The Day the Earth Stood Still received recognition from the American Film Institute and was selected for preservation in the United States Library of Congress's National Film Registry. In 2001, it was ranked number 82 on 100 Years ... 100 Thrills, a list of America's most heart-pounding films.[29] It placed number 67 on a similar list 100 Years ... 100 Cheers, a list of America's most inspiring films.[30] In June 2008, the American Film Institute revealed its "10 Top 10" – the best ten films in ten "classic" American film genres – after polling more than 1,500 people from the creative community. The Day the Earth Stood Still was acknowledged as the fifth best film in the science fiction genre.[31] In 2004, the film was selected by The New York Times as one of The Best 1000 Movies Ever Made.[32]
Ringo Starr brought the imagery of the film back into popular culture by using a modified scene of the ship and Klaatu for the cover of his 1974 album Goodnight Vienna. Lou Cannon and Colin Powell believed the film inspired Ronald Reagan to discuss uniting against an alien invasion when meeting Mikhail Gorbachev in 1985. Two years later, Reagan told the United Nations, "I occasionally think how quickly our differences worldwide would vanish if we were facing an alien threat from outside this world."[20] The film is playing in the opening scene of the first episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds when Captain Pike refers to it as a "classic".[33]
The Day the Earth Stood Still is now considered one of the best films released in 1951.[34][35] The Day the Earth Stood Still is in Arthur C. Clarke's list of the 12 best science fiction films of all time.[36] The film holds a 95% rating at the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes based on 57 reviews, with an average rating of 8.10/10. The consensus states, "Socially minded yet entertaining, The Day the Earth Stood Still imparts its moral of peace and understanding without didacticism."[37] Tony Magistrale describes the film as one of the best examples of early techno-horror.[38]
Adaptations
The film was dramatized as a radio play on January 4, 1954, for the Lux Radio Theatre; Michael Rennie reprised his lead role as Klaatu with actress Jean Peters as Helen Benson.[39] This production was later re-broadcast on the Hollywood Radio Theater, the re-titled Lux Radio Theatre, which aired on the Armed Forces Radio Service.[40]
The 2008 remake The Day the Earth Stood Still was directed by Scott Derrickson and stars Keanu Reeves as Klaatu. Rather than leaving to humans the chance to collaborate, the remake rests on Klaatu's decision whether to let humanity be destroyed or saved.[41]
Klaatu barada nikto
Since the release of the film, the phrase "Klaatu barada nikto" has appeared repeatedly in fiction and in popular culture. The Robot Hall of Fame described it as "one of the most famous commands in science fiction",[42] and Frederick S. Clarke of Cinefantastique called it in 1970 "the most famous phrase ever spoken by an extraterrestrial".[43]
Patricia Neal had a problem speaking the phrase, though she was proud of the film overall. "I do think it's the best science fiction film ever made, although I admit that I sometimes had a difficult time keeping a straight face. Michael would patiently watch me bite my lips to avoid giggling and ask, with true British reserve, 'Is that the way you intend to play it?'"[44]
Edmund H. North, who wrote The Day the Earth Stood Still, also created the alien language used in the film, including the iconic phrase "Klaatu barada nikto." The official spelling for the phrase comes directly from the script and provides insight as to its proper pronunciation. No translation was given in the film. Philosophy professor Aeon J. Skoble speculates the famous phrase is a "safe-word" which is part of a fail-safe feature used during diplomatic missions such as the one Klaatu and Gort make to Earth. With the use of the safe-word, Gort's deadly force can be deactivated in the event the robot is mistakenly triggered into a defensive posture. Skoble observes that the theme has evolved into a "staple of science fiction that the machines charged with protecting us from ourselves will misuse or abuse their power."[45]
Fantastic Films explored the meaning of "Klaatu barada nikto" in a 1978 article titled "The Language of Klaatu". The article, written by Tauna Le Marbe, who is listed as its "alien linguistics editor", attempts to translate all the alien words Klaatu used throughout the film.[46] In the article, the literal translation for Klaatu barada nikto was "Stop Barbarism (I have) death, bind" and the free translation was "I die, repair me, do not retaliate."[46]
The documentary Decoding "Klaatu Barada Nikto": Science Fiction as Metaphor examined the phrase "Klaatu barada nikto" with some of the people involved in the production of The Day the Earth Stood Still. Robert Wise, the director of the film, conveyed an account of Edmund North telling him, "Well, it's just something I kind of cooked up. I thought it sounded good."[47] Billy Gray, who played Bobby Benson in the film, said he believed the message was coming from Klaatu and that "Barada Nikto must mean ... save Earth."[48]
Florence Blaustein, widow of the producer Julian Blaustein, said North had to pass a street called Baroda every day going to work and indicated "I think that's how that was born."[49] The film historian Steven Jay Rubin recalled an interview he had with North when he asked the question, "What is the direct translation of Klaatu Barada Nikto, and Edmund North said to me 'There's hope for Earth, if the scientists can be reached'."[50] Director Robert Wise clearly remembered the phrase for when he was awarded the American Film Institute's Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997, he ended his acceptance speech with the phrase: ""Klaatu barada nikto"", which tonight means: "Thank you from the bottom of my heart."
