The Day the Earth Stood Still

Amazon.com essential video

A hallmark of the science fiction genre as well as a wry commentary on the political climate of the 1950s, The Day the Earth Stood Still is a sci-fi movie less concerned with special effects than with a social parable. A spacecraft lands in Washington, D.C., carrying a humanoid messenger from another world (Michael Rennie) imparting a warning to the people of Earth to cease their violent behavior. But panic ensues as the messenger lands and is shot by a nervous soldier. His large robot companion destroys the Capitol as the messenger escapes the confines of the hospital. He moves in with a family as a boarder and blends into society to observe the full range of the human experience. Director Robert Wise (West Side Story) not only provides one of the most recognizable icons of the science fiction world in his depiction of the massive robot loyal to his master, but he avoids the obvious camp elements of the story to create a quiet and observant story highlighting both the good and the bad in human nature. --Robert Lane

Description

The Day The Earth Stood Still depicts the arrival of an alien dignitary, Klaatu (Michael Rennie), who has come to earth with his deadly robot, Gort (Lock Martin), to deliver the message that earthlings must stop warring among themselves--or else. After being shot at by military guards, Klaatu is brought to a Washington, D.C. hospital, where he begs a sympathetic but frank Major White (Robert Osterloh) to gather all the world's leaders so he can tell them more specifically what he has come to warn them about. Losing patience, Klaatu slips into the human world, adapting a false identity and living at a boarding house where he meets a smart woman with a conscience and her inquisitive son. Both mother and son soon find themselves embroiled in the complex mystery of Klaatu, his message and the government's witch hunt for the alien.

Customer Reviews:

An enlightened message of peace or a plug for capital punishment? Many misinterpret this film!.......2007-09-09

The Day the Earth Stood Still always appears on any list of "the best sci fi films of all time." It's easy to see why. First, it's more serious and less campy than most 50s sci fi, as well as more intelligent than most sci fi films in general. Second, Robert Wise's direction is masterful. Wise also gave us The Haunting (about the best horror film ever made), The Andromeda Strain and Star Trek the Motion Picture (both sci fi masterpieces in their own right). Casting unknowns in the leads was a pivotal decision. Had Klaatu been played by Spencer Tracy (as was actually considered) rather than British actor Michael Rennie the film would have been far less convincing. Patricia Neal, another relative unknown, was also a good choice. The mood and ambiance of the film would not have been as effective without Bernard Hermann's score, which is one of his all-time best (second only to his score for Vertigo in my opinion). Other little touches came together nicely to polish this gem off, such as hiring a real scientist and mathematician to lend credence to the science and math appearing in the film (a move other sci fi films would do well to follow!--by the way, the equations on the blackboard are real, not gobbledygook) as well as hiring a real giant to play Gort. Interestingly, those with giantism in real life are often extremely weak. When Gort was supposed to lift Patricia Neal and carry her into the saucer the actor who played him could not lift her; this is why you can see all the black cables around Neal--she was actually supported by a crane. Also deserving of mention is the screenplay--it crackles with excellent dialogue and many memorable lines. Examples include (paraphrasing here): "It's terrible when people substitute fear for reason," "Nothing is strange about Washington!" and "They're not people, they're Democrats!"

With all this said it must be added that a great many people misinterpret this film! Yes, the film has a message of peace, but think, just how did the aliens erect their peace? This film is NOT about non-violent, enlightened aliens who come to show us the error of our ways. Far from it!! What does Klaatu actually say when he explains himself to the scientists? He says basically that the rule of law is imperative AND that a law is ONLY AS GOOD as the ability to enforce it. That's it. As any behaviorist knows, he says that punishment works only when punishment is swift, harsh (the "punishee" has to fear the punishment, else it isn't punishment at all!) and invariable. People ignore laws in the US because they know they'll probably get away with it. (Think about it. If you KNEW you'd get a ticket every time you sped, would you ever drive over the speed limit?) What Klaatu says--and this is what so many people amazingly miss--is that THEY TOO were violent, but that they created a race of robot police agents, of which Gort is only one, and that if any of them commit a violent act one of these robots comes and immediately annihilates them. Since no one wants to be disintegrated by a Gort, no one commits violent crimes. What this film is actually about is the effectiveness of law--that any law is only as effective as the threat that backs it up. (I don't want to get too political here--though people have been politicizing this film for years--but contrary to the liberal backing of the film, this is a very conservative message!) What Klaatu ACTUALLY says is that we need to set up an effective system of capital punishment! That's what he actually says before leaving. Think about it.

