The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)

: Sweet Potato


Directed by: Robert Wise
Starring: Michael Rennie, Patricia Neal, Hugh Marlowe

I have been on a vintage sci-fi kick lately and decided to watch this one. I put myself in the frame of mind that allowed for the fact that this film was made over fifty years ago, and I was not disappointed. The story still has relevance today. Imagine a spaceship landing in Washington D.C. Would we receive it with open arms or trepidation? It’s a pretty fair assumption that we would be defensive, even hostile. The Day the Earth Stood Still examines this premise. It is eerie and thought provoking. It does not provide any shocking jolts, just a nagging sensation that we humans really don’t know shit. The “alien” is all too human in his appearance and demeanor, and that makes it even more unsettling. The robot that accompanies him is nothing fancy by today’s standards, but he does have the ability to obliterate earth, and isn’t that our greatest fear concerning visitors from another planet? Even though the effects seem primitive and some of the acting is campy, it compels you to watch and think. This potato cooks at a slow boil, but it’s well done and tasty.

-PotatoPatti