The Day the Earth Stood Still Blu-ray delivers truly amazing video and audio in this excellent Blu-ray release
Renowned scientist Dr. Helen Benson finds herself face to face with an alien called Klaatu,
who travels across the universe to warn of an impending global crisis. When forces beyond
Helena's control treat the extraterrestrial as a hostile and deny his request to address the
world's leaders, she and her estranged stepson Jacob quickly discover the deadly
ramifications of Klaatu's claim that he is "a friend to the Earth". Now Helen must find
a way to convince the entity who was sent to destroy us that mankind is worth saving--but it
may be too late. The process has begun.
Special Edition
20th Century Fox | 1951 | 92 min | Rated G | Region A (locked) | Dec 02, 2008
The Day The Earth Stood Still depicts the arrival of an alien dignitary, Klaatu (Michael Rennie),
who has come to earth with his deadly robot, Gort (Lock Martin), to deliver the message that
earthlings must stop warring among...
Blu-ray + Digital Copy
20th Century Fox | 2008 | 2 Movies | 104 min | Rated PG-13 | Region A (locked) | Apr 07, 2009
Renowned scientist Dr. Helen Benson finds herself face to face with an alien called Klaatu,
who travels across the universe to warn of an impending global crisis. When forces beyond
Helena's control treat the extraterrestrial...
It's only on the brink that people find the will to change. Only at the precipice do we
evolve.
A remake is a dangerous thing. A remake of a timeless classic is a tragedy waiting to happen.
That's about the gist of the 2008 take on the 1951 Science Fiction masterpiece The Day the Earth Stood
Still. This remake works well enough in some areas but completely flops in others,
resulting
in
a movie with a jumbled feel, a pace that begins strong but slows to a crawl in the second and
third
acts, a heavy-handed message, and a resolution that comes far too easily. While the updated
version once again features an alien race warning mankind against the dangers of self-made
destruction, includes an occasional homage to classic scenes from the original film, and features
stellar
special effects and a beefy soundtrack, it's the film's core -- the meaning and the message that
comes with it -- that comes off as forced into the story to give the film a modern edge that
doesn't
really work. It's a well-meaning movie, and just good enough to warrant a watch, but it fails to
leave the lasting impression of the original.
I might be big, but my carbon footprint is small.
University professor and expert on extraterrestrial biology Dr. Helen Benson (Jennifer Connelly,
Dark City) finds
herself whisked away by government officials and placed on board a long-bodied choppper filled
with scientists of varied backgrounds and military personnel. She and the others soon discover
that an object is hurtling towards Earth with Manhattan in its crosshairs. When the object lands
instead of crashes, an alien being and a gigantic robot protector, invulnerable to weapons and
capable of mass destruction, emerge from the craft's mysterious interior. A solider with an itchy
trigger finger shoots the alien. When the military whisks the wounded alien to a secret research
facility, scientists discover that the exotic creature wears a biologically engineered suit, and within
the suit is -- a man! He is Klaaatu (Keanu Reeves, Point Break), an alien
in human form with a dire warning for Earth: the planet is in its last days. As Earth is but one of
a few planets capable of sustaining complex life forms, mankind's wanton destruction of the big
blue marble
cannot stand. It is up to Benson, her step son Jacob (Jaden Smith, The Pursuit of
Happyness), and Professor Karl Barnhardt (John Cleese, Igor) to show
Klaatu the best of humanity and convince him of the importance of granting the species one final
chance to set things right.
First, the good. Special effects have come a long way since 1951, and The Day the Earth
Stood
Still is proof-positive that well-done effects may greatly enhance a movie if done right and
placed naturally and effectively into a film. Nothing is particularly groundbreaking here; instead,
it's
the integration of the effects into the film that allow them to work so well. The Day the
Earth Stood Still does well to create in the first act of the film a sense of both panic and
astonishment as events rapidly develop; the scenes are engrossing and well-staged, the tension
palpable, and the excitement of the pending arrival of the aliens all making for rather good and
effective filmmaking. Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of The Day the Earth Stood Still
is Gort, the large robot that stands guard over the spherical craft in Central Park. The primary
difference between the 2008 version and the original 1951 character is in its size; it is now some
20+ feet tall, towering over all, but the filmmakers have smartly retained the basic shape and
appearance of the character. It is in Gort that the remake truly sets itself apart from the original
from a character perspective,
giving it a greater stature and more menacing countenance while remaining faithful
to the original. Finally, the performances in the film are hit-or-miss, but are generally solid. The
oft-criticized Reaves is fine in his role. As an alien with a grim task and limited exposure to the
intricacies of humanity, his rather stoic presence, forced dialogue, and slightly skewered
mannerisms reflect the origins and mission of the character well. Young Jaden Smith is also good
in his role,
bringing some genuine emotion and humanity to his character.
