Peace with Goodwill

I wonder what Klaatu would think of us now.

I pulled up a beach chair in my local park Friday night and treated myself to a screening of the science fiction classic The Day the Earth Stood Still.

I’d made certain earlier in the day that the folks at the Narrows Botanical Gardens were screening the 1951 original starring Michael Rennie and Patricia Neal and not the 2008 atrocity with Keanu Reeves.

This was the last night of the summer movie festival and I was feeling kind of low. I hate winter with a passion and in my mind once we clear Labor Day, it’s a screaming hell-plunge into freezing days, 16-hour nights, and no outdoor anything.

So, this seemed like a fine way to start the summer send-off: a beautiful night, a great film, and a five-minute walk home.

Of course, you have to deal with traffic noise, winds ruffling the movie screen, and noisy kids running around and shrieking at each other, but the price was right, as my father used to say, meaning it was free.

Based on a short story “Farewell to the Master,” by Harry Bates, The Day the Earth Stood Still tells the tale of Klaatu, an alien who visits earth from another world on a mission of peace and is shot by panicky soldiers shortly after he steps out of his flying saucer.

Klaatu has come a long way to warn humanity to clean up its psychotic act or face annihilation. He’s accompanied by Gort, a monstrous robot that is capable of nuking entire planets. And Gort comes awfully close to wiping out the earth until Patricia Neal issues the famous command Klaatu barada nikto!

“I am fearful when I see people substituting fear for reason,” Klaatu states at one point.

The Decision Rests with You

Substituting fear for reason? I can only imagine what Klaatu would think if he could see the current political situation. The world was a pretty crazy place in 1951, no doubt, but since then we have amped up fear dramatically while flushing reason straight down the crapper.

“I'm impatient with stupidity,” he declares.

Oy…we’re in worse shape than I thought.


The film has numerous messiah references. Our hero uses the alias Carpenter; he is killed and resurrected, and eventually ascends into the sky.

Interestingly, The Day the Earth Stood still came out in the same year as another one of my science fiction favorites, The Thing from Another World, which views aliens as bloodthirsty invaders to be destroyed, not as superior beings.

Before he leaves Klaatu advises humans to lay down its sword and shield.

“For our policemen, we created a race of robots,” he says. “Their function is to patrol the planets in spaceships like this one and preserve the peace. In matters of aggression, we have given them absolute power over us.”

Initially I thought it was bizarre that people would hand law enforcement duties over to machines, but then you look around and see so many people with their noses stuck in a smart phone.

Autonomous vehicles will be driving on our roads sooner than later and sex robots are apparently a thing. How long before we entrust robots with police work as well?

It sounds creepy, but it’s hard to believe that machines could do a worse job of maintaining order than we have. Whatever we do, we’d better get on it soon before Gort makes a return engagement.

Comments

Ron said…
Rob, I can't remember exactly when I saw "The Day the Earth Stood Still", but I do recall how much affected me.

You're so right. "...that people would hand law enforcement duties over to machines, but then you look around and see so many people with their noses stuck in a smart phone."

Amen! Isn't it something how in many of the older science fiction TV shows and films, much of what they shared has actually come to be? Even if you go back and look at the cartoon, The Jetsons, so much of that technology has come to fruition.

I think we're in for an extended summer this year. Judging from the weather, I have a feeling summer will be hanging on for at least another month.

Have a great week, buddy!

Bijoux said…
Interesting on the Messiah references! The older I get, the more I appreciate when 'the price is right' 😂
Rob K said…
Hey, Bijoux!

I first saw this movie when I was a child, and I missed all the JC parallels--and I was supposed to be a good Catholic boy!

Rob K said…
@Ron:

Hey, Buddy, what's up?

Good point about the old sci fi movies predicting the future. Technology is changing the way we live so rapidly it's hard to keep up with it. Where's George Jetson when you need him?!?

I hope your weather prediction is right--and I hope your move to the Big Apple is working out well!

Take care!
Jay said…
I often wonder what an alien race - who must surely be intelligent if they have achieved space travel over large distances - would make of us. I think they might arrive, take a peek, and leave without introducing themselves. At least, if they have any sense they will.
Rob K said…
Hey, Jay, I think you're right.

We would be lucky if they just took a look and split. I'm worried they might, "Oh, these idiots don't deserve their own planet."--and blow us all to hell!

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