Whether you personally like the film or not, you cannot deny the power of 1951's SciFi/Classic The Day The Earth Stood Still from 20th Century Fox.
The Robert Wise directed feature turns an incredible 70 years young today, and its message of "you Earthlings better get your act together" continues to resonant with fans, even those who've someone never managed to see it until recently ... at least, that's a sentiment not lost of the hosts of The Front Row Network, an Illinois-based podcast somehow looked up with NPR. (FYI: I'm no fan of NPR, but I'm a reasonable fan of podcasts. Not crazy about them. Just enjoy them occasionally.) It would seem that the folks in this podcast were not all that familiar with the property but recently decided to give it a go: interested readers can check out the 'cast right here.
Having just completed listening to it, I'll say that it's fairly solid though largely introductory for those of us who've long ago appreciated what cultural weight the feature clearly holds in our genre and beyond. I don't know that I agree with all of their impressions of the film, but I've always argued that it's downright cool to chat with folks who've never enjoyed it the way long-time fans have: such discussions truly gives us something to think about when we're considering what we like, why we like it, and why we'd still recommend it despite the age of some of the narrative.
I will say that it's always prescient to keep in mind that each of us takes what we want from art. Some of what these folks inferred from it clearly comes from their own perceptions and experiences, as well as their way of looking at today's world. I'd suggest that I see some elements a bit differently, and that's the nature of interpreting art: it's personal, and it means something fresh and different to many of us.
That said, it's still a good listen. Enjoy ... if you're into that sort of thing.
As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!
The Robert Wise directed feature turns an incredible 70 years young today, and its message of "you Earthlings better get your act together" continues to resonant with fans, even those who've someone never managed to see it until recently ... at least, that's a sentiment not lost of the hosts of The Front Row Network, an Illinois-based podcast somehow looked up with NPR. (FYI: I'm no fan of NPR, but I'm a reasonable fan of podcasts. Not crazy about them. Just enjoy them occasionally.) It would seem that the folks in this podcast were not all that familiar with the property but recently decided to give it a go: interested readers can check out the 'cast right here.
Having just completed listening to it, I'll say that it's fairly solid though largely introductory for those of us who've long ago appreciated what cultural weight the feature clearly holds in our genre and beyond. I don't know that I agree with all of their impressions of the film, but I've always argued that it's downright cool to chat with folks who've never enjoyed it the way long-time fans have: such discussions truly gives us something to think about when we're considering what we like, why we like it, and why we'd still recommend it despite the age of some of the narrative.
I will say that it's always prescient to keep in mind that each of us takes what we want from art. Some of what these folks inferred from it clearly comes from their own perceptions and experiences, as well as their way of looking at today's world. I'd suggest that I see some elements a bit differently, and that's the nature of interpreting art: it's personal, and it means something fresh and different to many of us.
That said, it's still a good listen. Enjoy ... if you're into that sort of thing.
As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!
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