Will global warming create the day the Earth stands still?

I always figured the classic film The Day the Earth Stood Still (a film adaptation of the 1940's short story Farewell to the Master by Harry Bates) was timeless. To claim this movie is timeless is not a unique revelation, I know. But I mention this because I was curious on what approach would be taken with the remake. So when the new version was introduced in theatres in 2008, I was going to make every effort to go view it. That never happened. I did, however, pick it up on DVD the other day.

I was curious to whether or not the remake would contain the same message as was in the original film. The message in the original film, in the most basic form, is: "clean up your act and stop fighting or we (the aliens) will do it for you." The new film's message? Well, it was similar: "clean up your act and stop killing the planet Earth or we (the aliens) will kill you." In both films the human race was in jeopardy and this is where the suspense, conflict and character development evolves. But the essential message of the remake, I think, has become even more urgent since the movie was produced two years ago.

As I was watching the film, I could not help but wonder if the film should not have been required watching for all the politicians who met for the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen this past December. OK, maybe that comment is a little glib. But, seriously, the remake of The Day the Earth Stood Still probably reflects how we would react if a "visitor" came along and said we earthlings are doing one heck of a poor job in taking care of the planet. Instead of asking for help to change, we would stand and fight. Rationalize our reasons. Make excuses for our actions. Justify our results. As the environmental reports keep flooding in with bleak news for our future, is that not what we are doing now? Let's replace the aliens with those worried about our environment and then ask ourselves how different is the scenario?

Of course, what ultimately makes the scenario drastically different is the alien's ability to wave bye bye to us in an effort to save what is left to the planet Earth and the other inhabitants. But, even with that possibility, in the remake of this classic film when the actual existence of the human race is threatened, the general consensus of humankind (which, of course, is essentially the United States) is to continue to stand and fight. It is OUR planet, after all. But if we took a moment and got off our high horses about having thumbs and speech and objectively looked at what we take from the planet earth versus what we give it...well, let's just say we would be humbled, particularly in comparison to the contributions of the honey bee. And what is more disturbing is how the extinction of some of the most "insignificant" plants, animals and insects will have long lasting effects on Earth while our own extinction would just be a small bump in the natural history of our planet.

Science fiction, aside from being entertaining, can be very effective in putting humankind in perspective. Sure, that perspective is usually inspired by a fictional and outlandish story, but it, nevertheless, can at least make the viewer (or reader) think about what it means to be a human being from a different angle. I think The Day the Earth Stood Still, both in its classic and remake form, has presented to us what we might look like from aliens from an advanced civilization. It is a disturbing viewpoint. But it also a viewpoint that contains hope. Both movies suggest that humanity is still evolving, and we can change our path from self-destruction to peacemakers and true caretakers of the planet.

What is interesting in the remake of this classic story is the sacrifice that humanity has to make in order to save themselves. The sacrifice is the loss of our way of life as we know it. Humankind is left standing around with new challenges. Challenges, the film suggests, will help humanity find better ways to live. It is a major turning point for human history - how we survive and also take care of a planet that is exhausted and overheating. The challenge is not unlike what we are faced with now if we accept what many scientists have been saying over the past few decades. Our way of life is going to have to change.

In essence, the message in the new version of The Day the Earth Stood Still is one of hope. But it is hope that requires sacrifice. However, the cynical side of me wonders what would happen in the story afterward. Even with the threat of the destruction of humankind by an advanced civilization, would we really change? I wonder.

I can imagine the political machinery, influenced greatly by capitalism, would start churning again, rationalizing that the aliens are gone now. We scared them off. They sucked us dry of our electrical power and rendered our technology useless, but we will survive. We will once again have our way of life and maintain the "values" that make us great. In fact, it is absolutely necessary that we continue with the way we lived. We need to be ready for when the aliens visit again. The planet would be on one big "code red" waiting for the return of an advanced race with malicious intent.

Too cynical? Maybe. I hope so. But then if a bunch of greedy CEOs from car companies can convince governments to hand over heaping amounts of public dollars for their flailing corporations to make more big gas guzzling cars and trucks which we, as the public, continue to drive, I do wonder how seriously we would consider change even under the threat of destruction by an advanced race that gave us one more chance.

Unfortunately, from media reports of recent scientific findings and their conclusions, the day the Earth stands still could be called the day the Earth boils over.

The classic trailer:


Trailer from the remake: