The Day the Earth Stood Still
Ah, where do I begin to tell you about this movie? How about the fact that in the new millennium, the story line just doesn’t gel as well as it did 57 years ago. How about the fact that relationships between various characters were unclear at best… at least until the very end when the characters actually had to tell you about their relationship. Tsk.
Keanu Reeves can be (nearly) forgiven for a wooden performance because he’s playing an alien. Jennifer Connelly and Kathy Bates both do good jobs with their characters, and John Cleese is always delightful… even though he only has a bit part.
The thought that stayed with me was this: what is it about Humans that we need to destroy whatever we don’t understand? If that’s the way we’re wired — as opposed to being a mode of behavior that’s learned — we’re probably not going to need an alien invasion to get rid of us. We’ll manage just fine by ourselves.
Fortunately, I’m of the belief that we can learn to get along. It would be swell if more people believed that, too.
The story line just doesn’t gel as well as it did 57 years ago? Jesus Kelly. Did it “gel” back then? Did it seem perfectly probable then? Better acting then? Yeah, I remember – Patricia Neal got best actress in that, right?
Still was better than the Keanu interview.
“Why don’t you leave our planet alone?”
“YOUR planet?”
“Yeah. Earth is our planet.”
“Hyaw. No way dood.”
Give me Davie Bowie’s Major Tom anyday.
Relax Max’s last blog post..Precious memories
December 21st, 2008 at 6:28 pmMerry Christmas.
Relax Max’s last blog post..Precious memories
December 21st, 2008 at 6:57 pmHey, just give me David Bowie. Especially as the Goblin King in Labyrinth.
It DID make more sense in 1951. That was the middle of the Cold War. Governmental and military paranoia was normal and expected. Sure the government and military are still paranoid… but we can recognize their lunacy and mock them. Without getting blacklisted.
Aliens, Max. It’s all probable to me when aliens are involved.
And the original won the Golden Globe award in 1952 in the Best Film Promoting International Understanding category. I don’t see the 2008 version winning much of anything.
December 21st, 2008 at 10:26 pmP.S. And a very merry Christmas to you, too, Max!!
December 21st, 2008 at 10:26 pm