USA, 1951
92m
35mm, black and white
mono, English
An American science fiction directed by Robert Wise.
Plot Summary
Alien emissary Klaatu arrives on Earth with a huge robot, Gort, as his only companion. Klaatu comes with a warning to people of Earth, that they should give up their war-like ways of pay the consequences. But he’s shot by a nervous soldier and later escapes from the hospital he’s taken to. He passes himself off as a human to learn more about humans – but also warns that Gort could destroy the planet of provoked.
Credits
* = uncredited
Crew
Directed by: Robert Wise
Copyright MCMLI [1951] by Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation
Twentieth Century-Fox presents. Produced and released by Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation
Produced by: Julian Blaustein
Screen Play by: Edmund H. North
Based on a Story [Farewell to the Master] by: Harry Bates
Director of Photography: Leo Tover
Film Editor: William Reynolds
Music: Bernard Hermann
Theremin Music: Dr Samuel Hoffman, Paul Shure *
Sound: Arthur L. Kirbach, Harry M. Leonard
Wardrobe Direction: Charles Le Maire
Klaatu’s Costume Designed by: Perkins Dailey
Costumes Designed by: Travilla
Makeup Artist: Ben Nye
Special Photographic Effects: Fred Sersen
Art Direction: Lyle Wheeler, Addison Hehr
Cast
Michael Rennie (Klaatu)
Patricia Neal (Helen Benson)
Hugh Marlowe (Tom Stevens)
Sam Jaffe (Dr Barnhardt)
Billy Gray (Bobby Benson)
Frances Bavier (Mrs Barley)
Lock Martin (Gort)
Drew Pearson [himself] *
Frank Conroy [Harley] *
Carleton Young [colonel] *
Fay Roope [Major General] *
Edith Evanson [Mrs Crockett] *
Robert Osterloh [Major White] *
Tyler McVey [Brady] *
James Seay [government man] *
John Brown [Mr George Barley] *
Marjorie Grossland [Hilda] *
Glenn Hardy [interviewer] *
House Peters Jr [military police captain] *
Rush Williams [military police sergeant] *
Alternative Titles
Farewell to the Master – shooting title
Journey to the World – shooting title
Ultimatum alla Terra – Italy
Links
Remake
The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008)
See also
Army of Darkness (1992)
The Cosmic Man (1959)
Devil Girl from Mars (1954)
The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
Stranger from Venus (1954)
Uchujin Tokyo arawaru (1956)
Extracts included in
78/52 (2017)
AFI’s 100 Years, 100 Thrills: America’s Most Heart-Pounding Movies (2001)
The Android Prophecy (2001)
A Century of Science Fiction (1996)
Explorers (1985)
Independence Day (1996)
It Came from Hollywood (1982)
Precious Images (1986)
Theremin: An Electronic Odyssey (1993)
References
Periodicals
- Castle of Frankenstein 1967 Annual p.36
- Cinefantastique vol.4 no.4 (1976) – article
- Dynamo Magazine July 1951 – illustrated article
- Fantastic Films April 1978 – illustrated article (The Day the Earth Stood Still: The Film and the Times by Jay Stock)
- Filmfax November 1989 – illustrated article (Director Robert Wise Remembers The Day the Earth Stood Still by Al Taylor and Doug Finch)
- Film Review October 1998 p.26 – review (by Alan Jones)
- Halls of Horror no.27 p.19 – note
- Radio Times 23-29 March 1985 pp.20, 70 – review; credits
- Radio Times 31 October-6 November 1987 p.27 – review
- SPFX no.2 (1978) – illustrated interview with Robert Wise (Gort Found! by Jay Duncan and Ted Bolus)
- TV Times 8-14 April 1989 p.47 – review
- Samhain no.61 p.34 – review
- Shivers no.50 p.57 – review
- Starlog no.211 (February 1995) pp.24-27, 69 – illustrated interview with Robert Wise (Years after stillness by Tom Weaver)
- Uncut no.96 (May 2005) p.139 – illustrated review (by P.H. [Peter Hogan])
Books
- 500 Essential Cult Movies: The Ultimate Guide by Jennifer Eiss with J.P. Rutter and Steve White p.136 – illustrated credits, synopsis, review
- Aurum Film Encyclopedia: Science Fiction by Phil Hardy (ed) p.127 – illustrated credits, review
- Bernard Herrmann, Hollywood’s Music-dramatist by Edward Johnson pp.18, 34
- BFI Screen Guides: 100 Science Fiction Films by Barry Keith Grant pp.43-44 – illustrated credits, review
- Caligari’s Children: The Film as Tale of Terror by Siegbert Solomon Prawer p.11
- The Charm of Evil: The Life and Films of Terence Fisher by Wheeler Winston Dixon p.4
- Escape Velocity by Bradley Schauer pp.46, 47, 58, 59, 63-64, 66-67, 74
- The Ghost of One’s Self: Doppelgangers in Mystery, Horror and Science Fiction Films by Paul Meehan pp.143, 174
- A Heart at Fire’s Centre: The Life and Music of Bernard Herrmann by Steven C. Smith pp.164-166, 171, 253n
- Heroes, Monsters and Values: Science Fiction Films of the 1970s by Michael Berman and R.S. Dalviu (eds.) pp.179, 188
- Hoffman’s Guide to SF, Horror and Fantasy Movies 1991-1992 p.92 – credits, review
- Nuclear Movies: A Filmography by Mick Broderick p.41- credits
- Reference Guide to Fantastic Films by Walt Lee p.90 – credits
- Sci-fi Chronicles by Guy Haley (ed.) p.114
- Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Film Sequels, Series, and Remakes by Kim R. Holston and Tom Winchester 2 p.63-64 – illustrated credits, review
- Science Fiction in the Movies: An A-Z by Roy Pickard p.22 – credits, note
- Silver Screen Saucers: Sorting Fact from Fantasy in Hollywood’s UFO Movies by Robbie Graham pp.20, 28-29, 36, 43, 58, 65, 98-105, 127, 138, 140, 192, 245
- Variety Science-Fiction Movies by Julian Brown (ed.) p.33 – credits, review
- The World of Fantasy Films by Richard Myers p.29
