THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL: A Seminal Sci-Fi Film

Encounters with Aliens have always been one of the most appealing topics for science fiction writers. Due to the fact that this theme was often driven by a fear of the unknown, it was usually mixed with a bit of catastrophism. Following the thought of H.G. Wells and his War of the Worlds, the prospect of a confrontation with extraterrestrials has always had a negative connotation, with visions taking the form of an invasion aimed at the destruction of the human race. However, in the 1950s, during the explosion of popularity of cinematic contact science fiction, the first attempts to approach this theme somewhat defied the audience’s expectations. This is how The Day the Earth Stood Still from 1951 came about, where aliens arrive on our planet with a particularly peaceful attitude. Their stance carries an important message for the world.

The director of the film, Robert Wise, went down in history as a Hollywood craftsman, but in the good sense of the word. He was able to handle nearly any material. He successfully tried his hand in many genres, with westerns, melodramas, historical and war dramas, and even musicals in his portfolio. The most famous positions in his filmography are, of course, West Side Story and The Sound of Music. These are films that earned him Academy Awards. He started his career as an editor – working with Orson Welles on the famous Citizen Kane. However, Robert Wise is also remembered by fans of science fiction cinema. Apart from the reviewed title, he gave the world the horror The Haunting, the outstanding The Andromeda Strain – a realistic vision of an extraterrestrial virus attack based on scientific probability, and the first movie version of Star Trek. It is said that the direction of The Day the Earth Stood Still, being his first foray into sci-fi, interested Wise for two reasons: first, he believed in UFOs, and second, he liked the pacifist message of the story. This latter became the leitmotif of the film.

The film begins with a flying saucer landing on Earth (incidentally, this was the first time a flying saucer was presented in this way on film). Shortly after landing, a mysterious humanoid figure emerges from the ship and announces to the crowd gathered in Washington that he has come in peace (interestingly, the effect of “otherness” was achieved by casting the British actor Michael Rennie, who was completely unknown to American audiences, in the role of the invader). However, this declaration is not sufficient in the eyes of the soldiers, and when the alien approaches the crowd, he is shot. In his defense, a robot that arrived with him uses a laser beam to melt the soldiers’ weapons. The wounded stranger calms him, however, voluntarily surrendering himself to the doctors. In the hospital, he introduces himself as Klaatu and announces the purpose of his mission. He has come to Earth as an emissary of an alien civilization concerned about the consequences of human aggression. He wishes to meet with representatives of all nations. When his request is denied, he escapes from the hospital and, blending into the crowd, finds shelter with an earthly family.

There is no coincidence that UFO-themed films began to appear in cinemas in the 1950s. The atmosphere of Cold War threat was conducive to this. The content of The Day the Earth Stood Still seems to openly oppose this fear. The message conveyed by Klaatu directly states that peace between all nations is not only possible but also necessary for humanity’s survival in the future. His actions and words are an obvious reference to Christian teachings (or rather their superficial interpretations), which is why the character himself appears as a new Messiah, descending to Earth once again to bring order. And this is a fairly obvious analogy. It is no coincidence that the name the character uses while hiding his true identity is Carpenter. As an allegory, with the appropriate degree of convention, the film works. It is when we start to take all of this seriously that things get problematic.

For example, I personally disagree with the idea of peace when it must be achieved at any cost. I am far from such a form of pacifism. The way this idea is implemented in the film also leaves much to be desired. At one point, all electricity on Earth is turned off, and the planet comes to a standstill. This is an unequivocal warning. If humanity does not adhere to the alien’s instructions, it may be destroyed. It’s a bit like trying to calm an aggressive person with a strong slap in the face. And as we know, instead of calming aggression, it can only increase it. There are also doubts about the alien’s superior attitude and his interference in human affairs – why should someone standing on the same level as humans dictate how they should act? Unless, as the creators suggest, the mysterious alien is equated with God, wanting to instill peace in humanity in the name of love, and his threat is treated as a form of a new flood.

I must honestly admit that I struggle to be thrilled with this film, which today clearly feels outdated in terms of filmmaking. However, I have learned to view older spectacles mainly through the lens of what they left behind. And The Day the Earth Stood Still should primarily be appreciated for the foundations it laid for future generations of filmmakers. It is no coincidence that it is considered one of the most inspiring sci-fi films in history. The echoes of Klaatu’s stay on Earth resonate in cinema to this day; it is thanks to this film that the door was opened for numerous variations on the theme of meeting an alien visitor. Moreover, the famous line Klaatu barada nikto has permanently embedded itself in pop culture, and the film itself even had a remake in 2008 (but that’s another, somewhat less glorious story).

The memorable film by Wise may have stopped the Earth on the big screen, but outside of it, it set the stage for the entire genre of cinematic contact science fiction, making its mark in history. And that’s how I want to see it.