“I’ve just watched ‘The Day The Earth Stood Still….’ featuring the silver android, who lifts his visor to zap weapons / soldiers into oblivion. Yes, I’m young, never seen it before. The film was released in 1951, the year after my mum was born. I’ve seen the kid who played Bobby in a few Doris Day films, he’s great, enthusiastic and curious, as every child should be. I thought the suit the alien was wearing was slightly low-tech, but I believe it is quite possible that extra-terrestrial beings can appear human, even if it is just a disguise ie: Jesus. For anyone who hasn’t seen it, the alien comes down to speak to all the nations and demands peace on earth, otherwise their mechanical figures (who are programmed to eradicate violence) will be let loose on the planet and destroy it. Thoroughly enjoyed the film but note we still haven’t learnt anything in 50 years.
It reminded me of an episode of ‘The Twilight Zone’ where a spock-esque alien accuses us of having a “small talent for war” or words to that effect. The leaders of the world are instructed to find a solution in 48 hours. Everyone is relieved as we manage to generate peace on earth through a treaty or pact before the time-limit is up but unfortunately we misunderstood the ultimatum. Apparently, We only have a “small talent for war” instead of a “great talent.”
“Isn’t the silver robot called Gort?
I remember the line “Clatu barada nicto!” which stopped Gort from giving Earth a well deserved but terminally low budget zapping. About the same time I learned a Zulu aphorism about a man digging his grave with his own umthondo. For some reason I have forgotten the Zulu warning to the promiscuous but not Gort’s instruction to chill.
Like you I first saw the film in my twenties.”
Simon Morice
simon@fmea-uk.com
Yes, Gort, that’s right. Well remembered….so we’ll all be safe then if those sneaky aliens invade, as you know the magic words? I found myself getting incredibly annoyed at the heroine, who waited until the last second (before being zapped) to utter….”Clatu barada nicto!
“I saw it spelled “Klatu barada nikto” or “Klaatu barada nikto”. A websearch reveals hundreds, if not thousands, of sites devoted to this odd phrase.”
Liz Zitzow
http://www.britishamericantax.com/
“You are right to correct me Liz and I thank you for your academic rigour.
In my defence, my spelling is limited to a very few terrestrial languages. I just never made the time to learn the lingua franca of alien entities from the outer galaxies. A parochial attitude probably stemming from my inability to become abducted I suspect.
If I am to save the world then I should like to pronounce the line like a native speaker. Do you have any suggestions Liz? The film is not definitive in my view. Unlike Gort who was definitely a silver android, I fear that Klaatu was in fact no more than a thespian of American origin.”
Simon Morice
“Well, it must have had a spelling in the original script, so I suppose there is an official spelling; but as it doesn’t appear anywhere else, the generally accepted spelling “K” seems to be a matter of concensus, rather than fact. Feel free to spell with a “C” to your hearts content. I mentioned the “K” spelling primarily because that pulls up the most web results, which were astoundingly many indeed.
The pronounciation, as it appears in the film, is “Klatoo” (“a” as in “apple”, “oo” as in “book’) “Barada” (all “a”s as in “father”, r is not rolled or trilled, d is soft) “Nikto” (“nikt” as in “you’re nicked”, “o” as in “oh boy”). My husband’s a linguist, he could give further erudite musings on the topic, but alas the fonts used are only standard ascii, and not the fancy linguistical fonts necessary to do a full study.
Other alien languages that you might wish to study in your spare time: Klingon, Elvish (Tokien’s version), and of course the French band Magma, whose songs are all in Kobaïa.”
Liz Zitzow
What in the name of Jerry Brightonhammer was that all about?
I dont’ know but it doesn’t make sense to me.