Meanwhile, the robot is drilled into by humans, and small flying bug-like robots fly out and begin destroying everything manmade in their paths, including men. He sets out sending a series of spheres around the planet, gathering animals and sending them away from Earth to preserve the non-human lifeforms. This confuses Klaatu, who despite Helen's pleas continues forward with the plan. Wu has affection for them and would rather die one of them than escape back to an alien planet. Despite humanity's destructive tendencies, Mr. Wu, instead of going with him decides to stay. Klaatu tells him they plan on wiping out all traces of humankind on the planet, and Mr. Helen helps Klaatu escape, and together they go on the lam from the government and the police. Klaatu takes human form while healing himself from his bullet wound, and when he tells American military types he's here to talk to the United Nations, America responds by tossing him into a holding cell for questioning and possible torture. Klaatu, clearly holding sway over the robot, commands the robot to pause its counterattack. When a stray soldier decides to shoot the alien, an enormous robot appears, paralyzes every human in the city, and shorts out all electrical power in the area. When this sphere approaches the earth, it slows down to a soft landing in New York an alien, Klaatu, comes out to a less-than-warm welcome by the military. You only have to listen to Danny Elfman’s main them for the 1996 Tim Burton movie, Mars Attacks to hear the reach of Herrmann’s influence.When a UFO approaches Earth at close to light speed, Helen Benson is one of many scientists called in to figure out how humanity can survive. Over the years, many of the unique aspects of the film score have become standard genre tropes. Yet it proved to be a genre defining decision and adds another layer of subtlety to the storytelling. His decision to remove the acoustic instruments from the string and woodwind sections of the orchestra and to augment his score with the abstract otherworldly sounds of the Theremin, vibraphone, and celesta was a bold move. As the world watches on at the alien space ship, a harp glissando preludes a rapid duet between two pianos, one with bass and the other with vibraphone, which are octaves apart.īernard Herrmann was one of the most innovative composers of his generation who endeavoured to bring new and dynamic methods to the process of film scoring. “Radar” offers another incredible track, which demonstrates Herrmann’s compositional aptitude. This cue is a masterpiece in both conception and execution. Herrmann further embellishes this portentous theme with a vibraphone played backwards. The opening credits roll against a shifting panorama of stars and the sumptuously eerie main motif, featuring multi-tracked Theremin and tuba, juxtaposed by piano arpeggios, horns and crystalline harp. “Prelude and Outer Space” is a magnificent opening cue which highlights Herrmann genius in capturing the narratives emotional essence. He then further embellished the sound of the film by adding such diverse instruments as an electric violin, Theremins, Hammond organs, vibraphones, and a celesta. He therefore elected to remove acoustic string and woodwind instruments from the orchestra and expanded the horn section. Herrmann was far from a musical traditionalist and chose to craft an innovative soundscape to highlight the differences between the Alien Klaatu the bellicose and bombastic nature of humanity. So, he effectively gave him an open remit to create something different and special. Director Robert Wise had worked previously with Herrmann on The Magnificent Ambersons in 1942 and the pair had a good working relationship. The finished movie has proven to be one of the greatest science fiction movies ever it is The Day the Earth Stood Still made in 1951.Īlfred Newman was Director of Music at 20th Century Fox at the time and decided to assign the project to Bernard Herrmann, who has recently relocated to Los Angeles. Veteran director Robert Wise was brought in head the project and a fine cast of established characters actors such as Michael Rennie, Patricia Neal Hugh Marlowe and Sam Jaffe was assembled. The screenplay provided a moral commentary about the ongoing arms race and featured an alien visitor with Christ like qualities who delivers an apocalyptic message. Zanuck, he hired screenwriter Edmund North to adapt the short story Farewell to the Master by Harry Bates. With the backing from Fox Studio Executive Darryl F. Film producer Julian Blaustein had a long-standing desire to make a film that addressed the fears and concerns of the post war Atomic Age.
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