The Day the Earth Stood Still with Michael Rennie

Review By John Alexander

I am going to digress away to an "A picture" for a minute. One of the great science fiction films of all time although my first viewing of this movie was on TC in the early 1960s. As a youngster, was spellbound by the visor of the giant robot Gort and the pulsating light just before he would attack.

It was the robot's visor opening just slightly that scared me. Enough to give you a look at the pulsating light before it shot with laser like precision to blast anything the robot was looking at.

The Day the Earth Stood Still Poster
11 in. x 17 in.
Buy at AllPosters.com
$14.99

As a young creative mind, I was inspired so much by this movie that I'm sure I tried to build a robot myself and I am sure I created a cartoon series after the first time I saw it.

In later years, it still fascinated me to learn that Director Robert Wise was at the helm of making this film. Many people will associate Wise's name with The Sound of Music among other productions. I also came to really appreciate the performances of the entire cast with Michael Rennie as Klatu the alien coming down to warn the earth with an important message of a very serious nature.

Michael Rennie had a very interesting look and was a marvelous actor. In the movie he is trying to make contact by mixing in the community of ordinary everyday people. His relationship between other key earthlings including a young boy who begins to catch on that maybe this friend is just a little different when he discovers that Klatu uses diamonds instead of cash to pay for things. The dialog and the essence of discovery between Klatu and everyone he meets, make the whole plot very absorbing. Fabulous performances also from Sam Jaffe as Professor Barnhardt
who is wondering just who this stranger is who can perform complex math equations in minutes, that the Professor has been unable to finish on his own forever. The movie has wonderful dialog, excellent action and special effect for the 1950s that completely allow for suspension of belief.

One of my very favorite compossers was Bernard Herrman who had a way of creating extraordinary musical scores which always made such an impact in Ray Harryhausen projects which were to come later. Bernard Herrman does wonders for this science fiction film.

From beginning to end, this science fiction film certainly deserves 9 /10 for being one of the very best movies of the 1950s.

The Day the Earth Stood Still Poster
11 in. x 17 in.
Buy at AllPosters.com
$14.99

The giant robot Gort, was what hooked me and fascinated me as a kid.

He was played by a very tall actor by the name of Lockard Martin who stood 7 feet 7 inches tall. Lock Martin was apparently put inside a couple of different suits for portrayal of the giant robot. One had a zipper down the back of the robot (for use in scenes when the robot was facing the camera) and another suit had a zipper down the front (for use when the robot was being filmed from behind.) Just one of the secrets that gave the robot's onscreen appearance, completely smooth and seamless.

My personal rating for this film is 9/10