The Day The Earth Stood Still.......2007-09-05

What can I say? This is one of the greatest Sci-Fi movies in movie history. Take an enjoyable look if you haven't seen this classic!!

The Day The Earth Stood Still.......2007-09-02

One of the greatest classic scifi movies ever made. It is old, but still good.

Regrets.......2007-09-02

Une leçon de vie dans ce film mythique montrant d'un côté le savoir vivre et le bon goût des gens de l'époque et d'un autre côté la bêtise humaine déjà à l'oeuvre...

Corny but fun.......2007-08-17

Just like most of the 1950's classic black and white "monster" movies, this one is just as corny and "mild" compared to todays standards, but it's great fun. The acting is really pretty good - you find yourself drawn right into that boarding house where Bobby and his mother live (ok now her character name escapes me, but it's Patricia Neal)....and of course Gort standing guard at the spaceship does a tremendous job of making you feel like there is no way under the sun you're walking up that ramp towards the spaceship! (and he doesn't speak one single word) One blink of his super-duper evaporating x-ray and that's all it would take to convince me to get out of Dodge. Great fun - great for the family, and a must for your classic movie collection.

Average customer rating:

A sticky bundle
Studio Classics - That's Entertainment
A good collection of movies from 1937-1969
What is this?

Studio Classics Collection Boxed Set
Starring: Audrey Hepburn , Tyrone Power , Bette Davis , Maureen O'Hara , and Walter Pidgeon
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000MCH7G6
Release Date: 2007-03-01

Amazon.com

This 40-Disc Collection includes some of the best in classic film, including 15 films nominated by the Academy of Arts and Sciences for Best Picture of the Year. This is a must-have in any classic film lover's library.

Customer Reviews:

A sticky bundle.......2007-08-14

This is a great value for some very good films indeed (about $6 per film at Amazon's discount). However, as one of the other reviewers noted, this is a bundle, not a proper collection. That means that all 40 films are separately wrapped with Fox's infuriating security stickers that do not come off cleanly. After spending an hour removing the stickers, you can expect to find DVD cases sticking together because of all the adhesive residue. Tacky in both the literal and figurative senses!

Otherwise a great deal (especially when you consider that most if not all titles include an audio commentary and other special features.)

Studio Classics - That's Entertainment.......2007-07-04

No - Studio Classics are not the great musicals of MGM, but it is a group of great movies from Hollywood. All but four of the movies are Oscar winners in a major category and four best picture winners. You need to like the black and white movies of the late 30's into the 40's and the All-Star color classics of the 50's. Not certain I'd call this a "collection," since it is a pretty eclectic group of movies, but a treasure chest of viewing pleasure for those that can watch a great movie again and again. Bring on the popcorn!

A good collection of movies from 1937-1969.......2007-01-27

The previous reviewer asked an excellent question - Why part with all of that money if you don't even know what films are included? So, I looked it up and here's the list:

In Old Chicago (1937), Nominated Best Picture, won Best Supporting Actress
Alexander's Ragtime Band (1938), Nominated for Best Picture
The Rains Came (1939), Stars Myrna Loy in an OK sentimental disaster film.

