Rather than aggressive, predatory aliens usually found the day the earth stood still science fiction films, the interplanetary visitors are portrayed as non-violent, helpful, intelligent, and life-affirming. Klaatu, the central extraterrestrial, is a decidedly positive father figure to the young boy at the heart of the story. Only one female has impact on the plot and she is played as competent, intelligent, and resourceful. People run in fear of an approaching spaceship. Army tanks and weaponry surround the spaceship; guns are drawn. A seemingly mild-mannered alien in human form is shot and injured by a panicky soldier. A robot vaporizes all the weapons in the area and later uses his powers to demobilize several guards. In a suspenseful sequence, the robot frightens a woman and carries her onto the spaceship. During the final conflict there are gun shots and a death occurs. There is a continuous threat of Earth being vaporized by the interplanetary presences. Parents need to know that at the core of this film is the powerful, and potentially disturbing notion that because of Earth's volatility and war-addicted nature, the planet is in danger of self-destructing. The production is old-fashioned, with none of the gore, in-your-face brutality, or heavy realism seen in later science fiction movies. Government and military officials are shown as impulsive and violence-prone; in several action sequences, they threaten and shoot out of fear and without cause. There are tanks, all sorts of guns and weaponry and one character is shot on two separate occasions. the day the earth stood still An alien vaporizes threatening objects and demobilizes guards. In other suspense-filled moments the leads are seen running for their lives. Since it's set in the 1950s, many characters smoke. In this classic 1951 sci-fi film, a charismatic foreigner lands on Earth, determined to deliver a message of peace despite people's fear and distrust. When a flying saucer lands in Washington, D. Spectators watch as a panel opens and Klaatu, a human-looking alien, emerges. While he declares his peaceful intentions, a trigger-happy soldier shoots him, provoking Klaatu's indestructible robot, Gort, to vaporize the army's entire arsenal. After escaping from the hospital where he's being observed, Klaatu borrows some earth clothes and seeks out the brilliant Professor Barnhardt, to whom he reveals his mission. Hopefully no one will ever try to, because the earnestness that drives it would be near impossible to recapture. The effects, understated and very competent, would resemble those in 1999's soulless Lost in Space. So please, movie-remaking people, leave this one alone. Michael Rennie's striking posture and stern, hatchet-like face make for a convincing alien. Children will find a character to relate to in Bobby, Helen's young son who finds a father figure in the man from space. Released during the Cold War, this film was a rarity for depicting its otherworldly visitor as an ambassador of peace. Though young viewers may find the robot and spaceship unimpressive by modern standards, Klaatu's mission will engage them, and the message of non-violence could spur good discussions about the importance of world peace.
