The CIA, the Movie Mogul, and ‘The Day the Earth Stood Still’

"If you have something worthwhile to say, dress it up in the glittering robes of entertainment and you will find a ready market… without entertainment, no propaganda film is worth a dime.” -Darryl Zanuck, 1943.

Robbie Graham from Silver Screen Saucers has published a short paper on Scribd entitled The CIA, the Movie Mogul, and "The Day The Earth Stood Still".

Robbie pulls together a tidy little set of connections that seem to make a substantial contribution to American UFO lore. They are as follows.

Edmund H. North


-Edmund H. North, the writer of the script for The Day The Earth Stood Still, was a Major in the U.S. Army Signal Corps.

-He had been responsible for creating training films and also patriotic war-time films such as Sink The Bismark! . He won an Oscar for writing the screenplay for Patton.

Darryl Zanuck


-Even more remarkable, Darryl Zanuck, the producer of The Day The Earth Stood Still, was also in the U.S. Army Signal Corps, and was in charge of a unit that made documentary films.

-Zanuck had been a board member of the National Committee for Free Europe (NCFE),which had been established by the CIA in 1949.

This bit from Grahams paper bears quoting here...

In 1951, when The Day the Earth Stood Still was being written,produced and released the President of the NCFE was General Charles Douglas (C.D.) Jackson, who served as Deputy Chief of the Psychological Warfare Division of the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force.

Jackson referred to Darryl Zanuck as being among a group of Hollywood “friends” including Cecil B. DeMille, Jack Warner and Walt Disney on whom the government could rely “to insert in their scripts and in their action the right ideas with the proper subtlety.”

www.scribd.com...

Another piece that Graham adds is that Linda Moulton Howe had reported that in 1983 she was told by USAF intelligence officers that The Day The Earth Stood Still had been created by the CIA as a tool to begin acclimating America and the world to the reality of Aliens visiting us in UFO's.

I left that for last, ATS, because I knew it would be a stumbling block for some. But Graham managed to keep my attention with the following quotes.

They are from letters that Zanuck wrote to North and another producer, and fellow U.S. Army Signal Corps veteran, Julian Blaustein, concerning the production of The Day The Earth Stood Still.

In the memo, dated August 10, 1950, Zanuck stresses that that every effort should be made to “compel the audience to completely accept [emphasis in original] this story as something that could possibly happen in the not too distant future.”

Zanuck placed particular emphasis on the now iconic scene in which the alien Klaatu lands his flying saucer in Washington, D.C. before emerging to address the public. Zanuck advised Blaustein and North to “treat it as realistically as you possibly can", even suggesting that the scene play out documentary style:

“You should suddenly hear radio programs being interrupted with startling flash announcements from Washington, New York, Los Angeles, etc. The whole nation is ‘listening in.’ This should be dramatized like the opening of a documentary film.

”The audience must “‘accept’ our entire project,” said Zanuck

www.scribd.com...

Although I think that Graham's emphasis on the CIA is a little heavy, the fact that all three of the main guys responsible for the movie had been Signal Corp veterans, and had been military film makers, was new to me and kinda blew my mind a little.

I think that it is possible that the three vets just enjoyed working together, and they were excited to bring what they learned in the service to bear on making the most realistic science fiction film ever seen at the time.

But I tend to oscillate on the matter a little. There have been many films that people have been able to make military and government connections to, and Graham tells a pretty good story.

What do you think, ATS?

Great thread, F&S. I was always an old-school fan, and had
long ben acquainted with Walt D.'s training films for the USAAF
among others. Had little clue there would be that much Shop
underpinnings to my favorite though... a real eye-opener!
Off tempo a little Bernard Herrmann did the soundtrack for
this and various Twilight Zones.. and to me they're still the high
water mark for suitably creepy music.

reply to post by derfreebie

Bernard Herrmann did the soundtrack for this and various Twilight Zones.. and to me they're still the high water mark for suitably creepy music.

Thanks, I did not know who it was, and I really like the music from both of those, too. Back in 1998 when WAV files were a big thing, TDTESS sound bites and music were what my friends and I were all trading. The Theremin is awesome.

Thanks for coming by to post.

Our entire lives we have been manipulated and controlled by Television and Movies. It is the single most powerful weapon ever created, and I mean that literally. One day we will realize just how much of an effect they actually had.

