Published: December 13, 2008 11:41 am      

The Day the Earth Stood Still – 2 disc Special Edition

Compare the old and the new

I believe it’s pretty obvious Fox put together the 2-Disc Special Edition of the classic 1951 science-fiction film to help promote its 2008 version of the same name, that hit theaters on Friday Dec. 11. In my opinion, it’s always a good time to revisit this classic, and some of the new bonus material is both entertaining and informative. I think everyone should own this classic.

And, it’s not just the Couch Potato that calls this film classic. Robert Wise's compelling science fiction classic, The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) was listed this year as the fifth best film in the genre by the American Film Institute

This is a thought-provoking story told in vintage form by masters of the craft. A must-have for the true fan of classic films, and a must-see for those who have yet to experience Gort and Klaatu. However, those looking for an action-packed science-fiction film should look elsewhere.

Its preachy message is a little hoaky by today’s standards, and its special effects aren’t very special by this century’s CGI, but even discounting the age of the release, it still tells an interesting story.

Cast: Michael Rennie, Patricia Neal, Hugh Marlowe, Sam Jaffe, Bill Gray, Frances Bavier, Lock Martin, Frank Conroy, Carleton Young, Fay Roope, Edith Evanson, Robert Osterloh, Tyler McVey and James Seay

The Day the Earth Stood Still – 2 disc Special Edition

Rating: (****1/2 out of *****)

Synopsis: After being tracked around the world, a flying saucer lands in Washington D.C. on a beautiful summer day. After being surround by the military, Klaatu (Michael Rennie) and Gort (Lock Martin) emerge from the ship, announce that they have come in peace, and though bearing a gift, Klaatu is shot by an over-zealous young soldier. After escaping from his hospital, Klaatu befriends Bobby (Billy Gray) who gives Klaatu a tour around Washington and some insight into the culture. As he is tracked by the military, Klaatu will eventually be assisted by Bobby’s mom Helen (Patricia Neal) and Professor Barnhardt (Sam Jaffe). This film has a subtle elegance to it as it dabbles more in film noir than the typical monster-invasion films. From the lighting and set design to the dialogue-driven story combined with the classic theremin-filled soundtrack, this film was well ahead of its time in both special-effects technology as well as storytelling.

DVD Special Features

Disc 1

• Commentary by Director Robert Wise and Nicolas Meyer

• Commentary by Film & Music Historians John Morgan, Steven Smith, William Stromberg & Nick Redman

• Isolated Score Track 5.1

• The Making of " The Day The Earth Stood Still" (23:51)

• The Mysterious, Melodious Theremin (5:39)

• The Day the Earth Stood Still Main Title Live Performance by Peter Pringle (2:15)

• Farewell to the Master: a reading by Jameson K. Price

• Fox Movietonews from 1951 (6:21)

• 3 Trailers (teaser, theatrical, 2008 re-release)

Disc 2

• Decoding "Klaatu, Barada, Nikto"; Science Fiction as Metaphor (16:13)

• A Brief History of Flying Saucers (33:59)

• Edmund North: The Man Who Made The Earth Stand Still (15:42)

• The Astounding Harry Bates

• Farewell to the Master: An Audio Presentation of the Original Short Story (11:01)

• Race to Oblivion : A Documentary Short Written and produced by Edmund North (26:41)

• 7 Galleries