Here’s another classic that I had never watched before. Given that it was made in 1951, the visual effects and the concept must have felt both revolutionary and terrifying to its audiences, and I can see why The Day the Earth Stood Still has become a classic.
Synopsis: a spaceship suddenly lands on Earth spreading panic and fear. A human-looking alien steps out flanked by a tall and scary robot. The message it has for earthlings is to live in peace or face destruction, but it won’t be easy to deliver it.
The movie is well acted but I do have a few reservations about the screenplay, as it felt quite rushed here and there. Furthermore, certain things happen that are, frankly, too hard to believe. For instance, a supposedly dangerous robot is guarded solely by two guards (What?!!); or said robot is able to walk up to a city jail, destroy an outer wall, grab the alien inside and walk him back to their spaceship all without anyone noticing anything (Yeah right!!).
The visual effects are quite good albeit rudimentary, but the robot would have benefited from a bigger size since an 8 foot tall robot is not that scary when you consider that men are about 6 feet themselves.
Overall, I liked the movie and its age raised the final grade, but I was not blown away and it actually made me appreciate the remake a bit more, given that they ironed out many of the kinks in the original’s script.
Grade: 7
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