Originally posted by Bybyots
What do you think, ATS

It was based on a 1940 story by Harry Bates

en.wikipedia.org...

reply to post by hellobruce

It was based on a 1940 story by Harry Bates

Thanks for adding that. You are right. What I always loved about the original story is that Klaatu was actually the entity in charge, and he had created 'Gnut' so that Klaatu could walk amongst humans. I think I've got that right.

Thanks for posting.

Frankly, I see this as a ho-hum issue. I've seen the movie more than once and a host of other movies made during those times for patriotic reasons and have no doubts but what some aspect of the government had their hands deep into the even the allowance of such a movie.

The only notiable aspect of the movie that strikes me is that first it was the enlargement of a short story by an obscure writer named of Harry Bates. This seems to be constantly ignored with threads of this type. Second, and most important is that the movie drastically changed the ending of the affair.In the movie the human-like alien is the one in control. In the written story, the real controller was Klaatu, the robot. He/it landed the ship and then spent several days working to create life in various stages to match humans until he had perfected his emissary.

Please don't bother to watch the recent version and think that you know the old version. there is no comparison. The original is golden in its simplicity and directness even it if fails to carry the complete message of Bates' original story where humans appear to met aliens...but it isn't really quite that simple.

Thanks for that info, OP, and from some posters that followed.

Since the film was made after WWII, and that the story was somehow "heavily edited", compared to the book, it makes me think that this movie was made a diversion from the fact NAZIS had "flying saucers".

The war was supposedly won... How would the explanation of flying saucers be given to people? " Yes, they are NAZI vehicles, but WE won the war..."
It was easier to create a new enemy that would not be related to NAZIs...

Also, notice that many UFO groups have been led by "ex" military personnel since the 50's...

ET disclosure?... Most likely NAZI forces cover-ups.

Well, even if the CIA and the Army wanted this film made, it was an anti-war movie. The basic premise, that we must destroy all weapons, especially atomic and nuclear weapons, and that humans should live in peace with each other and not in territorial disputes, rings true even today. If that's what the CIA, army, and aliens really want, clear a space for the ship to land in Washington D.C. and let that robot loose!

(one of the main characters was based on Albert Einstein, and he becomes a big player in the peaceful plan of the aliens)

Originally posted by Aliensun

The only notiable aspect of the movie that strikes me is that first it was the enlargement of a short story by an obscure writer named of Harry Bates. This seems to be constantly ignored with threads of this type. Second, and most important is that the movie drastically changed the ending of the affair.In the movie the human-like alien is the one in control. In the written story, the real controller was Klaatu, the robot. He/it landed the ship and then spent several days working to create life in various stages to match humans until he had perfected his emissary.

The Bates factor has little or nothing to do with the finished product. It may for the eclectic types but the final product was based on the understanding that the masses are not sci-fi purists and need to know that a "man" was in charge and the robots are under control. Even at that the movie gives the robot a lot of room even showing the the bot was able to run things when the "man" went down.

This movie also has overtones.....a man like a prophet of old backed up by a "heavy" that could take out the whole earth if "he" wanted to. I suspect this film sunk down into deep parts of the psyc communicating in areas that the watcher may have not been aware of.

reply to post by Aleister


That or the CIA was pushing for the "federation".

reply to post by Bybyots


Alan Watt over at cuttingthroughthematrix has some very interesting opinions on the media, and how it has always been used as a propaganda tool. To the extent that there is very little that isn't propaganda, in one fashion or the other. Hollywood itself being little more than a factory for public opinion, used to bend and twist communal beliefs in particular directions. From seemingly 'harmless' commercials to blockbuster movies, it's all made for a reason. The fact that's it's entertaining is nothing more than the effect of the drug. Ever seen a small kid in front of the tv? If that isn't hypnotism, what is?

reply to post by Bybyots


Oscillation is good if the frequency is right......................

reply to post by Aliensun

Frankly, I see this as a ho-hum issue. I've seen the movie more than once and a host of other movies made during those times for patriotic reasons and have no doubts but what some aspect of the government had their hands deep into the even the allowance of such a movie.

I'm bummed if that has become 'ho hum' to you.

I understand where you are coming from, it is difficult, these days. to get excited about almost anything related to UFOs. It seems to me on some days that there is nothing really left concerning UFOs that is worth the bother of even looking at. The glut of fake CGI vids from the last 2 years has been exhausting.