The Day the Earth Stood Still doesn't fall victim to the old "style over substance" pitfall.
The film valiantly attempts to put great import on its theme of finding the good in mankind and
overlooking the shortcomings of the species in favor of the little things -- love, happiness, and art,
for example -- and thereby discovering the value of the species not through measurable
quantities
like pollutants or fatalities from conflict, but rather in the more abstract factors that also define
the human species. Unfortunately, the message is too heavy-handed and the film plays as far
too self-important and, at times, even preachy, which removes from it much of the
entertainment value that one would expect to come with a special effects-heavy film such as
this. In fact, parts of the film become downright dull, particularly once the mystery and grandeur
of the opening act of the film, an act that is marked by a great sense of mystery, discovery, and
wonder, give way to the real crux of the film. Thereafter, the film often feels
like a
bad episode of "Star Trek: The Next Generation," where Picard and crew must convince a vastly
technologically superior and supposedly more intelligent race of beings to spare from destruction
the Enterprise or all of mankind. The Day the Earth Stood Still attempts to be
substantive while at the same time entertaining, but the merger between the two generally
doesn't work in this instance. The film
often feels like two separate entities competing for screen time and importance, only to have one
cancel out the other.
The Day the Earth Stood Still arrives on Blu-ray with a 1080p, 2.35:1-framed transfer that
is easily of reference quality. Fine detail is striking, and the clarity of the transfer is remarkable in
most every scene. The print is in absolutely pristine condition, no surprise given the big-budget,
recent-release status of the film. Various nighttime, exterior shots of New York City feature
startling levels of clarity, doubtful the cityscape could look better were the television a window
rather than a display device replaying a film. Close-up shots reveal detail that is perfectly lifelike in
appearance; a close-up of a doctor's surgical mask, for example, showcases every stitch and texture
in the material; his several-hour-old beard sees every hair, and the fine lines in the face, particularly
around the eyes, reveal every nuance of the skin's surface. The film takes on a blue-gray, steely
look. In that way, colors are slightly muted but only insofar as they fit in with the intended look of
the film. Although the film has a somewhat cold, uninviting appearance, detail, texture, sharpness,
and clarity never suffer. Whites remain stable and blacks are terrifically inky. The disc sees no
apparent edge enhancement, heavy noise reduction, blocking, or any other visible anomalies at
normal viewing distances. In short, The Day the Earth Stood Still is another fine transfer
from Fox, the disc a standout despite its somewhat muted color palette.
Fox delivers The Day the Earth Stood Still to Blu-ray with a remarkable DTS-HD MA 5.1
lossless soundtrack. From the opening moments of the film, this soundtrack proves its mettle
and establishes itself as one of the strongest, clearest, and most realistic tracks yet. A cold wind
swirls about the soundstage, flowing precisely through each and every speaker, while music plays
with precision across the front soundstage. It practically creates a chill in the room and is the
first of a number of demo-worthy audio sequences that should begin to make the rounds at
home theater retailers as go-to speaker and audio gear demonstration showpieces. The
remainder of the film's reference-quality segments come from more traditional, action-oriented
sequences. The many scenes featuring military hardware shine. Helicopter rotors spin around
the listening area in several scenes, the sonic impact of the blades practically devastating to the
senses. Bass kicks into overdrive throughout the film; the revelation of the spacecraft in chapter
four features a practically nonstop rumbling that is deep and low, providing the subwoofer with a
hefty workout. Every action sequence sounds marvelous, with the soundstage and subwoofer
used to incredible effect, creating a truly immersive environment that places the listener directly
into the movie. As expected, dialogue reproduction is perfect. The Day the Earth Stood
Still ranks among the best soundtracks currently available on Blu-ray.