The Grapes of Wrath (1940), Nominated Best Picture, in AFI top 100 Films.
The Mark of Zorro (1940), Stars Tyrone Power in title role.
How Green Was My Valley (1941), Won Best Picture
The Black Swan (1942), Tyrone Power & Maureen O'Hara in a pirate film.
Orchestra Wives (1942), Stars Glenn Miller and his band.
The Ox-Bow Incident(1943), Nominated for Best Picture starring Henry Fonda.
The Song of Bernadette (1943), Nominated for Best Picture, won Best Actress.
The Keys of the Kingdom (1944), Gregory Peck nominated for Best Actor
Leave Her to Heaven (1945), Melodrama with Cornell Wilde & Gene Tierney
Anna and the King of Siam (1946), Rex Harrison in non-musical version of "The King and I".
My Darling Clementine (1946), John Ford, who actually knew Wyatt Earp, directs Henry Fonda as Wyatt Earp.
The Razor's Edge (1946), nominated for Best Picture.
Gentleman's Agreement (1947), - Won best picture, direction, supporting actress (Celeste Holm).
The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947), Gene Tierney as a widow plus Rex Harrison as the ghost she falls in love with.
The Snake Pit (1948), Nominated for best picture, stars Olivia DeHaviland as a mental patient.
A Letter to Three Wives (1949), nominated for Best Picture. 1 of 3 husbands has left his wife - but which one?

All About Eve (1950), Won Best Picture, helped revive Bette Davis' career
The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951), A terrific early sci-fi film
Titanic (1953), stars Clifton Webb and Barbara Stanwyck as a feuding couple aboard the doomed ship.
Three Coins in the Fountain (1954), Nominated best picture
Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing (1955), Nominated best picture
Anastasia (1956), Ingrid Bergman won Best Actress as the amnesiac heiress to the Russian throne.
The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit (1956), Gregory Peck as a businessman trying to balance his career and home life.
An Affair to Remember (1957), Cary Grant & Deborah Kerr in a great romance
Desk Set (1957), One of Tracy & Hepburn's better films.
The Three Faces of Eve (1957), Best Actress award for Joanne Woodward as a woman with three personalities.
Peyton Place (1957),classic melodrama and Nominated Best Picture
The River's Edge (1957, An OK Western/film noir combo.
The Inn of the Sixth Happiness (1958),stars Ingrid Bergman as a missionary in China.
The Best of Everything (1959), 1950's view of the world of secretaries. Joan Crawford as an evil boss.
The Diary of Anne Frank (1959), Nominated Best Picture, won 3 others.

Return to Peyton Place (1961), a mediocre sequel to the original.
Zorba the Greek (1964), Nominated Best Picture, stars Anthony Quinn.
Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964), Bette Davis in a great bizarre tale.
How to Steal a Million (1966), classic 60's comedy with Peter O'Toole & Audrey Hepburn.
Two for the Road (1967), Nominated for best screenplay, great love story told in flashbacks.
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969), Best Actress for Maggie Smith as a schoolteacher with unconventional ideas.

All in all, this is a good collection of 40 critically acclaimed and award-winning films from the years 1937-1969 that continue to be popular. They encompass all genres, and I count only two real clunkers among them - "Return to Peyton Place" and "The Rains Came". There are a lot of Academy Award winners among them - and I'm not talking just Best Song or Best Cinematography either. I counted 15 nominations for best picture, and a few actually won the top award. With the price heavily discounted as it is, it works out to six dollars per classic movie, which is a pretty good deal.

My impression is that this is just a DVD bundle, not a collector's edition of any kind. Thus I would not anticipate any extras other than those that are already on the included individual DVD's containing the movies themselves.

What is this?.......2007-01-20

You would think for five hundred and fifty five dollars there would at least be a list of the movies included!!

Best of Fox Sci-Fi DVD Bundle (The Day the Earth Stood Still / Donnie Darko / Alien Collector's Edition / The Abyss / Planet of the Apes 1968)

Average customer rating:

Best of Fox Sci-Fi DVD Bundle (The Day the Earth Stood Still / Donnie Darko / Alien Collector's Edition / The Abyss / Planet of the Apes 1968)
Starring: Ed Harris , Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio , Michael Biehn , Leo Burmester , and Todd Graff
Director: James Cameron , Richard Kelly (II) , and Franklin J. Schaffner
Manufacturer: Twentieth Century Fox Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000356EWU
Release Date: 2004-10-05

