地球の静止する日

On This Day In History
1945: Potsdam Conference concludes

Quote Of The Day
"We call upon the government of Japan to proclaim now the surrender of all Japanese armed forces, and to provide proper and adequate assurance of their good faith in such action. The alternative for Japan is prompt and utter destruction."
(Potsdam Declaration, July 26, 1945)

Alternative On This Day In History
1945: Berlin Conference concludes

Alternative Quote Of The Day
"We call upon the governments of the Allied nations to proclaim now the surrender of all Allied armed forces, and to provide proper and adequate assurance of their good faith in such action. The alternative for the Allied nations is prompt and utter destruction."
(Berlin Declaration, July 26, 1945)

Just six years after World War II ended, 20th Century Fox released one of the greatest Science Fiction films ever made; The Day The Earth Stood Still , directed by Robert Wise and starring Michael Rennie as Klaatu.

In a parallel universe, just six years after World War II ended, the Toho Co., Ltd released one of the greatest Science Fiction films ever made, 地球の静止する日, directed by Ishiro Honda and starring Tatsuya Nakadai as Klaatu.

Bonus Quote Of The Day
"I am leaving soon, and you will forgive me if I speak bluntly. The universe grows smaller every day, and the threat of aggression by any group, anywhere, can no longer be tolerated. There must be security for all or no one is secure. Now, this does not mean giving up any freedom, except the freedom to act irresponsibly. Your ancestors knew this when they made laws to govern themselves and hired policemen to enforce them. Now, we of the other planets have long accepted this principle. We have an organization for the mutual protection of all planets and for the complete elimination of aggression. The test of any such higher authority is, of course, the police force that supports it. For our policemen, we created a race of robots. Their function is to patrol the planets in spaceships like this one and preserve the peace. In matters of aggression, we have given them absolute power over us. This power cannot be revoked. At the first sign of violence, they act automatically against the aggressor. The penalty for provoking their action is too terrible to risk. The result is, we live in peace, without arms or armies, secure in the knowledge that we are free from aggression and war, free to pursue more... profitable enterprises. Now, we do not pretend to have achieved perfection, but we do have a system, and it works. I came here to give you these facts. It is no concern of ours how you run your own planet, but if you threaten to extend your violence, this Earth of yours will be reduced to a burned-out cinder. Your choice is simple: join us and live in peace, or pursue your present course and face obliteration. We shall be waiting for your answer. The decision rests with you. Gort, berenga."
(Klaatu, The Day The Earth Stood Still and Klaatu, 地球の静止する日 )

If ever this world needed Klaatu and Gort (or Klaatu and Tetsujin), it needs them now!

The Day The Earth Stood Still Theme  (Bernard Hermann; a genius who was at least 74 years ahead of his time.)

My Two Cents/¥'200 Worth
Michael Rennie was head and shoulders better than Keannu Reeves in the inferior 2008 remake. The way that Rennie was able to make Klaatu convicing as both a scientific genius and a wide-eyed inncocent was outstanding. Reeves carries too much Valley Boy baggage to play a genius, and too much John Wicke baggage to play an innocent. Benedict Cumberbatch or Henry Cavill would have been better suited to the role.