A flying saucer lands in Washington DC at the height of the Cold War. Out strides an emissary from the stars, bringing a message of peace to the people of Earth. Panicking, the US military shoot him... And so begins one of the finest science fiction movies ever made. Robert Wise's seminal plea for peace in our time still resonates over 50 years later, giant robots and alien technology taking a back seat to an intelligent storyline. Michael Rennie oozes otherworldly gravitas as Klaatu while his robot, Gort, became the template for endless B-movie posters showing a big monster holding a screaming woman with pointy boobs.
DVD Extras:
This two-disc set comes with a fusty commentary by director Robert Wise and pal Nicholas Meyer, a 15-minute featurette about the film's impact (Elektra's Rob Bowman: "It's a textbook example of classic filmmaking" - perhaps you should read it, mate) and a fact-filled set of interviews which, sadly, tend to drag.
