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The day the earth stood still, a movie by Robert Wise is a film to reckon with. This movie

was first released in 1951 and later on a remake in 2008. Both releases have some commonalities

and they also have some differences. This science fiction film was meant to serve as a warning to

humanity about the dangers of the war equipments they have created. In both versions of the

movie, supernatural beings are used to invade the earth hoping that since humanity fears and

respects the supernatural, will change their ways and decide to live in a peaceful way.

The world

of today is characterized by a lot of violence. Worldwide, the violence being witnessed is killing

of innocent humans, robbery, kidnappings, rape and genocide among many other evils. Nations

are perceived powerful according to their nature of armory, with the most powerful ones owning

nuclear weapons that can wipe the entire universe within the shortest time possible. Both

versions of this movie are supposed to warn the habitants in earth of the dangers of war.

The

main purpose of this study is to explain the thematic similarities and contrasts brought about by

the two versions of the movie.

We live in a very dynamic society. Most people prefer original to fake, whether films or

electronics. It is evident that more people preferred the original 1951 version to the remake of

2008. They felt that the remake had too much repetition and lacked uniqueness. For instance, the

characters in the movie including Klaatu and Gort were the same.

However, both movies seem

to try to achieve some goal but in vain. Movies, apart from offering entertainment, are supposed

to be educative, because they all have a message whether positive or negative to convey. Most

McClintock, Pamela. "Alien invasion: 'Earth' moves on strength of sci-fi redo." Daily Variety, December 15,

2008.

Ibid

Shermer, Michael. "Klaatu Gort Redux: The Remake of a Classic Film the Day the Earth Stood Still Delivers a

Modern Warning Wrapped in an Ancient Myth." Skeptic, January 1, 2009.

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people however, watch movies only for entertainment purposes.

Viewers seldom try to

understand the hidden meanings and messages that movies pass across. The society of today is

more concerned with the entertainment than the educative aspect (Armstrong, Richard & Mary

2011). Seemingly, nothing has positively changed and earthlings have learned nothing over the

past fifty years. Instead, Nations are busy investing billions of wealth in weapons of mass

destruction.

The movie has several other themes like symbolism and environmentalism and care. In

both versions of the movie, symbolism is used in representing religion although the original had

more Christian symbolism than the latter. Klaatu, Gort and the woman are used to represent the

trinity of God, with Klaatu representing Jesus, Gort representing God and the woman

representing the Holy Spirit (The post standard, December 12

2008). Klaatu remarks the

woman as an almighty spirit with the power of life and death. Klaatu travels from another planet

with his bodyguard Gort, to warn earthlings against destroying their own environment. Humans

are informed that their planet will be destroyed if they do not stop laying waste all over. Keanu

and Gort come to warn humans from destroying themselves, a good display of care. Naturally, it

is expected that any one from another planet is out to capture the earth but instead, the movie

shows aliens who come in goodwill.

It is a warning to humans but delivered in a supernatural

way in an attempt to transform humanity. An almost negligible show of care can also be

recognized when Klaatu is shot and he is taken to a common hospital and treated by human

doctors.

McClintock, Pamela. "Alien invasion: 'Earth' moves on strength of sci-fi redo." Daily Variety, December 15,

2008.

McClintock, Pamela. "Alien invasion: 'Earth' moves on strength of sci-fi redo." Daily Variety, December 15,

2008.

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Klaatu reaches a point and gives up on humanity, after being told by another alien who

has lived on earth for 70 years that humans are destructive and unwilling to change. Klaatu is

convinced that the only way to change the earth is by exterminating all humanity, which is

contrary to his goodwill mission of peace.

Generally, humanity is afraid of Aliens and any

supernatural power. Humanity always questions the reality in science fiction. One would expect

that the earth should change for the better after more than 50 years and with the realization of the

negative effects of wasting the environment in violence.

It is also worth noting that both versions of the movie present the theme of universality.

The warning is meant for the world at large and not just Americans. However, this universality is

not fully achieved and only a few places in the earth appear in the movie. Good and evil exists in

both movies. The Aliens come to earth with a good message of peace and they want the planet

earth to remain beautiful and natural. They come to planet earth to warn of the ongoing evils in

both films.

Evil exists and humans are eager to destroy each other and their environment.

Nations are turning against nations and creating weapons of mass destruction that could easily

end up destroying each other. Religion is also witnessed in both movies and is symbolized by

the main actors. In the 1951 film, there is a time when Klaatu dies but Gort temporarily

resurrects him like the biblical story of Jesus and Lazarus.

Shermer, Michael. "Klaatu Gort Redux: The Remake of a Classic Film the Day the Earth Stood Still Delivers a

Modern Warning Wrapped in an Ancient Myth." Skeptic, January 1, 2009.