Giant Robo - The Day the Earth Stood Still (Vol. 2)

Average customer rating:

The emotional second volume

Giant Robo - The Day the Earth Stood Still (Vol. 2)
Starring: Giant Robo
Manufacturer: Anime Works
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00064AE4W
Release Date: 2004-12-28

Description

Daisaku and Giant Robo must overcome Von Volger's most maniacal creation, the Eye of Volger and the explosive Big Balloon! When Daisaku is trapped aboard the burning Greta Garbo, it's up to Gin Rei and Tetsugyu to rescue him. But a deadly adversary is lying in wait for Tetsugyu, and he won't give up until he has his vengeance!

Customer Reviews:

The emotional second volume.......2005-04-25

Events start to really heat up in the second Giant Robo volume. Even with only two of the three anti-Shizuma drives in his possession, Genya's enormous `Eye of Volgar' seems unstoppable, leaving a path of destruction in its wake. Our heroes are continually on the defensive as Big Fire, Shocking Alberto and Ivan along with his Uranus robot pound them mercilessly. Sadly, the Experts of Justice suffer more than a few casualties including major characters introduced in volume one. By the end of the volume even Giant Robo is left battered and in need of major repairs.

The Giant Robo OVA was eight years in the making and continues to leave viewers scratching their heads. Genya's motivation is classic revenge but what does Big Fire have to gain from worldwide destruction? Why would Chief Chujo want to mothball Giant Robo for fear of his nuclear core exploding since the `Eye of Vulgar' seems far more destructive than any nuclear accident? Both English dubbings of `The Day the Earth Stood Still' seem confused as to whether Genya's `Eye of Volger' has already done more damage than the tragedy of Bashtarlle or not. If Genya has already exceeded the previous disaster with only two of the three anti-Shizuma drives why bother with the third. It would seem to be `mission successful' time to go home and gloat. I've seen volume three so I can say that at least in the previous dubbing these questions are not answered. Even the Magnificent Ten seem confused as to what the heck Big Fire is trying to accomplish.

These questions might be more bothersome if Giant Robo weren't such a terrific OVA. Volume two is the most emotional of the three volumes, it also has the highest death toll of major characters. Giant Robo is almost taken out permanently as he tries in vain to face off against the `Eye of Volger' and Daisuka comes to the realization that Robo is more than just his own personal tool of revenge against Big Fire. Volume two fills in a lot of the gaps in volume one as the viewer finally learns the truth behind the `Tragedy of Bashtarlle' and why Genya is so consumed with the anti-Shizuma drives and revenge on the world. We also learn about Daisaku's past and his own burning hatred towards Big Fire.

Giant Robo has never been a big seller and that's a shame because it really is one of the all time great anime. I wish more people could give it a chance particularly now that you can get all three volumes for relatively cheap.

Giant Robo - The Day the Earth Stood Still (Vol. 1)

Average customer rating:

WHAT A GREAT START TO AN ADVENTURE!
"Crush them now, Giant Robo!"
Word for the unwary & naive
Experience the Beautiful Night
One of the all time great OVA's

Giant Robo - The Day the Earth Stood Still (Vol. 1)
Starring: Kappei Yamaguchi , Sumi Shimamoto , Shôzô Îzuka , Kazue Komiya , and Norio Wakamoto
Director: Yasuhiro Imagawa
Manufacturer: Anime Works
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0002UB30Y
Release Date: 2004-10-26

Description

It is a new dawn for mankind. The Shizuma Drive has brought clean, limitless energy and launched humanity into an age of prosperity. But even in this Eden of technology, there lurk the shadows of envy and greed. Big Fire is a secret brotherhood whose only goal is to direct the world toward chaos. The world is protected by the Experts of Justice, a team of operatives assembled from around the globe to stop the ultimate disaster of The Eternal Night. The key to everything is the bravery of their newest member, a boy named Daisaku Kusama, and the great machine he commands.

Customer Reviews:

WHAT A GREAT START TO AN ADVENTURE!.......2007-02-23

The only reason I didnt give this volume 5 stars was because episode 2 had such a long recap of episode 1.

