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The Day the Earth The Day the Earth Stood StillStood Still

Cast, Crew, Story, Theme, ReviewCast, Crew, Story, Theme, ReviewMuse-En-Scene, Life ConnectionsMuse-En-Scene, Life Connections

Keanu Reeves portrays Klaatu, an Keanu Reeves portrays Klaatu, an alien whose arrival on our planet alien whose arrival on our planet triggers a global upheaval. As triggers a global upheaval. As governments and scientists race governments and scientists race to unravel the mystery behind the to unravel the mystery behind the visitor's appearance, a woman visitor's appearance, a woman (Jennifer Connelly) and her young (Jennifer Connelly) and her young stepson get caught up in his stepson get caught up in his mission – and come to understand mission – and come to understand the ramifications of his being a the ramifications of his being a self-described "friend to the self-described "friend to the Earth."Earth." MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for some sci-

fi disaster images and violence)

The Day the Earth Stood Still © 20th Century Fox. Review © David Bruce

KEANU REEVES (Klaatu)KEANU REEVES (Klaatu)

Best known for his portrayal of Neo in the action film trilogy The Matrix

Was born in Beirut

His mother is English, and his father is American of Hawaiian-Chinese

Has never been married

The Day the Earth Stood Still © 20th Century Fox. Review © David Bruce

JENNIFER CONNELLY JENNIFER CONNELLY (Dr. Helen Benson)(Dr. Helen Benson)

Best known for Requiem for a Dream (2000), and A Beautiful Mind (2001)

Connelly is a vegan

Married to actor Paul Bettany

She has a son, Kai

The Day the Earth Stood Still © 20th Century Fox. Review © David Bruce

JADEN SMITH JADEN SMITH (Jacob Benson)(Jacob Benson)

Made his film debut co-starring with real-life dad Will Smith in The Pursuit of Happyness

Earned a Broadcast Film Critics’ Association Award nomination as Best Young Actor

The Day the Earth Stood Still © 20th Century Fox. Review © David Bruce

SCOTT DERRICKSON SCOTT DERRICKSON (Director) (Director) He is a screenwriter, producer, and director

He has written and directed the film The Exorcism Of Emily Rose

He graduated from Biola University La Mirada, CA with a degree in humanities, a degree in communications, and a degree in theological studies.

The Day the Earth Stood Still © 20th Century Fox. Review © David Bruce

DAVID SCARPA (Screenwriter) DAVID SCARPA (Screenwriter)

Started writing his TDTESS draft in 2005

Scarpa felt everything about the original film was still relevant, but changed the allegory from nuclear war to environmental damage

The recent events of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 informed his mindset

The Day the Earth Stood Still © 20th Century Fox. Review © David Bruce

ABOUT THE 1951 ORIGINALABOUT THE 1951 ORIGINAL

It was a black-and-white science fiction film that tells the story of a humanoid alien visitor, Klaatu, who comes to Earth with a warning

Klaatu's character was a Christ figure and adopts the name John Carpenter

The Day the Earth Stood Still © 20th Century Fox. Review © David Bruce

Dr. Helen Benson (Jennifer Connelly) finds herself face to face with an alien called Klaatu (Keanu Reeves), who travels across the universe to warn of an impending global crisis.

The Day the Earth Stood Still © 20th Century Fox. Review © David Bruce

Forces beyond Helen’s control treat the extraterrestrial as a hostile and deny his request to address the world’s leaders.

The Day the Earth Stood Still © 20th Century Fox. Review © David Bruce

Helen and her estranged stepson Jacob (Jaden Smith) quickly discover the deadly ramifications of Klaatu’s claim that he is “a friend to the Earth.”

The Day the Earth Stood Still © 20th Century Fox. Review © David Bruce

Now Helen must find a way to convince the entity who was sent to destroy us that humanity is worth saving – but it may be too late.

The Day the Earth Stood Still © 20th Century Fox. Review © David Bruce

The process has begun.

The Day the Earth Stood Still © 20th Century Fox. Review © David Bruce

FROM HELEN’S POINT OF VIEWHelen is important because she is the first human being to make physical contact with Klaatu when he emerges from his spacecraft. Therefore, she is the audience’s way into the movie. She is the main POV.

The Day the Earth Stood Still © 20th Century Fox. Review © David Bruce

A DIFFERENT FLYING SAUCER!The biggest challenge was to create a giant spaceship and make it look organic and naturalistic. A progressive alien civilization might be based on advanced biology and ecology and systems that are more organic than the hardware we’ve come to expect from sci-fi over the last 60 years.

The Day the Earth Stood Still © 20th Century Fox. Review © David Bruce

THE COLORSThe design scheme is anchored by one or two colors per set – primarily blue-green and orange – with the rest of each environment bathed in neutral tones. “I think color is one of the most effective aspects of cinema.” --Derrickson

The Day the Earth Stood Still © 20th Century Fox. Review © David Bruce

CONSENSUS VOICE:“All this is presented in an expensive, good-looking film that is well-made by Scott Derrickson, but to no avail.”--Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times

The Day the Earth Stood Still © 20th Century Fox. Review © David Bruce

““I hope it makes people I hope it makes people realize that this isn’t ‘our’ realize that this isn’t ‘our’ planet. We’re merely taking planet. We’re merely taking care of it for the generations care of it for the generations that will come after us, and that will come after us, and we haven’t been great we haven’t been great stewards stewards of it so far. So of it so far. So we’d better get to work on we’d better get to work on that.” that.” --KATHY BATES --KATHY BATES (Regina Jackson) (Regina Jackson)

The Day the Earth Stood Still © 20th Century Fox. Review © David Bruce

IN THE MIDST OF CRISIS —COMPASSION! IN THE MIDST OF CRISIS —COMPASSION! Thurgood Marshall once said, “The measure of a Thurgood Marshall once said, “The measure of a country's greatness is its ability to retain compassion country's greatness is its ability to retain compassion in times of crisis.” And, it is this measure of in times of crisis.” And, it is this measure of compassion that Klaatu experiences through Helen. It compassion that Klaatu experiences through Helen. It changes his plans to annihilate the world. changes his plans to annihilate the world. In the midst of crisis —compassion! In the midst of crisis —compassion! And And compassion leads to change —change-of-heart, compassion leads to change —change-of-heart, change-of-direction! The essence of TDTESS is this change-of-direction! The essence of TDTESS is this universal truth which is at the center of all good universal truth which is at the center of all good religions and philosophies! And, every good human, religions and philosophies! And, every good human, alien or otherwise! When we finally love our neighbor, alien or otherwise! When we finally love our neighbor, and love our enemies the earth will truly stand still.and love our enemies the earth will truly stand still.

The Day the Earth Stood Still © 20th Century Fox. Review © David Bruce

A CARBON-NEUTRAL A CARBON-NEUTRAL PRODUCTIONPRODUCTION“It’s really exciting to be “It’s really exciting to be involved in making a movie involved in making a movie about saving the world, about saving the world, and at the same time, and at the same time, taking steps to make sure taking steps to make sure we leave a zero footprint.”we leave a zero footprint.”-- Jeff Okun, visual effects -- Jeff Okun, visual effects producer producer

The Day the Earth Stood Still © 20th Century Fox. Review © David Bruce

HUMANS ARE WORTH SAVING. Klaatu sees that it is possible for humans to change. He observes their emotional journey toward reconciliation, and finds himself unexpectedly moved. Despite their obvious faults, humans are worth saving after all.

The Day the Earth Stood Still © 20th Century Fox. Review © David Bruce