'The Day the Earth Stood Still' Remake Goes Green

Space.com ^ | December 11, 2008 | Clara Moskowitz

[Cincinatus]

NEW YORK -- If aliens ever visit Earth, they'll be coming to reprimand us for bad behavior.

That's the premise of the 1951 classic sci-fi film "The Day the Earth Stood Still," as well as the brand-new Fox remake of the same name, in theaters Friday. In the intervening 50 years, humanity hasn't gotten any better, the filmmakers seem to conclude -- we've just switched to new transgressions.

In the mid 20th century our most pressing concern about ourselves was the threat of humans annihilating each other with nuclear weapons. The original film follows Klaatu, a human-looking alien who comes to Earth with his bodyguard robot Gort, to warn people to cease and desist with the nukes before we contaminate the rest of the Galaxy with them.

The new version of the film focuses on a more contemporary preoccupation: the threat of climate change and environmental degradation. The new Klaatu, played by Keanu Reeves, couldn't care less if we blew ourselves to bits, but would we mind not taking out the rest of the species on Earth, as well as our rare habitable planet, with us?

[Cincinatus]

My initial reaction to this story was one of indignation -- how dare they sully the memory of a film that I have long admired with the current cause du jour of limousine liberals everywhere?

But on reflection, the premise of the original film was pretty stupid too. The idea that nuclear war on Earth threatened anybody but ourselves was and is laughable. Likewise, it's still a silly premise that what happens on Earth would concern any advanced intelligence.

[Dr. Ursus]

AMC has the orginial at 8:00 p.m. tonite.

[The Anti-One]

Well it looks like another movie I won’t be watching.

[Lurker]

Wow. A remake of a classic 50's sci-fi warning us of the dangers of globull warming.

How very original....

L

[camle]

the premise of TDTESS is that people are incapable of self-governance, and need some irrevocable outside power to control them.

the film demands that we give up our freedom and self-determination to a bunch of robots who are unaccountable and unstoppable. assimilate or we will stop you.

sounds like a call for bigger, more intrucive government to me, adn far less FREEDOM!

[Opinionated Blowhard]

That's right. This movie has always been the Libs version of Armageddon—the wicked who brought us nuclear bombs/are ruining the environment, etc. are going to pay if they don't repent. Give it a couple of years and a version will come out where the alien tells the Earth that they will all die if they don't pass gay marriage.

[libertarian27]

Well, this stinks...I promised to bring my nephew to see this over the weekend....so I have to sit through a Glowball Warming film? Just Ducky...

[shadowgovernment]

The Body Snatchers...seems somehow appropriate to today’s
culture and political scene.
The day the earth stood still was a good film, with a premise that you can’t go wrong with: People in leadership
“just don’t get it”
“Aliens” have invaded my America and turned us into a socialist hell.

[Dr. Sivana]

The idea that nuclear war on Earth threatened anybody but ourselves was and is laughable. Likewise, it's still a silly premise that what happens on Earth would concern any advanced intelligence.

Besides, no movie could ever play out that premise better than the immortal Plan Nine from Outer Space.

[Palin4ever]

There’s some green that this movie won’t be getting, and that’s my money. I’ll stick to the original film.

[ConservativeMind]

This is the first explanation I’ve been able to find about the movie and any possibly “Green” threats. I surmised as much from the actors involved, but the trailers and such didn’t seem to show the liberal bent and the quotes from those involved were simply that they were “faithful to the original movie” or “faithful to the original text the movie was based on,” which is different.

Last week, we rented the original and watched it. However, in light of this crud, we won’t be watching the new one.

[xcamel]

Another reason not to waste your money..

[Cincinatus]

The original story upon which the film is based had an even more disturbing twist: Gort was not Klaatu's robot servant, he was his master. This astonishingly fascist notion is hinted at in the movie where Klaatu remarks in regard to the peace-keeping robots that "in this area, we have given them absolute authority over us."

Sounds swell. Where do I sign up for this cosmic utopia?

[steelyourfaith]

I won't be wasting time and money on this dog.

 

Beam me to Planet Gore !

[Tenacious 1]

A real life end of human civilization would include a major meteor strike and global cooling to ensue. The adaptation and migration of survivors along with the anxious and brutal survival required to prevent extension of the race would make a good movie.

But the movie can't be about the meteor. It must be about humans reverting to ancient survival methods with modern knowledge, wisdom and skills.

Good old fashion heroes and villains built from everyday ordinary people migrating for survival in primitive hunting parties. Leaders emerge and procreation is encouraged. A doctor and his family, A construction worker, A teacher, a family of rednecks...mix and match in the American spirit.

[freemike]

Nothing original ever comes out of Hollywood. All they do is remake old movies. Seems like our fathers had all the original ideas.

[fnord]

the premise of TDTESS is that people are incapable of self-governance, and need some irrevocable outside power to control them.

the film demands that we give up our freedom and self-determination to a bunch of robots who are unaccountable and unstoppable. assimilate or we will stop you.

sounds like a call for bigger, more intrusive government to me, and far less FREEDOM!

also sounds like a call for bigger, more intrusive religious rule, and far less freedom.

which is why I lump the religionists and the socialists together. both camps want to eradicate individual freedom because we just can't handle liberty, and need the wisdom of elites to rule us all.

having said that, I doubt this is a cautionary tale, but more intended to soften us up for more top-down control.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Kinda like what the Clintons had in mind for the rest of us.

[kb2614]

2 words were going to keep me away from this movie.

Keanu Reeves.

[camle]

plant the seed that we are incapable of running our own lives, and that some kind of super-being needs to take over.

then TA-DA! in come the democrats to save the day!

I miss FREEDOM!