The Day the Earth Stood Still lands on Blu-ray with plenty of bonus features. First is a
feature-length commentary track with Writer David Scarpa that is available either from the main
menu or via the green button on the remote control. Scarpa provides a rapid-fire commentary
that proves fairly interesting throughout. He begins by jumping right in by discussing the original
concept for the film's open and moving on to share his thoughts on the characters, real-world
inspirations for certain segments of the film, updating the appearance and function of the alien
technology, and more. The track does present several gaps in the comments that become rather
cumbersome, but otherwise, Scarpa offers a solid track that fans should enjoy. Pressing the blue
button while playing the movie presents a picture-in-picture
feature that showcases "pre-viz" sequences, special effects progression footage, conceptual art,
and photos. Pressing the yellow button accesses hand-drawn storyboards. These features are
also accessible
through the main menu feature entitled Klaatu's Unseen Artifacts: 'The Day the Earth Stood
Still' Picture-In-Picture Track.
Build Your Own Gort allows users to construct their own version of the robot by choosing
from a collection of heads, torsos, arms, and legs. Re-Imagining 'The Day' (1080p,
30:06) looks at the challenge of living up to the legacy of the original film while lending a unique
look, feel, and message to the 2008 remake. The piece covers a broad spectrum of topics, from
an examination of the importance of the 1951 version of the film to a look at the
making of various aspects of the new film. Unleashing Gort (1080p, 13:52) looks at the
challenging process of designing the film's most striking and imposing character. Watching
the Skies: In Search of Extraterrestrial Life (1080p, 23:08) takes an interesting look at
mankind's fascination with and technology utilized in the search for intelligent life beyond Earth.
The Day the Earth Was 'Green' (1080p, 14:04) examines the environmentally-friendly
theme of the film and Fox's commitment to turning green. Next up are a collection of three
deleted scenes (1080p, 1:56), three still galleries (Concept Art, Storyboards, and
Production Photos), and the film's theatrical trailer (1080p, 1:48). This disc is also D-Box ready.
This release of The Day the Earth Stood Still also includes two additional discs. The first
is a
Blu-ray release of the original version of the film from
1951. The disc is virtually identical to that of the December 2, 2008 Blu-ray release, with the
same menu, the same audio and
subtitle options, and a 1080p transfer presented in a 1.37:1 aspect ratio. The only difference is
the
omission of the original release's extensive supplemental section, all-in-all, a fantastic bonus,
despite the absence of the extras. Also included is a third disc that
contains a digital copy of the 2008 film, suitable for viewing on-the-go. Played on a second
generation iPod Touch, the video quality is on par with the average digital copy. It sports nice
colors and detail but sees plenty of blocking throughout. On the flip side, the audio is very good,
with a nice sense of space across the two channels, good music reproduction, and aggressive
sound effects.
The Day the Earth Stood Still is a movie with conflicting elements that manage to drag the
entirety of the experience down. On one hand, the film is at times exciting and amazing to look at.
The special effects are indeed special, and parts of the movie play on a grandiose scale that are often
awe-inspiring to say the least. On the other hand, the film force-feeds a message for a new
generation into the plot. The original 1951 version also featured a message, but here, it never gels
into the material, sometimes feels like an excuse to showcase the effects, and the resolution to the
plot seems too convenient and easy. The message and the action never come together to make a
cohesive whole, resulting in a terribly uneven movie that sees flashes of potential and near brilliance
that succumb to a too-heavy-handed and seemingly politically-charged theme. 20th Century Fox's
Blu-ray presentation of The Day the Earth Stood Still is, in a word, extraordinary. The
picture and audio are of reference quality, among the best yet on Blu-ray, and the supplements are
extensive, topped off by the inclusion of the original 1951 film on a separate Blu-ray disc. Despite
the mediocre quality of the
movie, the amazing visuals, astounding soundtrack, and the inclusion of a full movie as a bonus
feature makes the complete package easy to recommend.
20th Century Fox Home Entertainment has announced that they will bring the 2008 remake of 'The Day the Earth Stood Still' to Blu-ray on April 7th, day-and-date with the DVD release. This three-disc set will feature a digital copy of the film as well as a copy of ...
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