Cast and Crew:  Robert Wise (Director); Bernard Hermann (Score); Patricia Neal, Hugh Marlowe, Sam Jaffe

What It’s About: Klaatu (Michael Rennie) lands in Washington but a jumpy soldier shoots him before he can speak, resulting in his robot Gort unleashing destruction until he orders it to stop.  Klaatu escapes from the hospital he is taken to so he can see humanity first hand.  What is Klaatu’s message, and can he get the world to listen?

Why Watch it Today?: Klaatu finds a laundry ticket dated July 18th in the film, a reasonably well-known continuity error that clashes with references to school being in session and the nice spring weather.  The Day the Earth Stood Still is a very influential, well-made science fiction film that every fan of the genre should see at least once, if only for the impossibly bad ass Gort.

July 18th, 2011:  The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)