| | | Widely acclaimed as one of the most influencial sci-fi films of the 1950s.
Features: DVD
The Day The Earth Stood Still depicts the arrival of an alien dignitary, Klaatu (Michael Rennie), who has come to earth with his deadly robot, Gort (Lock Martin), to deliver the message that earthlings must stop warring among themselves--or else. After being shot at by military guards, Klaatu is brought to a Washington, D.C. hospital, where he begs a sympathetic but frank Major White (Robert Osterloh) to gather all the world's leaders so he can tell them more specifically what he has come to warn them about. Losing patience, Klaatu slips into the human world, adapting a false identity and living at a boarding house where he meets a smart woman with a conscience and her inquisitive son. Both mother and son soon find themselves embroiled in the complex mystery of Klaatu, his message and the government's witch hunt for the alien.
"Brilliantly acted... more timely than ever." Leonard Maltin
Editor's Note
Beginning with a documentary style that immediately hooks the viewer, THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL, based on the Harry Bates short story "Farewell to the Master," becomes as much a human interest story as it does a sci-fi B-movie classic. The film soberly depicts the arrival of an alien dignitary, Klaatu (Michael Rennie), who has come to earth with his deadly robot, Gort (Lock Martin), to deliver the message that earthlings must stop warring among themselves--or else. After being shot at by ignorant, panicky military guards, Klaatu is brought to a Washington, D.C., hospital, where he begs a sympathetic but frank Major White (Robert Osterloh) to gather all the world's leaders so he can tell them more specifically what he has come 250 million miles to warn them about. Losing patience, Klaatu slips into the human world, adapting a false identity and living at a boarding house where he meets a smart woman with a conscience, Helen Benson (Patricia Neal), and her inquisitive son, Bobby (Billy Gray). Both mother and son soon find themselves embroiled in the complex mystery of Klaatu, his message, and the government's witch hunt for the alien. Made during the cold war--when Americans were obsessed with the destructive capabilities of the atomic bomb--THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL, thanks to its beautiful pacing, excellent dialogue, and haunting score by Bernard Herrmann, is still a treat for contemporary audiences.
| Features | Movietone Newsreel (1951) | | Audio: English Stereo, English Mono, French Mono, Spanish Mono | | Subtitles: English, Spanish | | 5 Still Galleries | | Shooting Script | | Theatrical Trailer | | Audio Commentary By Robert Wise and Nicolas Meyer | | 70-Minute Making the Earth Stand Still Documentary | | Restoration Comparison |
| Technical Info
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Release Information
| | Studio: Foxvideo |
| Release Date: 9/11/2007 |
| Running Time: 92 minutes |
| Original Release Date: 1951 | | Catalog ID: 2005005 | | UPC: 00024543050056 | | Number of Discs: 1 |
Audio & Video
| | Original Language: English | | Available Audio Tracks: English [CC], English, French Dubbed, Spanish Dubbed | | Available Subtitles: English, Spanish | | Video: B&W |
Aspect Ratio | | 1.33:1 [4:3] |
| Cast & Crew
| Awards |
Golden Globe (1952) |  | Winner, Best Film Promoting International Understanding |
| Memorable Quotes| "Klaatu Barada Nikto"----Alien (Michael Rennie) to his robot guard, Gort (Lock Martin) |
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| | Professional Reviews | Entertainment Weekly
Rating: B 07/28/1995 p.71Entertainment Weekly
"...Today's sci-fi filmmakers could learn a thing or two from an old black-and-white gem that has the here and now written all over it..." 04/11/2003 p.61 USA Today
"...One of the classiest sci-fi staples ever..." 07/28/1995 p.14D Uncut
"Outstanding for its religious symbolism, overt anti-war message, and one of the coolest robots in cinema history..." 05/01/2005 p.139 |
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| Essentials |
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| Customer Reviews | ![]() | | Cinematography |  4.5 | | Plot |  5 | | Acting | 5 | | Overall Satisfaction | 5 |
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5 of 5 How stupid the human race is Saturday, May 17, 2003
delenn36@montanadsl.net from Missoula, Mt
This is one of the best scifi movies of all time. Out of its league for its time and so true. If a space ship were to land today we would still act in the same way even though now we know for a fact that aliens are out there. We would still shoot and ask questions later. What fools we are. Our government could learn from this movie.
I have always liked Micheal Rennie and think he should have made more than 4 or 5 movies. Was this review helpful?  
5 of 5 Eerily poignant! Friday, March 28, 2003
Keith from Brooklyn, NY
This is one of the greatest sci-fi films of all time. It has managed to stand the test of time exceptionally well, being over 50 years old. In our current atmosphere of the US's polital-economic hegemony, this film is eerily poignant, especially in its implications that nationalistic pride and sovereignty must be compromised to an extent for the greater good (UN); otherwise, there will be dire consequences for all. Aside from that, it's about time the DVD came out and the documentary is pretty good, but the studios have a bad habit of messing up the original cover art on the DVD versions. Why couldn't they use the more colorful art from the original poster? Was this review helpful?
5 of 5 The is no way not to love this movie Friday, February 14, 2003
wilhitertoys@ptcruiserclub.net from Yuba City, California
Great cast, Phenomenal special effects even by todays standard,and a story line that could come true any day now. The ambience that this movie creates sucks you right into the events and makes you a believer. There is no way any movie buff could not love this movie. About time it came out on DVD, now, follow it with other titles as well that deserve this treatment. Was this review helpful?
5 of 5 one of the best sci fi in history Saturday, January 25, 2003
nanu86@optonline.net from Nanuet, New York
As SCIFI's go not all are good. This one is considered one of the greatest. Not only by myself but critics throughout. I waited for years for this movie to come out on DVD. The time has come and can't wait. See for yourself... Was this review helpful?
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