The Day the Earth Stood Still (Special Edition)[Blu-ray]

The original 1951 Sci-Fi classic "The Day The Earth Stood Still" makes it"s Blu-ray debut with open arms. The story of a flying saucer landing on Earth and a man from another world coming to a give a message to world leaders is something we have seen a dozen times but, this is the original movie that started it all and to see it cleaned up and in the Blu-ray format certainly is a treat.

Briefly, when the alien ambassador Klaatu (Michael Rennie) arrives to Earth he is greeted with violence and hysteria after telling everyone he comes in peace. With violence stirring, a larger than life robot named Gort emerges from the spacecraft and does it"s part at keeping the peace. From here the story takes us deep into how things were viewed at that time along with what was to be tolerated. Klaatu attempt"s to meet with world leaders and when that fails he decides that leading scientists may be able to convey his message. Klaatu befriends a young boy and his mother and they quickly realize he isn"t a threat and truly does come in peace as they do their part in trying to help him.

There are plenty of bonus features along with a game added to this Blu-ray disk.

BONUS FEATURES:

• Commentary by Director Robert Wise & Nicholas Meyer
• Commentary by film & music historians John Morgan, Steven Smith, William Stromberg, and Nick Redman
• Isolated score track in DTS-HD 5.1 MA
• (HD) The world of Theremin:
  1. The mysterious, melodious Theremin
  2. Main title live performance by Peter Pringle
  3. Interactive Theremin - create your own score
     
• (HD) Gort command! - Interactive game
• (HD) The making of The day the earth stood still - featurette
• (HD) Decoding "Klaatu Barada Nikto" - science fiction as a metaphor - documentary
• (HD) A brief history of flying saucers - documentary
• (HD) The astounding Harry Bates - featurette
• (HD) Edmund North: The man who made the earth stand still - documentary
• Race to oblivion: A documentary short by Edmund North
• Farewell to the master: A reading by Jamieson K. Price of the original short story by Harry Bates
• Fox Movietonews (1951)
• Teaser trailer
• Theatrical trailer
• (HD) The day the earth stood still (2008) trailer
• Galleries

While this movie is over fifty years old it is funny how the message holds true today in that the world needs to get it"s act together and stop all of the nonsense with wars and such. These old time B&W movies are a treat to watch as we get spoiled with special effects in today"s cinema where as these films had to hold up through dialogue and story.

The movie does end abruptly as most movies from that time period do but, with the release of the new adaptation of this classic hitting theaters starring Keanu Reeves, it"s nice to revisit the original and see the genuine efforts that make this movie a cinematic gem.