"The Day the Earth Stood Still"

That's "still" not "Stihl".

This movie was recently re-made with Keavua Reeves and it came packaged with the original 1951 version. I watched them both.

First, the origainal is a much better story because it takes time to develop a plot, better acting and better dialoug.

In the original, the alien (Cantu) visists Earth to twart the development of nuclear weapons. Cantu believes that weapons will threaten his planet. If Earthlings don't stop, he will turn the Earth into a charred cinder.

In the new realease Cantu visits Earth because of what we are doing to the enviroment. Cantu threatens to wipeout the human race in order to save the Earth (it takes the entire movie to reveal his motives). According to Cantu, there are only a few planets in the galaxy capable of supporting life and, the galaxy can't afford to lose any of them.

A common theme running through both is whether or not Man can rise above His nature when confronted with its destruction.

A couple of interesting things that contrast the two versions; first what is viewed as the greatest threat to the Earth and, second, the fact the first release mentions God ("the Eternal Spirit") and the newest release does not.

Nice to see you again. Glad you found your way back.

I always have a chuckle when the destruction of all human life is depicted as the green, environmentally-friendly option.

I haven't seen either of these movies, however.

Hey Joe.

What I find interesting is the social aspect of Hollywood's production of the enviromental movies. The first being "Godzilla" and later came the "Frogs" (1970's). The idea of nature fighting back against Man.

I think Cantu should have been played by Al Gore.

I watched a Nova production on Black Holes. There is one in our glaxay that periodically sucks in a star (and its solar system). By defintion, that is "nature". The question is, "Is it desirable?"