Bernard Herrmann was born in New York City on June 29, 1911, under the name, Max Herman. There are maybe 10 film score composers that I think are the greatest, Nino Rota, Ennio Morricone, Jerry Goldsmith, etc., but at the very apex of the greats are Rota and Herrmann.
Herrmann is known for his collaborations with director Alfred Hitchcock, most famously North by Northwest, The Man Who Knew Too Much, and Vertigo; his scores are brilliant. He also composed scores for many other films, including Citizen Kane for Orson Welles, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, Cape Fear, Fahrenheit 451 for François Truffaut, and Taxi Driver for Martin Scorsese. He worked extensively in radio drama (composing for Orson Welles), composed the scores for several fantasy films by Ray Harryhausen and many TV programs, including the Rod Serling Twilight Zone series, and Have Gun – Will Travel. At the top of these film scores is the one that has never been matched for sheer terror and suspense, Psycho (link below).
However, at the very top of this amazing pinnacle is what I consider his absolute best score, The Day the Earth Stood Still.
movie poster
After seeing the film who will ever forget the themes he composed for the soundtrack with his signature use of the theremin? However, he did not rely entirely on a theremin or synthesizers; his use of the piano on Radar is brilliant (link below). This recording of four of his film scores includes The Day the Earth Stood Still.
The Day the Earth Stood Still ~ LaserDisc front cover
art direction: Glenn Ross
illustration: Richard Krieger
photo of album cover by Styrous®
photo of album cover by Styrous®
Then there is, "Klaatu Barada Nikto"; seems to me it's one of THE most well-known film lines EVER delivered (link below)!
front cover detail
art direction: Glenn Ross
art direction: Glenn Ross
illustration: Richard Krieger
detail photo of album cover by Styrous®
And last, but certainly NOT least, there are the spectacular special effects! You could say they were ahead of their time, however, even by today's high-tech standards, they are stunning!!!!
front cover detail
art direction: Glenn Ross
art direction: Glenn Ross
illustration: Richard Krieger
detail photo of album cover by Styrous®
One of the special effects was the robot "bodyguard", Gort, that spews forth laser-like death rays when danger threatens Klaatu, the extraterrestrial (back then they were called aliens) portrayed by Michael Rennie. What an amazing creature! It is the very best rendition of a robot EVER created which has never been surpassed.
Gort was portrayed by seven-foot, seven-inch (231 cm)-tall actor Lock Martin
wearing a thick foam-rubber suit designed and built by Addison Hehr.
Two suits were created, fastened alternately from the front or back so
that the robot would appear seamless from any angle in the completed
scenes.
The Day the Earth Stood Still ~ LaserDisc back cover
photo by Styrous®
The Day the Earth Stood Still was directed by Robert Wise, who edited Citizen Kane in 1941 and The Magnificent Ambersons in 1942 for director Orson Welles before going on
to direct such major 1960s musicals as West Side Story in 1961 and The Sound of Music in 1965.
The Day the Earth Stood Still was based on the
story Farewell to the Master by Harry Bates (link below), which was first published in the October 1940 issue of Astounding Science Fiction.
As with most films Day follows the story line of the book somewhat, with some major changes, it diverges radically in that in the book the major character is Cliff Sutherland, a free-lance picture reporter. Klaatu is killed right off the bat and the robot is "Gnut" and green.
Also, at the end, when Gnut is implored by Sutherland to tell his masters that the death of Klaatu was an accident, Gnut replies, "You misunderstand, I am the master!"
As with most films Day follows the story line of the book somewhat, with some major changes, it diverges radically in that in the book the major character is Cliff Sutherland, a free-lance picture reporter. Klaatu is killed right off the bat and the robot is "Gnut" and green.
Also, at the end, when Gnut is implored by Sutherland to tell his masters that the death of Klaatu was an accident, Gnut replies, "You misunderstand, I am the master!"
detail photo by Styrous®
The Lux Radio Theater performed a dramatization of the script with Michael Rennie and Jean Peters on January 4, 1954 (link below).
detail photo by Styrous®
In 1973 a Canadian progressive rock group, formed by John Woloschuk and Dee Long, named themselves Klaatu after the extraterrestrial, in the film The Day the Earth Stood Still. The band released the singles Anus Of Uranus / Sub-Rosa Subway and Dr. Marvello. More on them in a future article.
The band struggled to get radio recognition. By 1975 Davies, along with producer Terry Brown, managed to land the band a deal with Capitol Records in the US and worldwide. Then, on February 17, 1977, a feature headlined ‘Could Klaatu Be Beatles? Mystery Is A Magical Tour’, written by Steve Smith, he asked, "Why did the album sound so much like the Fab Four? “It struck me almost immediately,” he says. “The track Sub-Rosa Subway is completely Beatlish.”
date & photographer unknown
The band struggled to get radio recognition. By 1975 Davies, along with producer Terry Brown, managed to land the band a deal with Capitol Records in the US and worldwide. Then, on February 17, 1977, a feature headlined ‘Could Klaatu Be Beatles? Mystery Is A Magical Tour’, written by Steve Smith, he asked, "Why did the album sound so much like the Fab Four? “It struck me almost immediately,” he says. “The track Sub-Rosa Subway is completely Beatlish.”
detail photo by Styrous®
The Day the Earth Stood Still has been selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry and is ranked in the top 50 on the Time Out highly regarded list of the 100 Best Sci Fi Movies.
detail photo by Styrous®
The Day the Earth Stood Still has aged better than almost all of its peers. The ideal of a society based on the predication of universal peace with a
benevolent police state is a dream yet to be realized, if ever. The special effects are still effective, and the
eerie Bernard Herrmann score sets the mood perfectly. Decades later, it
remains a thought-provoking, worthwhile parable.
detail photo by Styrous®
photo by Styrous®
photo by Styrous®
photo by Styrous®
photo by Styrous®
Net links:
AFI ~ The Day the Earth Stood Still
Cast & Crew
1950's science fiction films
Classic Film & TV Café (review)
My Meaninigful Movies ~ The Day the Earth Stood Still
Farewell to the Master PDF
YouTube links:
The Day the Earth Stood Still ~
Klaatu Comes in Peace
AFI ~ The Day the Earth Stood Still
Cast & Crew
1950's science fiction films
Classic Film & TV Café (review)
My Meaninigful Movies ~ The Day the Earth Stood Still
Farewell to the Master PDF
YouTube links:
The Day the Earth Stood Still ~
Klaatu Comes in Peace
Gort Appears
Klaatu Barada Nikto
Klaatu's Speech
The Choice Is Ours
The Day The Earth Stood Still movie trailer
Lux Radio Theater ~ The Day the Earth Stood Still (1 hr.)
Bernard Herrmann ~
The Day the Earth Stood Still Suite (11 min. 37 sec.)
Radar
Klaatu Barada Nikto
Klaatu's Speech
The Choice Is Ours
The Day The Earth Stood Still movie trailer
Lux Radio Theater ~ The Day the Earth Stood Still (1 hr.)
Bernard Herrmann ~
The Day the Earth Stood Still Suite (11 min. 37 sec.)
Radar
