The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008)

[Offshore Angler]

I'll say it - Plan Nine From Outer Space has a challenger.

I grew up glued to the TV Saturday mornings watching old SciFi. From Godzilla, the Blob, to the Monolith Monsters, I never missed one. Three movies stand above the others - Earth vs, the Flying Saucers, Forbidden Planet, and The Day the Earth Stood Still. The first of these just for overall coolness, and that's what a flying saucer looks like -period. The second two because they are great movies.

So, when TDTESS was remade, I couldn't wait to see it. I finally had some time to watch it on PPV last night. Now, given the standing of the original, I was prepared to be a little let down, but nothing could have prepared me for the debacle the remake is.

A wandering, pointless plot, some of the worse "acting" ever recorded on film ( think of Neo from The Matrix on qualudes) and would it have killed the director to have the most famous line in SciFi repeated in the movie? "Gort, Klatuu baraodda nikto" never gets uttered in the film.

The plot has almost nothing to do with the original, and actually, has more in common with Plan Nine. I kept waiting for Neo - excuse me, Klatuu, to tell everyone about Solarbonite.

I've been dissapointed with movies, but never just pissed off at one before.

At least Plan Nine has a quirkyness you can embrace. This movie has no redeeming social value.

[Custom 5]

yes.

I actually got ticked off watching it.

all bad.

[pseudocat]

The original was one of my favorite films ever, so when I heard they were remaking it, I was cautiously optimistic. Honestly, it wouldn't be that hard a film to remake, and remake well.

When I saw the previews for it a few months back, I decided to give it a pass, though. Keanu Reeves as Klaatu? Just... no. I don't even want to get it from Netflix.

[Dr Fene]

Re-makes can be dreadful, watched 'the wicker man' recently (one of my favorite films from the '70s), it was terrible.

Why fix sumthin that aint broke.

[Franklin]

Glad I missed it!!

[Rickenjangle]

I'll offer the Ebert to OSA's Siskel...

I never saw the original, and I'll admit I don't hate Reeves as an actor...I found myself enjoying the movie. Yes, the plot was a bit hackneyed. Yes, some of the acting was wooden. But some of the concepts were cool. I liked the nanobots that were in the process of devouring everything.

I don't expect a whole lot from my sci-fi movies. I expect a bit of camp. Hell, the original Star Trek movies were rife with campiness...so I guess I'll give the movie a 7 out of 10. Definitely worth the $1 rental I spent at the redbox...

[refin]

I thought this thread was about the Cubs winning a World Series..........

[Offshore Angler]

There were a few great "Plan 9" moments in it too. For example, a couple of Apache helicopters go in to action, and when they blow up, they mysteriously became Hueys!

And of course, an interstellar spacecraft comes in at .1 times the speed of light, so they attack it with a pair of F22's. Hmm, sounds like a bad plan to me.

Not that I'm some snob who thinks it's uncool to make a classic either. Just saw the new Star Trek. It is utterly fabulous, and so well done even my wife liked it. There's a case where they changed the history and cannon of the story, and made it a plot point. I mean, you replace Shattner, Nimoy, and the rest of the cast and you make it work. The writers started from birth of onne of the main characters, and by the time the characters are doing thier thing on the Enterprise, they are known to you. It was brilliant. Oh sure, there are a few glaring scientific errors regarding orbital mechanics that only a super dweeb like me would see, but the movie was so good that you let them go, like you would the whooshing sounds of space fighters in the vacuum of space in Star Wars. It's OK because it adds to the whole deal.

This remake of TDTESS is about a mechanical, motionless, expressionless figure from outer space - and his robot.

[Rickenjangle]

There were a few great "Plan 9" moments in it too. For example, a couple of Apache helicopters go in to action, and when they blow up, they mysteriously became Hueys!

And of course, an interstellar spacecraft comes in at .1 times the speed of light, so they attack it with a pair of F22's. Hmm, sounds like a bad plan to me.

Not that I'm some snob who thinks it's uncool to make a classic either...

Chuck you got me there...I didn't notice the 'copter bait-and-switch at all, and I certainly don't 'get' the physics at the level that you do...
Actually, when I'm watching a movie, I don't like to have to 'work' at any part of it, just enjoying a story, whether well-told or not...
I mean, we all know that a single shot from even a .44 magnum catching someone at center of mass is not going to pick them up off the ground and fly them 8 feet back and through a window. We all know that no matter how 'good' and 'so ugly he's cute' an alien is, a bicycle cannot fly, and no matter how good your technology is, there is really no easy way to contain a laser so that it can become a saber - especially if it's a homemade job like they all are...

I know, it's only bad movie physics, but I like it, like it, yes I do....

[Power_13]

the whooshing sounds of space fighters in the vacuum of space in Star Wars. It's OK because it adds to the whole deal.

I always explain this away as the noise the starfighter pilots hear due to radio interference from the other fighter enginers/weaponry. No idea if that is actually viable, but there ya go.

The Metro (free paper you pick up on the bus over here) did a big full-page front page advert for Day The Earth Stood Still, in the style of a news article. A friend of mine from another forum...um...well...

Thought I'd share a story of my upmost stupidity........

I got on the bus this morning.... picked up a metro.......

headline something like "big circles in the sky above white house and important places..." phrases like "this most significant day in our history" I'm thinking **** **** **** it's actually happening why the hell haven't I heard this???? Why are these people on the bus going on with their daily lives like nothings happened?!?!? Glancing around at people like "ehhhh! Aliens are coming and you're going to work???" getting really flustered and panicky like bloody hell this is it this aint no hoax I need to phone mum etc etc.....

then saw the bit at the top...