"Crush them now, Giant Robo!".......2006-04-12

How on earth does one describe Giant Robo? A creation utilizing the skills of some the biggest talents ever to work on animation in Japan, telling an Epic story in a few short hours, showcasing some of the finest animation of all time, with a depth of storyline and strength of dialog missing from the biggest of blockbusters, with enough over-the-top action and melodrama to make all super-hero movies look like cheap hacks, and a sweeping orchestral score that's second to none...only begins to scratch the surface. When you look up old-school in the dictionary, you should see a giant-sized picture of this anime. Ginrei ought to be the #1 anime babe in everyone's book. Shocking Alberto is more powerful than Magneto from the X-Men! But I'm getting ahead of myself...

Let's start with the concept: In the future, the ultimate energy source has been discovered. It's clean, efficient, and works forever. It eventually replaces every other energy source and is used for everything from power plants to pocket calculators. An organization seeking world domination has a plan to shut down every one of the devices in the whole world (a second strike of the tragedy that nearly destroyed the world when the drive was first tested), bringing the planet to it's knees. And of course, there's an organization of super-heroes to defend the world from this threat, with it's newest member being a boy who commands the world's most powerful weapon, a giant robot. This simple premise eventually branches out to conspiracies, vendettas, family reunions, hidden secrets, unrequited love, mis-guided loyalty to a cause, and a consuming desire for revenge...

Giant Robo was conceived to be the ultimate tribute to classic manga superheroes/supervillains. For starters, Giant Robo is Gigantor. That means that the world's mightiest robot is controlled by a kid with wrist-watch. If that isn't enough to make you want to watch the series, then I don't know what is. And then, there's Big Fire, the Villain who a whole evil organization-bent-on-world-conquest is named after. He's Babel (both Gigantor and Babel were creations of Yokoyama Mitsuteru in the 1960's). And that evil organization? It looks like Specter from the James Bond movies only populated completely with Super-Villains. And it just gets more confusing from there.

To say that this show's creators bit off more than they could chew is the understatement of the millennium. As the story was told to me, there were entire segments of the story planned for characters who ultimately got a scant minute or two of time in the show. For instance, there was a huge battle between Shocking Alberto's daughter and Big Fire that was planned for the final episode and was cut. The samurai featured in the last two episodes were supposed to have background explanations and character development, and instead are given battle scenes and nothing else. Taking more than 5 years (exact figures depend on who you ask) to complete and a flop when it came out in Japan, at points during production it looked like the series might never be finished (the Japanese voice actors actually forgot what their characters were supposed to sound like during an interval between episodes). What this ultimately means to the viewer is...

In terms of the whole history of anime, Giant Robo is a landmark. Anime encyclopedias will give you loads of back story and reasons why you should appreciate it. It's probably the greatest example of a modern old-school anime in history (so if you loved Metropolis and The Big O you'll be in heaven). From what I understand, Giant Robo was one of the first anime (if not THE first) to use a completely orchestral score. And what a score it is! Written by the same composer who wrote the orchestral score for Princess Nine, it manages to create a sweeping, epic mood reminiscent of the greatest of Hollywood movies. The animation is also incredibly high-caliber, high-budget work. The voice acting...ah the voice acting. The original Japanese dub is so serious I thought it killed the mood. The new English dub is receiving praise from many. For me, however, the best is the original English dub. Made back when the dialog was completely reworked instead of just translated, some people will hate it because it changes the meaning of sentences. Others will feel the way that I do. If I'm going to watch a show about super-heroes, I want to hear thick foreign accents and loads of attitude. When the German scientists talk with thick fake German accents, that's part of the greatness to me (like hearing the Austrian accent of a certain action star). Your mileage will vary.

While this series has some great characterization, wonderful battle sequences and loads of off-screen back story to it's world, if you aren't the sort of person who likes to look up, research, ponder, and talk about this sort of thing, you are probably going to watch this OVA once and be very confused. Characters make reference to events that are not shown, characters have strong relationships and rivals that they talk to like it's episode 99 instead of episode 1. In other words, if you're the kind of person who wishes comic book movies didn't explain EVERYTHING to you, and instead had heroes and villains dropping in and fighting with no explanation (like in the comic books!), being part of a much larger story that you have to be a REAL fan to appreciate, you'll absolutely love this OVA.

