The Day The Earth Stood Still

The Alien Klaatu, played by Michael Rennie, comes to Earth to deliver a message, and brings along Gort, an all-powerful robot.  That, and a soldier's bullet, sets in motion a series of events that could change humanity forever. Robert Wise directed many of the most impressive films of the 1950s through the 1980s. In The Day The Earth Stood Still, he has taken the paranoia of the 1950s and made a powerful comment on the matter of the human tendency towards war and violence, while also making it clear that humanity has options available to them that are thrilling it they can only go beyond our base instincts. While that may sound incredibly high-minded, Wise handles it in a way that is simple, but never dull or overly simplified. While the script is clearly written, it is the high-contrast cinematography and precision editing that gives the film its distinctive tension. Why it's on the list Beautiful, intelligent, with a wonderful message, and incredible performances, it's perhaps the most 1950s of all science fiction films.