The Day the Earth Stood Still

The movie “The Day The Earth Stood Still” is more of a propaganda film with themes than a science fiction film because its sci-fi characteristics almost feel like an afterthought. The movie is set in the early 1950’s, when American’s showed deep concern towards Communism. Fear of the unknown, which was associated with Communism, is also a major point of the film and it exploits this theme with knowing veracity. In most respects, Klaatu is the epitome of this fear, and the characters of the film react to the alien with fright, due to our perceptions of the unfamiliar.
The scene where Klaatu is shot because the soldier doesn’t know what the unknown device in his hand was is an example of fear in America at that time. Another theme the movie seems to deal with is religious symbolism. The arrival of a spaceship in Washington D. C from the sky carrying a celestial being that wishes to speak to the world but is denied doing so He is wounded and taken to the hospital where he escapes and assumes the identity of a Mr. Carpenter. It is after performing a “miracle” this Mr. Carpenter finds himself persecuted and executed by the powers-that-be for trying to deliver a message of peace and universal brotherhood.
It is only after the Mr. Carpenter is resurrected and ascends into the heavens that his message is allowed to spread amongst the peoples of the world. This whole movie is taken from the bible and is a parody of Jesus Christ, right down to the usage of the name “Carpenter”, which was the job Jesus took during his lifetime. The movie also predicts what the military thinks like and the power it has and how it cannot always be good. The part of the movie where Klaatu speaks to the scientists about atomic power is an example.

He speaks about using it for good like in his space craft, not for making weapons to destroy each other. He goes on to say that continuing to use it that way will only lead to earths destruction. Klaatu is informing the military to think on how they use the science that is given to them and to clean up their act. Another revelation that the film creates about the military is that they are everywhere. When the ship first lands the military had been tracking it and now has posted soldiers around the ship. Later when Klaatu escapes, the military leads the manhunt instead of the police through the city.
Finally even after Klaatu’s death the military commands the police to let no one in or out to see the body. All these factors suggest to the viewer that the military is there for them, that if the Communists or another type of threat where to arrive in the United States the military would act at once for the protection of its citizens. The Day The Earth Stood Still remains on of the most significant science fiction movies ever made, and it has lost none of its impact, even after more than fifty years. Its themes can still be applied today because of the fear we have of terrorism and the threat of nuclear attacks from them.