The Epic Sci-Fi Classic Every Fan Should See Is Hidden In The Stream, How To Watch

Posted by Jonathan Klotz | Published 1 second ago

Great Sci-fi is both a representation of its time and a window into the world of the future. 73 years after its inception, The Day the World Stood Still remains tragically relevant. Released during the opening years of the Cold War, the sci-fi classic explores what happens when a stranger arrives peacefully and is haunted by our broken world and the man-made divisions between us. The classic story has been told many times, but the original 1951 movie is still the best and serves as a reminder that humanity has not evolved as much as we would like to think.

Landmark Sci-Fi Movie

Even if you’ve never seen it The Day the World Stood Stillyou’ll see the opening with a flying saucer touching down in Washington, DC, as troops quickly circle. Klaatu, the tough-looking character played by Michael Rennie, may look human, but it’s clear that he doesn’t walk the talk, and his bodyguard, Gort, is a tall, tough robot who silently protects his master. Announcing that he has a message for all of humanity’s leaders, Klaatu is quickly shot down, prompting Gort to attack the soldiers in a time that doesn’t require modern special effects to convey the message.

Klaatu is excited to meet Helen Benson and her son, Bobby, during his mission to better understand humanity. The little boy takes the stranger around town, answering his questions about Earth and humanity along the way, which brings up the topic of war. That’s the linchpin of the message you’re getting at The Day the World Stood Stillas Klaatu explains a few scenes later to the gifted scientist, that the aggressive nature of Earthlings combined with the recent advent of nuclear power, has set a goal for Earth to contain humans.

Endless Simile

The Day the World Stood Still it predictably ends with Klaatu, disillusioned with humanity, warning the assembled crowd to abandon their warlike attitude, abandon the current path of nuclear annihilation, or be destroyed. It is very different from the first story, Saying goodbye to the Teachera short story written by Harry Bates that was published in 1940, before Oppenheimer helped invent the atomic bomb, but based on Cold War imagery, the 1951 film became a timeless classic. There is little action and unusual special effects, but Michael Rennie’s performance as Klaatu is haunting and established the stereotype of aliens that Hollywood still uses today.

When I was a child and first showing interest in sci-fi, The Day the World Stood Still it was one of the tapes my mom rented from the local library so I could see the kind of sci-fi she grew up with. Even then, I had been exposed to many images and film tributes, from the idea of ​​arriving quietly to talk to the leaders and Gort from Saturday Morning Cartoons. However, the sad nature of the film, helped by the black and white, surprised me, and today it remains one of my favorites.

The Soulless Remake

The Day the World Stood Still it was remade in 2008 with Keanu Reeves as Klaatu, and the Cold War theme of nuclear annihilation was tossed aside in favor of an environmental message. Sadly, without a stellar cast including Jennifer Connolly, John Cleese, Jon Hamm, and Kathy Bates, the adaptation was largely a sci-fi spectacle. It looks amazing, and it was a minor hit in theaters, but there’s a reason it’s 21 percent rotten on Rotten Tomatoes while the original is 95 percent fresh: it doesn’t have the heart of the original screenplay.

In fact, the 2008 film is a major argument against remaking classic movies. The Day the World Stood Still steeped in the paranoia of the Cold War, but even decades removed from the era in which it began, the theme of violent human power remains relevant. So why go back to the new generation if the real purpose of the film, as a war fable, is thrown aside by CGI?

A Must Watch Classic

There are a few films that I think are required viewing as part of a list of essential films, however The Day the World Stood Still one of them, in 1995, was added to the National Film Registry because of its cultural significance, which means I’m not alone in this opinion. Especially for sci-fi fans, the original film can be viewed as an almost perfect film that combines the best of the genre. Science fiction, at its best, motivates us to do better. No matter what.

The Day the World Stood Still is only available for streaming as part of Video on Demand through Amazon Prime, Google Play, AppleTV, and Fandango Home. Also check out the GenreVision podcast episode in both versions!