The Day the Earth Stood Still

The Day the Earth Stood Still

15 May 2023

13:00-14:00 PT
Season 11, Episode 05

Re-Imagined Radio presents the radio adaptation of the 1951 SciFi movie, both starring Michael Rennie. Classic radio storytelling. A space alien arrives in Washington, DC, and gives humankind a warning, and an ultimatum: live peacefully or be destroyed as a danger to other planets.

Listen

Optimized for radio broadcast.

Credits

Written, Produced, and Hosted by John F. Barber
Sound Design, Music, and Post Production by Marc Rose of Fuse Audio Design
Promotional Graphics by Holly Slocum

Background

The story we know as "The Day the Earth Stood Still" was first published as "Farewell to the Master" in Astounding Science Fiction Magazine, October 1940. It was written by American science fiction writer and editor Hiram Gilmore "Harry" Bates III. Bates edited several action-adventure pulp magazines, including Astounding Science Fiction of which he was the founding editor. Bates reversed a long-standing view of aliens as aggressive, menacing, lacking in moral or ethical character, established by H. G. Wells in his novel The War of the Worlds, published in 1898. In Bates' story, the alien Klaatu is kind, wise, noble, like a benign god. The giant robot Gnot — the name was changed to Gort in the 1951 movie adaptation — exhibited sadness, gentleness. READ "Farewell to the Master" here.

The short story by Bates was adapted as the movie The Day the Earth Stood Still in 1951. Michael Rennie, as Klaatu, and Patricia Neal, as Helen Benson, starred. Film score composed by Bernard Herrmann. The screenplay by Edmund H. North, introduced thematic twists inspired by the then current Cold War, a period of geopolitical tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union and their allies. Klaatu seeks to warm humankind of the dangers of exploiting and corrupting science and technology. The robot Gort is one of many throughout the universe created to eliminate any civilization that threatens space warfare.

The 1951 movie was adapted for radio by Milton Geiger and broadcast January 4, 1954 as an episode of Lux Radio Theatre. Michael Rennie again starred as Klaatu, but Jean Peters replaced Patricia Neal as Helen Benson. The music was composed and directed by Rudy Schrager.

*** More background information to come ***

Promotion

Graphics

The Day the Earth Stood Still web poster by Holly Slocum (240 x 356)

The Day the Earth Stood Stillcover graphic by Holly Slocum (820 x 360)

The Day the Earth Stood Still landscape poster by Holly Slocum (1910 x 1080)

The Day the Earth Stood Still square poster by Holly Slocum (2000 x 2000)

The Day the Earth Stood Still full poster by Holly Slocum (2000 x 3000)