The Day the Earth Stood Still

Some reviewers say this is dated but then again so is Star Wars. Here you get above average acting and an intelligent script. Now that is dated!
Still most of the credit should go to Robert Wise the director and the fantastic cinematography. What beautiful lighting design. This film is mostly for Sci-Fi film buffs. And " Gort! Klaatu barada nikto!" is a gem. I doubt I could have kept a straight face either.

This is a well told story of what could happen. It is still relavent today. Something the whole family can watch.

It's amazing how timely the message of this movie still is. As I watched it, I realized how much it is not science fiction at all. Its observations and conclusions about humanity are still very relevant, and I found myself thinking about them even more as we live in these troubled times. The characters are very relatable, and the bad guys are not who you would think they'd be.

I heartily recommend this movie for the following:

--Great acting--Michael Rennie's Klaatu may be human-looking, but he's anything but human
--Wonderful special effects, considering the year it was made--even my teenagers were impressed, and they usually abhor black and white films
--Christian overtones
--Inherent messages (see above)
--Plus, it's interesting from a period film viewpoint.

Although the movie deviates from the original story on which it was based ("Farewell to the Master," by Harry Bates), it retains the suspense, human terror, and technological/ethical questioning of the original tale.

It would be interesting to see this movie re-made with an environmental twist, with Klaatu landing and then saying, "If you don't take care of the Earth, it's going to be taken away from you."

Watch this movie; it will make you think.

I agree with almost all Amazon reviewers about this film. It was a great old movie that earns five stars in my book. I am sorry that I never got to see this film on the big screen, but the restored and enhanced DVD transfer was so good that it held up well on my large screen HDTV. Excellent documentaries were included with the DVD about the making of the film and the materials that film collectors have accumulated over the years from this great movie.

During her interview Patricia Neal commented that her biggest problem during filming was keeping a straight face when required to say her now fameous line: "Gort, Klaatu barada nikto". You would never have known this from the final cut.

I only have a couple of comments to make about seeing the film in a fine digitally enhanced DVD format (on a 52" LCD screen):

1) As Gort carried Patricia Neal towards the saucer I noticed for the first time a network of (not so fine) cables supporting her weight.

2) In the saucer the foam rubber Gort suit front laces were clearly visible (for a fraction of a second) as Gort moved from right to left on screen exiting the saucer.

Still a timeless classic of sci fi movie making at its best. I dread the remake, out this December, and what modern view will be with. It is already miscast with Keenu Reeves as Klaatu. Ugh. David Bowie would have been a better choice. The message is simple but clear and still applies today. We are a stupid race of sentients destined for obliteration. We spend trillions on tanks and fighter jets and nukes while people starve. Gort should have a field day leveling the planet. Good riddance humanity.