The Day The Earth Stood Still

Gort, Klaatu, Barada, Nikto

The motion picture, The Day The Earth stood Still is the finest Science Fiction movie ever made. It is also the favorite Sci-Fi movie of the Curator of the Grassy Knoll Institute. It was the vanguard of all science fiction movies that followed to the present days thrillers. First screened in 1951, it starred:

Starring:
Michael Rennie as Klaatu/Carpenter
Patricia Neal as Helen Benson
Hugh Marlowe as Tom Stevens
Sam Jaffe as Prof. Jacob Barnhardt
Billy Gray as Bobby Benson
Frances Bavier as Mrs. Barley
Lock Martin as Gort the robot

The Day The Earth Stood Still had a simple premise. Instead of portraying the aliens as invaders bent on earth's destruction and enslaving all of humankind, a new approach, a new technique was used. Instead, a friendly race of aliens eager to extend friendship and help for humankind. Expectedly, the paranoia running through the United states military spark a chain of events that brings the entire globe to a halt. The following is a brief synopsis of the movie and Klaatu's farewell warning to humankind.

A huge menacing flying saucer lands in Washington, DC. A semi-panic ensues among the community as troops arrive surrounding the space craft. A humanoid alien (Klaatu) and a giant robot (Gort) emerge, but Klaatu is shot and wounded by a nervous soldier as he extended his arm in friendship and help. Gort then uses his laser beam eye to melt the weapons right out of the soldiers hands and even vaporizes a tank. Klaatu's arm is treated at Walter Reed hospital and he tries to arrange a meeting with the leaders of the world, but they cannot agree on a meeting place, letting pettiness and pride rule them.

Klaatu escapes, evading the army and attempts to blend in with the citizens of earth by disguising himself as a salesman, a Mr. Carpenter. He then takes refuge at a boarding house and befriends the innkeeper, Helen, and her son, Bobby. Klaatu listens to the people surrounding him talking about the space man and how dangerous he can be. Some suggest he is not a space man but a Russian spy. Klaatu pays a visit to a prominent scientist and completes a complicated equation on his chalk board while waiting him to return.

After a while, Klaatu is found out by Helen's love interest, Tom, who alerts the military and a chase ensues. Klaatu returns to his ship and prepares to leave the planet. But before he leaves, Klaatu, as scientists from around the globe gathered near the spaceship, addresses the people of Earth warning them about their current actions and endeavors and their consequences.

"Citizens of earth. I am leaving soon. And you will forgive me if I speak bluntly. The universe grows smaller everyday. And the threat of aggression of any group can no longer be tolerated. There must be security for all, or no one is secure. This does not mean giving up any freedom. Except the freedom to act irresponsibly. Your ancestors knew this when they made laws to govern themselves and hired policemen to enforce them.

We, of the other planets, have long accepted this principle. We have an organization for the mutual protection for all worlds and the complete elimination of all aggression. The test of any such higher authority is of course the police force that supports it. For our policemen, we created a race of robots. Their function is to patrol the planets, in space ships like this one, and preserve the peace. In matters of aggression, we have given them absolute power over us. This power cannot be revoked. At the first sign of violence, they act automatically against the aggressor. The penalty for provoking their action is too terrible to risk.

The result is, we live in peace. Without arms or armies. Secure in the knowledge that we are free from aggression and war. Free to pursue more profitable enterprises. Now we do not pretend to have achieved perfection, but we do have a system, and it works. I came here to give you these facts. It is no concern of ours how you run your own planet. But if you threaten to extend your violence, this planet of yours will be reduced to a burned out cinder. Your choice is simple. Join us and live in peace, or pursue your present course, and face obliteration.

We shall be waiting for your answer. The decision rests with you.

Gort, Maringa."

GORT, KLAATU, BARADA, NIKTO

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