THIS IS AN ADVERTISMENT

damn movie advert wrapped around the paper!!!!!

[ronworld]

Tha sort of thing really annoys me! They make a film with a classic title like. 'War of the Worlds' 'The Day the Earth Stood Still' and change nearly everthing bar the title!!! Charlatans!

[Offshore Angler]

ronworld, I give the War of the Worlds remake some credit. I was more to the book than the original, so it was not the same plot, but was the same plot all at the same time. I think it was a decent movie that got handicapped by Tom Cruise.

[Cogs]

Yes, I saw it & thought it sucked.
Anyone watch The Day The Earth Stopped w/C. Thomas Howell? That looked like a real winner, too
lol

[Direstraits]

Dare I mention the new Star Trek movie?
I've only seen clips but that's one I'm looking forward to.
(I think Star Trek qualifies as classic sci-fi even if it's not based on a novel).

[Offshore Angler]

Dare I mention the new Star Trek movie?
I've only seen clips but that's one I'm looking forward to.
(I think Star Trek qualifies as classic sci-fi even if it's not based on a novel).

Go see it - NOW! It's freaking awesome.

[phantomman]

One saving grace, OSA......

Our PX had this film on sale last month as a two-disc set -- boxed with the original version. So at least it was wasn't a total loss.

Michael Rennie, Hugh Marlowe, Sam Jaffe, and Patricia Neal are timelessly great in the original.

The remake? The kindest thing I can say is......

It sucks Top Flite #5s through a Dixie Cup straw.

[ch willie]

I have a hard time remembering many reworks that work. One exception that I can think of: the original Razor's Edge with Tyrone Power is awful, but I love the Bill Murray version.

Howard Stern's production company is doing a remake of Porky's. I like Stern, but I can't imagine anyone remaking this film successfully. It's too much a product of the time.

[stratcat55]

I had to watch the original right after seeing the remake. I grew up on those films too. Cut the grass, get fifty cents and go the the movies and watch Godzilla, Mothra etc.
Not far from where I live, in a small town called Phoenixville Pa., is the Colonial Movie Theater where the original "Blob" was filmed. Every year they have the "Blob Fest". The original Blob is there in a container something like a 5 gallon paint can with a plexi glass lid. I met the guy who played the original "Creature form the Black Lagoon". They even recreate the the "running out" of the theater. it's a total blast.

[Offshore Angler]

I had to watch the original right after seeing the remake. I grew up on those films too. Cut the grass, get fifty cents and go the the movies and watch Godzilla, Mothra etc.
Not far from where I live, in a small town called Phoenixville Pa., is the Colonial Movie Theater where the original "Blob" was filmed. Every year they have the "Blob Fest". The original Blob is there in a container something like a 5 gallon paint can with a plexi glass lid. I met the guy who played the original "Creature form the Black Lagoon". They even recreate the the "running out" of the theater. it's a total blast.

Dude, since we have a fun surf band, we've been thinking about seeing if we can book the Blob Fest!

[gibsonjunkie]

Go see it - NOW! It's freaking awesome.

Going today!

[gibsonjunkie]

Howard Stern's production company is doing a remake of Porky's. I like Stern, but I can't imagine anyone remaking this film successfully. It's too much a product of the time.

Probably starring "The Kielbasa Queen"...

[HotRod]

I guess it was really bad, I saw it, didn't like it and until I saw this thread - forgot all about it.

OTOH - My whole family dug Star Trek, 8, 11, 15 year old kids - and of course me and Mom.
As we walk out my 15 year old daughter says with a naughty girl smile, "I like Kirk!".

I guess it works on many levels.

- HR

[stratcat55]

[QUOTE=Offshore Angler;531787]Dude, since we have a fun surf band, we've been thinking about seeing if we can book the Blob Fest![/QUOTE

That would be cool. They have bands playing during the day and close off Bridge Street. It's a crazy day and a lot of fun.
OA, you from the area?

[Offshore Angler]

[quote=stratcat55;531838]

Dude, since we have a fun surf band, we've been thinking about seeing if we can book the Blob Fest![/QUOTE

That would be cool. They have bands playing during the day and close off Bridge Street. It's a crazy day and a lot of fun.
OA, you from the area?

We're out of the NYS Finger Lakes area, but given everyone in the band's love of old monster flicks, we'd make the trip.

[studio1087]

The new movie was poor. I rented it from the RedBox machine (99 cents) and I would say that I paid just the right amount.

There used to be an on-line movie site where you could watch a streaming feed of the 1952 classic for free. It's gone now....no freebie.

The Day the Earth Stood Still and the real War of the Worlds are two films were were filmed very well with simple techniques and the story just carried and carried.

If you have not seen the old War or the Worlds in a long time; buy a copy for $5.00 on ebay and watch it again...I have it on DVD and it's great.

This was the screen saver on my Blackberry for a long time.....



John

[TT100]

Special effects in search of a script. "Hey look what this new software will do!" "Let's make a movie about it."

That about sums it up.

TT

[phantomman]

Special effects in search of a script. "Hey look what this new software will do!" "Let's make a movie about it."

That about sums it up.

TT

The video equivalent of an ABBA album:

"Look, Sven -- I learn new chord......we write song!"

[Stonefreefuzz1]

The video equivalent of an ABBA album:

"Look, Sven -- I learn new chord......we write song!"