Michael Rennie was ill the day the earth stood still
But he told us where we stand
And Flash Gordon was there in silver underwear
Claude Raines was the invisible man
Then something went wrong for Fay Wray and King Kong
They got caught in a celluloid jam
Then at a deadly pace, it came from outer space
And this is how the message ran
SCIENCE FICTION DOUBLE FEATURE, THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW
Pretty bold to assume that Aliens' first stop on earth would be Washington, especially after we set up that sweet Alien party house for them in the Nevadan desert.
The Day the Earth Stood Still is a 1951 American science fiction film from 20th Century Fox, produced by Julian Blaustein and directed by Robert Wise. The screenplay was written by Edmund H. North, based on the 1940 science fiction short story "Farewell to the Master" by Harry Bates, and the film score was composed by Bernard Herrmann.
Travelling with mind-boggling speed, a gleaming unidentified flying object zooming in from boundless deep space, penetrates the Earth's atmosphere, landing smoothly in Cold War-Washington, D.C. Encircled by large yet feeble military forces, the peaceful intergalactic ambassador, Klaatu, emerges from the mysterious vessel accompanied by the silently dangerous robot of incomprehensible power, Gort, only to witness firsthand the earthlings' hospitality. The sophisticated humanoid declares that he comes in peace; however, he needs to assemble the world's greatest minds to hear his merciful warning and a definitive ultimatum. Is Klaatu the messenger of humanity's doom?
Going into this movie, you should prepare yourself for the slow burn. This is definitely a movie that would rather make a point than be entertaining, and after a while, this movie feels like an endless number of white dudes talking in an endless series of rotating black-and-white backdrops. If you would rather be shown all this cool shit than just hear about it on the radio, then sorry kid you're out of luck. All of the characters blend together, there isn't a single character to root for or get attached to, and every single cast member feels like a cardboard cut out of a real human.
Even worse than that, this movie never really uses its tension or suspense to any meaningful effect.
ya ya ya I get the point, humans are still basically primitives on the universal stage who have a nasty habit of constantly pointing loaded guns at our heads. it's a good point that of course will always be relevant, but there are a lot more engaging and updated ways of tackling this whole idea.
maybe I would enjoy the 2008 film more...
3/10
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