The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)

The Day the Earth Stood Still is a 1951 science fiction film directed by Robert Wise. It was written by Edmund H. North, based on the short story "Farewell to the Master" (1940) by Harry Bates. The film stars Michael Rennie, Patricia Neal, Sam Jaffe, and Hugh Marlowe. It is not the 2008 remake starring Keanu Reeves.

The original 1951 version of The Day the Earth Stood Still is the one that deserves to be worshiped for sci-fi greatness. It is the movie that inserted the phrase "Klaatu barada nikto" into the pop culture lexicon. The Day the Earth Stood Still is a thinking man's sci-fi film. Instead of epic space battles and evil empires, the film features a visiting alien named Klaatu. Klaatu arrives on Earth with a peaceful but stern warning -- should humanity extend its penchant for violence into the stars, they'll be struck down.

Still attracted a fair amount of controversy in its day. Some didn't appreciate the cautionary message the film presented as humanity entered the atomic age. Others took offense at the Christ-like traits of Klaatu. 60 years later, the controversy has faded, but the message remains as strong and as relevant as ever.