankind to be peaceful or face destruction.
An alien and a robot land on Earth after World War II and tell mankind to be peaceful or face destruction.
Videos & Photos
All 2 Videos & 39 Photos
cast
Full Cast & Crew
... Klaatu, alias Mr. Carpenter
... Helen Benson
... Bobby Benson
... Prof. Jacob Barnhardt
... Tom Stevens
... Gort
User reviews
See All 1 Reviews23 Jun 2021 by John Chard
I'm impatient with stupidity. My people have learned to live without it. The Day the Earth Stood Still is directed by Robert Wise and adapted to screenplay by Edmund H. North from the story Farewell to the Master written by Harry Bates. It stars Michael Rennie, Patricia Neal, Hugh Marlowe, Sam Jaffe, Billy Gray and Frances Bavier. Music is by Bernard Herrmann and cinematography by Leo Tover. Classic sci-fi is right here as director Robert Wise gives a beautifully steady hand to Harry Bate's short story. Peace for the world or else is the message and I don't see anything wrong with that because it stands up to relevant scrutiny today and unfortunately many days ahead in the future. Debates about the allegorical worth of the film still persist today, but the core message is not up for argument. Wise shows his influences from the time when he worked with Orson Welles and Val Lewton, where here, aided by Tover's beautiful photography, he blends the feel of semi-documentary starkness with film noir visuality. Whether it's scenes of Klaatu (Rennie) trawling the wet night streets, or the interiors of the spaceship and boarding house, the visual imagery by way of low-key lighting compositions is often striking for mood accentuation. All the cast are spot on in their respective performances, with Neal refreshingly given a female role that doesn't resort to her being token sex appeal or a shrieking harpy. Herrmann's understated score is dynamite, and pretty much imitated wholesale from this point onwards, and the film is laced with poignant and frightening scenes that keep the viewer firmly glued to the tale unfolding. The demonstration of the visitors power gives the film its title and it's a glorious slice of celluloid, and in Gort the robot (Lock Martin) we have one of the biggest icons in sci-fi cinema. Once viewed one can never forget The Day The Earth Stood Still, its message, its structured precision and its technical smarts ensure you will remember this film always. One of the most important science fiction movies of all time, a game changer in the critical year for the sci-fi genre. All told it's magic cinema still standing the test of time. 10/10
Directors:
Producers:
Genres:
Release Date:
Sep 28, 1951 (United States)
Run Time:
1hr 32`
MMPA Rating:
G
Original Language:
English
Production Countries:
United States
Status:
Released
Plot Keywords:
Related Movies To
The Day the Earth Stood Still
I'm impatient with stupidity. My people have learned to live without it. The Day the Earth Stood Still is directed by Robert Wise and adapted to screenplay by Edmund H. North from the story Farewell to the Master written by Harry Bates. It stars Michael Rennie, Patricia Neal, Hugh Marlowe, Sam Jaffe, Billy Gray and Frances Bavier. Music is by Bernard Herrmann and cinematography by Leo Tover. Classic sci-fi is right here as director Robert Wise gives a beautifully steady hand to Harry Bate's short story. Peace for the world or else is the message and I don't see anything wrong with that because it stands up to relevant scrutiny today and unfortunately many days ahead in the future. Debates about the allegorical worth of the film still persist today, but the core message is not up for argument. Wise shows his influences from the time when he worked with Orson Welles and Val Lewton, where here, aided by Tover's beautiful photography, he blends the feel of semi-documentary starkness with film noir visuality. Whether it's scenes of Klaatu (Rennie) trawling the wet night streets, or the interiors of the spaceship and boarding house, the visual imagery by way of low-key lighting compositions is often striking for mood accentuation. All the cast are spot on in their respective performances, with Neal refreshingly given a female role that doesn't resort to her being token sex appeal or a shrieking harpy. Herrmann's understated score is dynamite, and pretty much imitated wholesale from this point onwards, and the film is laced with poignant and frightening scenes that keep the viewer firmly glued to the tale unfolding. The demonstration of the visitors power gives the film its title and it's a glorious slice of celluloid, and in Gort the robot (Lock Martin) we have one of the biggest icons in sci-fi cinema. Once viewed one can never forget The Day The Earth Stood Still, its message, its structured precision and its technical smarts ensure you will remember this film always. One of the most important science fiction movies of all time, a game changer in the critical year for the sci-fi genre. All told it's magic cinema still standing the test of time. 10/10
Cast & Crew of
The Day the Earth Stood Still
Directors & Credit Writers
... Director
Cast
... Klaatu, alias Mr. Carpenter
... Helen Benson
... Bobby Benson
... Prof. Jacob Barnhardt
... Tom Stevens
... Gort
... General Cutler
... Mrs. Crockett, landlady
... Mr. Harley, Secretary to the President
... Mrs. Barley, boarder
... George Barley, boarder
... Mr. Krull, boarder
... Hilda, Barnhart's secretary
ED
Elmer Davis... Elmer Davis
... H. V. Kaltenborn
DP
Drew Pearson... Drew Pearson
... Gabriel Heatter (voice)
... Lieutenant in Charge of Landing Site
JD
James Doyle... Army Dr. White
LD
Larry Dobkin... Balding Army Doctor
Produced By
... Producer
Videos & Photos of
The Day the Earth Stood Still
Videos ( 2)
Photos ( 39 )
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