Released – September, 1951 

Directed By - Robert Wise

Starring – Michael Rennie (Mr. Carpenter/Klaatu), Patricia Neal (Helen Benson), Hugh Marlowe (Tom Stevens), Sam Jaffe (Prof. Jacob Barnhardt).

Description – Science Fiction with a message. A poignant script backed by fine acting make up for the lower level special effects. This classic 1050’s sci-fi tells the story of a visiting alien (Klaatu) in human form who has landed in Washington, D.C. in a flying saucer.

His intentions are to warn earth regarding the potential of any nuclear war and the consequences it would have on other planets in our solar system. His an anti-nuclear warning is misunderstood and he is wounded by a nervous soldier who mistakes the gift he is carrying for a weapon.

This mistake leads to a large robot exiting the flying saucer and disintegrating all the present weapons without harming the soldiers. Klaatu stops the robot from any further harm, and is treated in a hospital until his recovery.

Remaining on earth for a while in order to observe the people, Klaatu finds that while most of the earth’s inhabitents share the peaceful wishes of the interplanatery visitor – some other’s do not. Unable to bring his message of peace to all in the world, Klaatu now must consider the use of robot’s to insure the prevention of nuclear war on earth.

NOTABLE: In 1995 this film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.

This year, 2008, this motion picture was selected by the American Film Institute as the 5th best Science Fiction movie ever made.

Director Robert Wise was attracted to this film due to his personal anti-military beliefs as well as his belief in UFO’s.

The Day the Earth Stood Still

The Day the Earth Stood Still (Special Edition) [Blu-ray]

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Released – April, 1951 

Directed By - Christian Nyby

Starring – Margaret Sheridan (Nikki), Kenneth Tobey (Capt. Patrick Hendry), Robert Cornthwaite (Dr. Carrington), Douglas Spencer (Scotty), James R. Young (Lt. Eddie Dykes).

Description – A United States Air Force unit is sent to a remote base in the Artic Polar Region Six to investigate what is believed to have been the crash of an airplane. What they find is a flying saucer embedded in the ice.

Attempting to free the saucer accidently destroys it; however, while canvassing the area with a geiger counter they find a large unidentified body type frozen in the ice. They retrive the body, cased within an ice block, and bring it to the research station to examine.

While storing the frozen body, it is mistakenly thawed and escapes. During its escape the creature is attacked by sled dogs and loses an arm. While examining the arm, as it completely thaws out, the arm ingests blood from one of the dogs apparently bringing it back to life.

What did the examination uncover? Although appearing to he a human form, the being is actually an advanced form of plant life that requires human blood to survive.

NOTABLE: In 2001 the United States Library of Congress added this film for preservation in the National Film Registry.

Actor James Arness plays The Thing and in costume and makeup is virtually unrecognizable appearing to look like a giant carrot.

A noteable scene where the Air Force crew form a circle around the frozen flying saucer was actually filmed at the RKO Rance in San Fernando Valley in 100 degree tempurtures.

Personal Comment: I have seen this film many times as a child when my family would visit relatives for dinner and a few Manhattan’s on New Years Eve. It was regularly shown on New Years Eve at that time and I would always have the movie, and a large bowl of popcorn all to myself.

It was always a little scary to me at the time as the film does an excellent job of creating and maintaining suspense using the unseen threat rather than the seen.

The Thing from Another World

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