It’s a Crime This 93% RT Sci-Fi Masterpiece Is Impossible to Stream

It is a crime that this science fiction classic with a 93% Rotten Tomatoes score is not streaming on any platform. In terms of classic movies, streaming has leveled the playing field, giving audiences unprecedented access to a library of hits. Yet some classics are strangely absent from streaming, including 1951’s epic The Day the Earth Stood Still.

Directed by Robert Wise, and released by 20th Century Fox, The Day the Earth Stood Still is a classic “first contact with aliens” story.

A massive UFO lands on the White House lawn. Its only occupants are the alien Klatuu and his robot Gort, and they have come with a message for the people of Earth.

Klatuu and Gort’s message for Earth’s inhabitants is a simple one: learn to live together in peace and harmony, or else risk destruction. Humanity, unfortunately, does not seem receptive to Klatuu’s ultimatum, forcing the alien to take drastic measures. Using his advanced science, Klatuu brings to a halt nearly every mechanical/electrical device on Earth, in a stunning show of power.

The Day the Earth Stood Still Is A Peak Moment in the Science Fiction Genre

Robert Wise, Patricia Neal, Michael Rennie and Others Elevate the Film to Great Heights

Today, The Day the Earth Stood Still is rightfully regarded as a classic of the science fiction genre. Characters such as the robotic, menacing Gort would become synonymous with the field, and Klatuu’s trademark phrase would become a pop culture mantra. In 1995, the Library of Congress added the movie to the National Film Registry.

The film finds all of its cast and crew firing on all cylinders too. Lead actress Patricia Neal, who made an impression on audiences in 1949’s The Fountainhead, stars as a single mother who befriends Klatuu. Likewise, Michal Rennie, who plays Klatuu, exudes an aura of peace and understanding, even when no one seems to be listening.

With The Day the Earth Stood Still, director Robert Wise was just getting warmed up. After a series of collaborations at RKO with producer Val Lewton in the 1940s, Wise was an in-demand director, and The Day the Earth Stood Still ranks as one of the best films in his diverse filmography.

The Day the Earth Stood Still's Message Is Even More True Now Than in 1951

The Film's Message Was Ahead of Its Time

When The Day the Earth Stood Still was released in 1951, America was waging not only a ground war in Korea, but also embroiled in the Cold War with the Soviet Union. The threat of “mutually assured destruction” lingered over the planet, creating a tense and hostile atmosphere that felt like it could blow up at any minute.

Just a few years prior to the film’s release, the United States kicked off the atomic era by dropping bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. So great was the destructive potential unleashed by humanity that aliens felt the need to intervene. The specter of atomic destruction was very real, but The Day the Earth Stood Still showed there was more.

The Day the Earth Stood Still challenged audiences to do better, and Klatuu’s message still resonates 75 years later. The movie’s message was ahead of its time, and likely would never have made it past the censors if it had not been dressed up as science fiction. The movie was proof that science fiction could be as thoughtful as mainstream films.

Currently, There Is No Way to Watch The Day the Earth Stood Still For Free

Given the Message of the Movie, This is Unfortunate

Currently, modern audiences wishing to view The Day the Earth Stood Still are out of luck, as it is not streaming on any platform, or at least for free. The only way to view the movie at the moment is to purchase it on digital or a second-hand copy of the DVD or Blu-ray.

Disney holds the rights to The Day the Earth Stood Still, but has not put it on any of the streaming platforms they own, nor has there been any indication the studio will re-release it on disc. Given the film’s timely message, its lack of availability at the moment is most unfortunate.