This anime is very open to interpretation. You may think it's the greatest thing you've ever seen in your life. Or you may wonder why anyone would watch something so over-the-top and cheesy. One thing's for sure. If you love anime, you definitely need to see this one. If you love comic-book movies, you also need to see it. In this anime you will find everything from giant robots and flying ships to characters who can run faster than speeding cars. There's samurai, shape-shifters, and every super-power in between. My personal favorite character is Ginrei, the beautiful lady marksman with a secret super-power. Of course this isn't like your American comic book movie. Main characters, both good and evil, will die. There's a good and a bad side to everyone (good guys and bad guys both have dissension on their own side, and the ultimate motive of the one who caused the world-wide crisis is left open until the very end of the final episode).

The first few episodes found on this disc are well worth seeing, as they introduce the main characters and setup world of the story in a strong manner. The real reason to watch the first episodes though (and also a big reason to see the final episode) is to see just how awesome Shocking Alberto is. A villain who can shoot TORNADOS of electricity out of hands!? The guy nearly takes out all of the heroes on his own! Maybe I'm just tired of seeing heroes and villains with amazing abilities easily defeated in the movies and comic books of late, but Alberto has gotta be one of the coolest villains I've ever seen.

I had mixed feelings about the anime the first time I saw it, but now I find that every time I watch it I understand and appreciate new details. More than a tribute to the classics of manga and anime, this series is itself a classic. Just keep in mind while watching this DVD that this is only the start. The action, melodrama, and epic story are just beginning in this volume and continue to build until the epic conclusion. Pull out the wrist watches and summon the giant robots, after all that waiting Giant Robo is finally out on DVD!

Word for the unwary & naive.......2005-09-23

If you, like me, think a "Premium DVD Collectors box" (Eye of Volger) actually contains the anime's 3 DVDs: it doesn't. It's a cardboard box and a plastic sphere. Anime sold separately.

Experience the Beautiful Night.......2005-09-04

If you have ever gone back as an adult to watch one of the shows you loved as a kid, you know the feeling of disappointment you feel when it just doesn't move you like it did back then. Often you find yourself laughing at scenes that once made you cheer. Things that awed you now look cheesy, and all the low-budget flaws you never noticed back then now stand out like neon signs.
If you have ever found yourself wondering why on earth you loved those old shows, then Giant Robo: The Day the Earth Stood Still is a series you shouldn't miss. It is a loving tribute to the dozens of giant robot shows produced in Japan during the 1960 and 1970s. Sadly, most of those shows were never seen in America, but their effect was felt in the form of the toys (many of which were released over here in the "Shogun Warriors" line), and in the handful of shows that did make the transition; Gigantor, Tranzor Z, Voltron, and the like.
Giant Robo is a mid-1990s OAV series that is styled like one story arc (or season) of one of those old shows. It plunges right into the story with no time wasted on backstory or character introduction, and even ends with a teaser for next season. Of course, there never was another season in the works, nor was there ever a TV series. Giant Robo does take some of its basic design elements from an old live action show called Johnny Sokko, but the connection to that series is superficial at best.
Don't get me wrong. Giant Robo is not a parody of the classic giant robot shows, nor is it yet another doomed attempt to update an old favorite for a modern audience. Despite the cartoony, retro character designs, what sets Giant Robo apart is that it takes itself completely seriously from beginning to end. This is an homage in the truest sense of the word. It's everything that was cool about the old shows, done as their original creators would have done it, if they had had the time, manpower, and a real budget. You get all the over-the-top action, the drama, the bombastic dialogue, and the megalomaniacal monologues, without the poor animation quality, cheesy music, and general corniness that plagued the originals. In short, this is what the TV shows of your childhood dreamed of being, and a rare chance to remind yourself of what it was that you loved about them.