The Washington Post (New York), "They Nixed the 'Nikto,' but the Spirit Lives; A Surprisingly Restrained

Remake of 'The Day the Earth Stood Still'," December 12, 2008

Shermer, Michael. "Klaatu Gort Redux: The Remake of a Classic Film the Day the Earth Stood Still Delivers a

Modern Warning Wrapped in an Ancient Myth." Skeptic, January 1, 2009.

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The message has a deeper meaning in the remake other than conserving the environment

because the film consistently show scene of chaos and violence breaking out every day in all

corners of the world. The film can be talking about world peace and violence as well. Never does

the remake mention of the things or people causing the environment to die but all the characters

mention that humanity are killing the earth. Life beyond planet earth has fascinated human race

for a long period of time. Films and science literature have entertained people but also played a

major role in addressing most critical questions hopes and fears. Such practices have inspired

development of science and general imagination that we are not alone in the whole universe.

Although no specific era is indicated within the story, the plot revolves around a cold war

setting in which a nuclear holocaust appears to be imminent. In attempt to starve off a

confrontation between military superpowers through uniting the world against a common enemy,

a group of scientists decide to physically transform one of their own members into an alien being

and stage a fake invasion of the earth. This transformation is achieved by surgical alteration of

what scientists have in their possession. Complications arise when the physical alteration also

affects Leighton’s mind, and is compounded by his strong attachment to his pregnant wife.

A gigantic robot then emerges to protect the alien by emitting an energy wave that temporarily

paralyzes humans and disrupts all electrical systems. Klaatu warns that even thou he will manage

to save the humanity from the giant there will be a cost for human to pay, then walks to the

Shermer, Michael. "Klaatu Gort Redux: The Remake of a Classic Film the Day the Earth Stood Still Delivers a

Modern Warning Wrapped in an Ancient Myth." Skeptic, January 1, 2009.

Neal, Patricia, and Robert Wise. "When the earth stood still." 1951. www.retrocinema.wetcircuit.com (accessed

January 1st, 2013).

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sphere and touches it.

He eventually dies and his actions makes the sphere to deactivate the

locust cloud, saving humanity, but at the apparent expense of Earth's electrical capability;

rendered useless forever. The giant sphere leaves the Earth and everybody realizes the cost of

peace.

Conclusively, the thematic nature of both films contrasts minimally. Both versions seem

to have the theme of power, with everyone wanting to control the other. World peace is very

desirable. Both movies are used to warn humanity of the dangers of violence against themselves

and the environment. The movies preach universal peace and human beings are warned that if

they don’t end the violence, then they will be exterminated. In both films, war is on the looming.

When the aliens land on earth, human beings want to start a war already even without knowing

what is expected. In the remake, the alien starts a war against humanity and kills many people.

From the human approach, war is fought using equipment like guns and bombs but the aliens use

supernatural powers to fight. For instance, in the remake of 2008, Gort transforms into small

beings and goes ahead to destroy humanity until Klaatu is convinced that humans can change

and ends the war. Although both good and evil exist in the movies, good always comes

triumphant against the evil. Symbolic imagery representing religion is also employed in both

films. Klaatu is presented as Jesus who came on a mission to save the earth, got a bad reception

and after some time dies then resurrects temporarily.

Gort represents God and his work is to

Ibid

Shermer, Michael. "Klaatu Gort Redux: The Remake of a Classic Film the Day the Earth Stood Still Delivers a

Modern Warning Wrapped in an Ancient Myth." Skeptic, January 1, 2009.

Ibid

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protect Klaatu in the same manner God protected Jesus. The day the earth stood still contains

quite relevant and debatable themes and has rich style of delivery.

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References

Armstrong, Richard B., and Mary Willems Armstrong . Encyclopedia of film themes, settings

and series. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Co., 2001.

McClintock, Pamela. "Alien invasion: 'Earth' moves on strength of sci-fi redo." Daily Variety,

December 15, 2008.

Neal, Patricia, and Robert Wise. "When the earth stood still." 1951.

www.retrocinema.wetcircuit.com (accessed January 1st, 2013).

Shermer, Michael. "Klaatu Gort Redux: The Remake of a Classic Film the Day the Earth Stood

Still Delivers a Modern Warning Wrapped in an Ancient Myth." Skeptic, January 1,

2009.

The day the earth stood still. DVD. Directed by Scott Derrickson. Amsterdam: Twentieth

Century Fox Home Entertainment, 2009.

The Washington Post (New York), "They Nixed the 'Nikto,' but the Spirit Lives; A Surprisingly

Restrained Remake of 'The Day the Earth Stood Still'," December 12, 2008.

The Post-Standard (New York), ""The Day the Earth Stood Still".(Weekend)," December 11,

2008.

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