The Day The Earth Stood Still - Videokarma.org TV - Video

Toasted Almond · #1 08-23-2005, 08:50 PM

Today was a great day. I walked into the BX, and there it was on the DVD rack with all the new movies that suck. How did it get there? For $9.95, I'm going to Klatu Barada Nikto whenever the hell I please!

On a lesser note, a few of the war movies made during or right after WWII were also there as el cheapo two-packs, so I picked up "Bataan" and "Back to Bataan" along with "Battle Cry" and "Battleground". All movies that were played on tv at least once a week when I was a kid.

Someday I'll walk into the BX and find for cheap:

The Purple Heart
Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo
God is My Co-Pilot
Air Force
Fighter Squadron
Wing and a Prayer
Destination Tokyo
Run Silent, Run Deep

I can't wait.

Sandy G · #2 08-23-2005, 09:03 PM

"Battle Cry"-Isn't that the '55 flick that has the song "Honey-Babe" in it? pretty sad movie, as I recall...-Sandy G.

Wornears · #3 08-23-2005, 09:34 PM

TA -- TDTESS is the first Sci-Fi flick that scared the bejeesus out of me and entered into our family's folklore.

I saw it the first time when I was about six (1960) at my aunt and uncle's rather remote farm in Spencer, TN. It was dark out at the end of their road. Me and my younger brother were sleeping over with my older (by a few years) three cousins and they had planned to watch it with the whole living room dark, except for the TV glow and one low-wattage lamp at the end of the sofa on an end table.

The adults were not sure I was old enough to enjoy/take this film and room setup, but I loved Sci-Fi and made like I was man enough to stay up late (what, past 9:00 p.m.?) and watch this movie without getting any nightmares, even if we were watching it almost in the dark. I promised. My 4-year old brother was busy playing with some toy cars and gave a rat's ass about the TV. So, they agreed, and let we five kids (oldest about 10) be all grown up and watch it by ourselves in the living room while they went off to the kitchen.

As the film builds up to the point where the guardian robot is getting ready to fry everything if Patricia Neal can't remember the special commands, and the robot's visor is starting to raise -- I had progressively made my way to get behind the sofa -- with the lone lamp cord unknowingly wrapped around my feet.

BOOM! I pull the lamp over and off the end table just when she starts to say the words as I'm now fully crouching behind the couch (everyone else is transfixed to the TV except for my bro who has fallen asleep on the floor). The lamp base hits the wooden floor with a crash; the bulb shatters and puts us all in blackout; the shade gets warped and separates from the base skittering around on the floor; I start crawling at full traction on all fours dragging the lamp behind me like a cat with a tin can on its tale; my two girl cousins are screaming that high pitched note that only little girls can reach; I'm yelling and crying simultaneously, wondering if the robot has got ahold of my legs; my brother blasts awake howling; my cousin Larry is screaming "daddy, daddy" and my uncle and aunt come tearing in the room trying to turn on the one light I have managed to behead, while we're running about terrified and witless.

It took some time before calm was restored.

Every family reunion this story gets told, even 45 years later. Made one hell of an impression on all involved.

Great flick and good on ya! Hope you get your others -- especially Run Silent, Run Deep.

Sandy G · #4 08-23-2005, 09:43 PM

"Michael Rennie was ill the Day the Earth Stood Still, and he told us where it began...And Flash Gordon was there in silver underwear, Claude Raines was the Invisible Man...." Now, try & get THAT one outta yer heads tonite when you're trying to go to sleep...Heheheheh....-Sandy G.

Celt · #5 08-23-2005, 10:15 PM

...Science Fiction....Double Feature...

Toasted Almond · #6 08-23-2005, 10:18 PM

Sandy you hillbilly sneak attacker! Right out of the sun on that one. Okay. WAR!

Wornears, I was laughing my ass off at that episode of yours, right up until "Holler' Boy" stuck "Science Fiction" in my ear. "The Wasp Woman" was the first movie that really scared me good.

You have to admit, that is one GREAT soundtrack Hayseed referenced.

Mike Gibson · #7 08-23-2005, 10:37 PM

I remember only two movies that really scared me as a kid. I read a lot of Sci-Fi pulp magazines but the movies "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" (The original not the remake) and "Invaders from Mars" I remember checking my parents for the dreaded X on the back of their necks after seeing that one.

Toasted Almond · #8 08-24-2005, 05:11 AM

INVADERS FROM MARS!! Who could ever forget that one? I'd love to find that on tape or DVD.

The Thing from Outer Space (The Thing) was also good, but not as scary as IFM. Well, maybe a couple parts. One of the few movies where I thought the re-make was acceptable.

VintageNut · #9 08-24-2005, 10:51 AM

best early sci-fi, and still darn good: Forbidden Planet, with Anne Francis swimming around in skimpy outfits. Ray guns and sex too. They have web pages devoted to the movie

http://www.forbidden-planet.org/Robb...andingAnim.gif

Micropassatman · #10 08-24-2005, 12:37 PM

Creature from the Blacl Lagoon. Wasn't really sci-fi OR horror, but it was a memorable flick. The original Invasion of the Body Snatchers is hands-down the best of the '50s Sci-Fi.

Sandy G · #11 08-24-2005, 04:23 PM

What was the one where the guy wore a fishing cap & had a sidekick w/a horrible black page-boy wig on? Oh, yeah, "Robinson Crusoe on Mars" or something like that..I always liked "This Island Earth" w/that funky rectangular color-TV gizmo, the Atavachron...I guess color TV was still a big enuff novelty back then for most people to think it was science fiction...now, black & white TV seems like a rumor...except to us TV nuts here, of course...-Sandy G.

Toasted Almond · #12 08-24-2005, 07:22 PM

Forbidden Planet was a good one, and the future Honey West WAS hot. I almost forgot Invaders from Mars till it was mentioned though. That MIGHT be my favorite. The part where the kid was running and not getting anyplace........ anybody here want to say their own legs weren't moving trying to help him out?

I would ask the name of Honey's pet ocelot as a trivia question, but it's only going to get answered immediately by our resident HWTDB (Hillbilly Walking Trivia Data Bank).

tentoze · #13 08-24-2005, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Micropassatman

Creature from the Blacl Lagoon. Wasn't really sci-fi OR horror, but it was a memorable flick. The original Invasion of the Body Snatchers is hands-down the best of the '50s Sci-Fi.

As a potentially little-known fact, Many of the scenes in "Creature", like all the waterfront dock scenes, were filmed in my hometown, Jacksonville, FL.

VintageNut · #14 08-24-2005, 07:56 PM

Two of the best Star Trek episodes: The one with the Atavachron, mentioned above, had a haunting air about it, and City on the Edge of Forever, another time travel episode, with Joan Collins. The Doomsday Machine was good too, with William Windom as Commodore Decker

Sandy G · #15 08-24-2005, 08:13 PM

Sorry, T/A, this time even I'M stumped-it's been AGES since I saw that flick-not even sure I've ever seen it in its entirety. Another good Star Trek was "Shore Leave", one of the few episodes filmed mostly outside. When I was tadpole, I thought the theme they used when Kirk sees Ruth, his long-lost wife/girlfriend/shack-up was SO pretty. They only used it in a couple of episodes-the one that comes to mind was the one where these seeds/spores infect the big dogs, & Spock falls in love. They used it in the scenes w/him & the girl. It is a haunting, sweet melody played on a flute. Thefella who REALLY used props over & over the most was Irwin Allen-check out any of his shows, & chances are you'll see something that looks vaguely familiar-it prolly is, you've seen it B4 on "Lost in Space", "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea" or "The Time Tunnel".=Sandy G.