Review of The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) by Sean H — 09 Nov 2015

I think it's something about experiencing the movie as a youngster and hearing that creepy musical score which makes an indelible impression. Gort the robot and the other FX are brilliant -- effectively menacing but not overplayed.

A strength of the movie is that through its characters it explores different reactions to the "alien invasion". There is the little boy befriended by the alien, and his vivid imagination. There is also a scene of the grown-ups discussing the alien arrival with a predictable nod to the 'Red Scare' (communist threat). Of course the press is alarmist and superficial (just like today) while the US military's agenda is to keep the alien imprisoned. There is even an Einstein character in the figure of Professor Barnard, since at that time Einstein was a celebrity. The movie suggests many things but is not preachy except for the obvious message at the very end of the movie, which concerns the threat of nuclear destruction.

After consideration, I do find that movie climax happens too quickly. The events near the end deserved an additional 10 or 15 minutes, so that is the weak point of the pic.

It's all about the art of the story telling through movies, and this movie is very nicely crafted.