A word of warning though, if you are considering buying the "Premium Collector's Box:" While it is not made clear in the ads, this is NOT a boxed set of the complete series. It's just what it says: A collector's BOX. The price is a little misleading. Essentially, you are buying the first volume of the DVD series, and spending the remaining 40 bucks on an empty plastic box. It's novel, but hardly worth what they are charging for it.

One of the all time great OVA's.......2005-04-21

Giant Robo is a world where the energy problem has been solved by the creation of the wondrous Shizuma drive. The Shizuma drive is cheap, clean and reusable leaving the world in a relatively idyllic state. Unfortunately things aren't so neat and tidy below the surface. Security is constantly threatened by Big Fire or the `BF Society' as this version of the OVA calls them. Big Fire differentiates itself from most `evil organizations' by actually being incredibly competent. The society works in league with the Magnificent Ten, a group of super humans that are more than a match for just about anyone or anything they come up against. Compounding the threat from Big Fire is the sudden resurfacing of the Shizuma drives' dark history. Defending the world is the Experts of Justice, the Big Nine and of course Giant Robo and his handler/friend, the young Daisaku Kusama.

Giant Robo is an enigmatic OVA. Supposedly the anime is inspired by an old live action television show called Johnny Sokko. When you watch each episodes opening credits it shows scenes as if from previous episodes. The confusion continues as characters are suddenly thrust into the cartoon without any background information. It all adds up to give the impression that `Operation Earth Stand Still' is just one part of a larger cartoon series which it is not. Apparently there was a tremendous amount of material written for Giant Robo including character backgrounds and even other stories that were never created. For instance Magnificent Ten member, Shocking Alberto, talks about a history with Big Nine member Taisou where Taisou apparently caused the death of his friend Cervantes and cost Alberto his right eye. None of these events are actually in the OVA. Much of the character backgrounds can be found on the internet.

What sets Giant Robo apart is the complexity and maturity of the script and the beautiful music provided by the Polish philharmonic orchestra. They say that the measure of a hero is the challenges they must overcome and in this case the Experts of Justice are truly heroic because Big Fire is a ferocious foe. How ferocious? A single member of the Magnificent Ten, Shocking Alberto, with the assistance of the bizarre Koenshaku was able to personally assault a large Experts of Justice base and destroy the entire thing with his bare hands.

The Giant Robo OVA has a very cartoonish, but still excellent, retro look to it which contrasts with the emotional and often violent story. GR was one of the first anime's I ever saw and remains one of my all time favorites. The DVD set has an all new voiceover with some pluses and minuses. On the plus side the story is explained much clearer than in the original VHS version. On the minus side the voice acting isn't nearly as good. Luckily the DVD also includes the original voiceovers although it doesn't include scene selection for the original. You also get more bang for you buck with the DVD's since the first DVD combines two tapes worth of episodes and the second contains three tapes worth.

The Day the Earth Stood Still [Region 2]

Average customer rating:

An enlightened message of peace or a plug for capital punishment? Many misinterpret this film!
The Day The Earth Stood Still
The Day The Earth Stood Still
Regrets
Corny but fun

The Day the Earth Stood Still [Region 2]
Starring: Michael Rennie , Patricia Neal , Hugh Marlowe , Sam Jaffe , and Billy Gray
Director: Robert Wise
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000089ASJ

Amazon.com essential video

Customer Reviews:

An enlightened message of peace or a plug for capital punishment? Many misinterpret this film!.......2007-09-09

The Day The Earth Stood Still.......2007-09-05

What can I say? This is one of the greatest Sci-Fi movies in movie history. Take an enjoyable look if you haven't seen this classic!!

The Day The Earth Stood Still.......2007-09-02

One of the greatest classic scifi movies ever made. It is old, but still good.

Regrets.......2007-09-02

Une leçon de vie dans ce film mythique montrant d'un côté le savoir vivre et le bon goût des gens de l'époque et d'un autre côté la bêtise humaine déjà à l'oeuvre...

Corny but fun.......2007-08-17

DVD:

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