The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008 film)

Infobox Film
name = The Day the Earth Stood Still


image_size =
caption = Teaser poster
director = Scott Derrickson
producer = Paul Harris Boardman Gregory Goodman Erwin Stoff
writer = Ryne Douglas Pearson David Scarpa
narrator =
starring = Keanu Reeves Jennifer Connelly
music = Tyler Bates [cite news | title = Bates to Score Watchmen and Earth Stood Still | work = ComingSoon.net | date = 2008-01-23 | url = http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=41149 | accessdate=2008-01-23]
cinematography =
editing =
distributor = 20th Century Fox
released = December 12 2008
runtime =
country = USA
language = English
budget =
gross =
preceded_by =
followed_by =
website = http://www.dtessmovie.com
amg_id = 1:12638
imdb_id = 0970416

"The Day the Earth Stood Still" is a 2008 science fiction film, a remake of the 1951 film of the same name. Directed by Scott Derrickson and starring Keanu Reeves as Klaatu, the film updates Cold War themes like nuclear warfare to more contemporary ones, such as "humans vs. nature" [cite news | author = Shawn Adler | title = Keanu Reeves Brings Different Message With Him In ‘Day The Earth Stood Still’ | work = MTV Movies Blog | date = 2008-03-21 | url = http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2008/03/21/keanu-reeves-brings-different-message-with-him-in-day-the-earth-stood-still/ | accessdate=2008-03-22] and humanity's generally violent nature towards itself.

Cast

*Keanu Reeves as Klaatu, an alien messenger. Derrickson felt Reeves could portray a lack of humanity but would not be "doing things that are highly unusual or highly quirky. He’s not performing an alien like Jeff Bridges in "Starman"."cite news | author = Shawn Adler | title = ‘The Day The Earth Stood Still’ Trailer Is Here! | work = MTV Movies Blog | date = 2008-07-04 | url = http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2008/07/04/the-day-the-earth-stood-still-trailer-is-here/ | accessdate=2008-07-05] Producer Erwin Stoff had Reeves in mind for the role when he had the idea to remake the film around 1993. Klaatu in the remake is not as warm or human as Michael Rennie's interpretation in the original, and is an alien contained in a human body, rather than an alien with a humanoid form.cite news|url=http://uk.movies.ign.com/articles/893/893321p1.html|author=Jim Vejvoda|title=SDCC 08: The Day Comic-Con Stood Still|work=IGN|date=2008-07-24|accessdate=2008-07-24]

*Jennifer Connelly as Helen Benson, a microbiologist who works at Princeton University and inducted by the government into investigating Klaatu. Connelly was Derrickson's first choice for the part.
*Kathy Bates in an unnamed role.cite news | author = Tatiana Siegel, Michael Fleming | title = 'Earth' welcomes Jennifer Connelly | work = Variety | date = 2007-11-05 | url = http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117975408.html?categoryid=13&cs=1 | accessdate=2007-11-06]
*Jon Hamm as Dr. Granier, a NASA official who recruits Helen into a scientific team investigating Klaatu. [cite news | author = Gregg Goldstein, Leslie Simmons | title = Hamm probes space visitor in 'Stood Still' | work = The Hollywood Reporter | date = 2007-12-20 | url = http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/film/news/e3i791a7e20e195349c3530cff3cc91c2c3 | accessdate=2007-12-20]
*Jaden Smith as Jacob, Helen's rebellious eight-year old stepson. [cite news | author = Leslie Simmons | title = Smith down to 'Earth' for sci-fi redo | work = The Hollywood Reporter | date = 2008-01-15 | url = http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/film/news/e3i8549911074ed04d4aa8cd43be494c3a1 | accessdate=2008-01-15]
*John Cleese as Dr. Barnhardt. [cite news|author=Damon Wise|title=The Big Preview|work=Empire|date=August 2008|pages=97]

Production

Director Scott Derrickson admired the original film's director Robert Wise, whom he met as a film student. He liked the idea of remaking the film as he felt it could explore modern issues as well as it did for concerns of the 1950s. Filming took place in Vancouver from December 12 2007 to March 19 2008. [cite web | title = Film Production Chart | work = Variety | url = http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=chart_film_prod_d&dept=Film&recordid=1117786658 | accessdate=2008-07-05] The film was originally scheduled for release on May 9 2008, but it was delayed to December 12 2008 because filming commenced later than scheduled. [cite news | author=Pamela McClintock | title='Transformers' sequel sets 2009 date | url=http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117972852.html?categoryid=13&cs=1 | work =Variety | date=2007-09-26 | accessdate=2007-10-05]

The machines of Klaatu's people have a biological basis rather than a mechanical one, as Derrickson theorized they would not be interested in developing machines. For the film's version of Gort, Derrickson explored many possibilities for depicting the character, but realized making a faithful homage to the original was best. One script draft had depicted the robot as a four-legged "Totem" that stands upright after firing its weapon beam. [cite news|url=http://www.aintitcool.com/node/36336|title=No Gort!! No "Klaatu Barada Nikto"!! Uncapie Goes Postal On THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL Remake Script!!|work=Ain't It Cool News|accessdate=2008-07-05] Weta Digital is creating the character.

References

External links

* [http://www.dtessmovie.com Official site]
*imdb title|id=0970416|title=The Day the Earth Stood Still