You knew it had to happen, and in the back of you mind, you even suspected. Yes, it’s true, the upcoming remake of “The Day the Earth Stood Still” will throw away the “end violence” message of the 1951 original, and instead exchange it with a “get green” message of today. I guess in a way I sort of knew this was going to happen. It’s Hollywood, after all, and “going green” is the cause du jour of the last few years. They’ll keep pumping the same message until something more sexy comes along.

More:

Fifty years later and Klaatu has a new message for humanity, but one with equally dire consequences should we choose to ignore it, Keanu Reeves, who is playing the alien in Scott Derrickson’s upcoming remake, told MTV News.

“The first one was borne out of the cold war and nuclear détente. Klaatu came and was saying cease and desist with your violence. If you can’t do it yourselves we’re going to do it. That was the film of that day,” Reeves explained. “The version I was just working on, instead of being man against man, it’s more about man against nature. My Klaatu says that if the Earth dies, you die. If you die, the earth survives. I’m a friend to the earth.”

While humanity still engages in a staggering number of international conflicts, the environmental message is one that, not only encompasses wars, and fights, and terrorism, but one that goes beyond constrictions to become a millennial message of “what we are doing and who we are as a species,” Reeves insisted. “We’re trying to reach beyond the idea of [just] environmentalism.”

What’s next, change Gort to a cuddly CGI Amazon Rain Forest monkey?

The Day the Earth Stood Still Remake is About Global Warming

Category: Sci-Fi Movie News The Day the Earth Stood Still (Remake 2008) Movie

There are 13 comments

  • ¬ Ikin
    March 22nd, 2008 at 3:34 pm

    The Day the Earth Stood Still is one of those movies you just can’t make a remake. While an end to violence is a message that stands the test of time, global warming is just a “fad” cause.

    Another thing…. this version will probably be loaded with unnecessary violence and action. Which would suck.

  • ¬ Mike Wilkerson - TERMINATOR Podcast
    March 26th, 2008 at 12:28 am

    Can anyone say, “Battlefield: Earth?” I completely agree that not only can this NOT be remade, but it shouldn’t be remade. It’s like revisiting 2001: a Space Odyssey or Alien. It’s just oozing failure.

  • ¬ Linda
    June 4th, 2008 at 2:49 pm

    Sigh, I will probably go to see this movie. The original movie is part of the culture of my childhood – it scared me, inspired me, and I imprinted on it. Michael Rennie’s demeanor reminds me of my grandfather who emigrated from Britain to America in 1913. My grandfather was a tall, gaunt man whose voice I can still hear. And Michael Rennie’s voice – dignified with a touch of humor, still haunts me. They are both long gone now, and I miss them both. The remake of this movie is riding on the coattails of a classic because I think there are many people like me who will go to see it out of love for the original film even though we suspect that we will be hugely disappointed.

  • ¬ Linda
    June 4th, 2008 at 3:06 pm

    I think you are right about the violence and the action. And probably they will change the compassionate trust building and lovely subtle hint of attraction in the original between Klaatu and Helen into a gratuitous role-in-the-hay in the remake.

  • ¬ Tripp Van Easille
    June 24th, 2008 at 4:34 pm

    I completely agree with the “Battlefield Earth” parallel. Check out this summer’s “Global Warming” ‘thriller’, “The Happening”….need I say more? Send this clunker straigh-to-video and save your selves from the viscious reviews. A huge waste of money!

  • ¬ Bernie
    June 25th, 2008 at 9:19 pm

    A remake? I am just as appalled as most fans of the original film. Revisiting the same general plot but with the eco twist is a clear demonstration of the poor imagination which seems to be repeatedly revealed in the continuous run of remakes coming out of the Hollywood dream factory.

    I must admit to always being intrigued by the end of the original film. Even with the stark warning that Earth would be reduced to a burnt out cinder it would be unlikely to result in all the conflicts ending.

    So what happened next? What would have happened when Gort returned to find that the Earth was still following its old ways? Now surely that chapter would require a bit more imagination? Could the scriptwriters and director produce a story which was as thoughtful as the original and did NOT resort to cheap battle scenes. If the Earth was made to “stand still” again would a repeat performance work?

    If only Klaatu could have been here when the studio was re-shooting the film….he could have cut their electricity supply.

  • ¬ M
    September 20th, 2008 at 12:58 am

    The best thing that was close to a remake was Starman, which was about people, and humanity, not about trees. If your going to to be vulgar and re-make anything you must adhere to the original message and re-amplify it in a new and unique way, otherwise do not wast your time. Do re-write history, even though it it science fiction.

  • ¬ Sid
    September 27th, 2008 at 1:09 pm

    I agree…DON’T MESS WITH PERFECTION!! What next, a “reimagining” of Citizen Kane with Brad Pitt!?

  • ¬ Dann
    October 9th, 2008 at 10:14 am

    Perhaps Al Gore should have been the Robot?

  • ¬ John
    October 18th, 2008 at 4:06 pm

    If you buy the movie,there is a story inside explaining meanings and special effects. It’s a short, yet interesting read.

  • ¬ John
    October 18th, 2008 at 4:33 pm

    I watched the trailor. This looks like it will be a good movie, but should be viewed with no comparison to the original.

  • ¬ Mike
    October 19th, 2008 at 3:54 pm

    pretty sad to see all this negativism and none have even seen the remake.

    I can say that this story has been played before, countless times through our history. How many wars and conflicts in history have been intervened by a third party? The ‘51 movie was a modern extension to what has happened in our past histories. China is an excellent example of a country brought together partially in this manner in its early formation. Cease and desist your conflict, it is interfering with our trade. Failure will bring our might upon you.

    How many Shakespearean tales have been remade? Allen Poe? Most Sci-fi series, especially the Trek ones, have covered such stories and then some, ad nauseum. There are many stories I have noticed being blended into every sci-fi out there, the idea taken from another series and adapted to fit the new series. How many times must HG Wells stories be made over for crying out loud?

    Some sucked. I’ll grant you that. But some also shined, simply because the writers made the story fit well to the current social mood of the time.

    This isn’t any different with the remake of “The Day”. I can guarantee you that someone will remake Godzilla, and King Kong.

    And on that note, some remakes like Battlestar Galactica are incredibly well written, acted and presented. I grew up with the original and liked it, but I like the modern remake that much more.

    Don’t cut it until you try it. Opinions of others is irrelevant until the cake is done.

  • ¬ Sue
    November 18th, 2008 at 1:03 pm

    Would have seen it if it was about ANYTHING but…environmentalism.

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