But I think that the story itself is where we should put our attention, just like R. Graham does, that's his main focus, and mine too. Human beings have been wrestling with trying to tell this story and understand it long before Roswell and TDTESS.

I think that papers and reseach like Grahams helps to make clear that there are elements in the government that are aware of the military applications of narrative and story telling. They know how to tap in to myth to manipulate the people's perception, and I am wanting to know if they do it for fun, or for god and country and profit. Don't you?

The only noticeable aspect of the movie that strikes me is that first it was the enlargement of a short story by an obscure writer named of Harry Bates. This seems to be constantly ignored with threads of this type.

I am sure that you noticed that another member and I got to that, right above your post.

Second, and most important is that the movie drastically changed the ending of the affair.In the movie the human-like alien is the one in control. In the written story, the real controller was Klaatu, the robot. He/it landed the ship and then spent several days working to create life in various stages to match humans until he had perfected his emissary.

Please don't bother to watch the recent version and think that you know the old version. there is no comparison. The original is golden in its simplicity and directness even it if fails to carry the complete message of Bates' original story where humans appear to met aliens...but it isn't really quite that simple.

Of course, no thread about The Day The Earth Stood Still should be without a movie review. Thanks for yours, I will be sure to avoid the remake.

reply to post by NowanKenubi


My pleasure NowanKenubi.

Since the film was made after WWII, and that the story was somehow "heavily edited", compared to the book, it makes me think that this movie was made a diversion from the fact NAZIS had "flying saucers".

I hear you. I am also intrigued by the possibility that this whole three-ring-circus is representative of our government trying to integrate 'NAZI' technology and science in to America.

Also, notice that many UFO groups have been led by "ex" military personnel since the 50's... ET disclosure?... Most likely NAZI forces cover-ups.

Yep, totally. That's what makes R. Graham's contribution significant in my mind. He shows that this story follows the usual pattern in that the creation of TDTESS, and it's sort of intentionally weaponized narrative, follows a pattern of easily recognizable (at this point) government involvement, in what appears to me, to be some sort of multileveled social and technological experiment.

I believe it to be a sort of narrative-network that they have constructed and these stories can be sent out to test all sorts of qualities of the network. Sort of like what hackers and network security people do when they forge packets on a computer network.

But, it could also just be that these jokers were really smart guys and that they were way ahead of their time, and were just having the best fun they could come up with for themselves. Sort of like a cinematic troll-trio out for lulz.

But either way, that makes TDTESS much more than a simple movie made for light-hearted entertainment. For sure.

Thanks for coming by, I am really glad that you dug the thread.

reply to post by Aleister

Well, even if the CIA and the Army wanted this film made, it was an anti-war movie. The basic premise, that we must destroy all weapons, especially atomic and nuclear weapons, and that humans should live in peace with each other and not in territorial disputes, rings true even today.

It certainly does, Aleister, no one would argue that those things are bad for us. But, don't you find it interesting that this plea for peace, that is expressed in TDTESS, is packaged in a manner that seems to fit a pattern that exists to this day?

In a way, TDTESS seems to send the message that war is peace. If human beings don't straighten up and fly right, they will be destroyed by a host of orbiting robots such as Gort. Peace does not come because humanity learned what they needed to learn, but at the hands of destroyer robots from outer-space. That's the complete opposite of, for instance, Roddenberry's Prime Directive

In the sense that we are speaking of the film right now, TDTESS is not really an anit-war film, it's a "We'll take care of it" film. It tells us we are weak and incapable of taking care of ourselves, and that other, wiser folks should be given that task.

The film even uses, and it seems it has been made clear, intends to use, a sort of shock and awe tactic to get people in a place where they can "accept", as Zanuck insists, the message I am suggesting above; that we are cattle that need to be herded for our own good. I also find that the film seems to use Klaatu and Gort's technology to shame people in to 'realizing' that they have nothing to offer.

If I really wanted to stretch it, I could even suggest that the film primes people to run into the arms of the first group of people that claim to have the solution to preventing us from being blown up by flying space-Gorts, say, a group that wanted to help us create a world government and religion. Hmmm, I suppose I could pick one from the short list that was operating at that time, but I'll let you.

If that's what the CIA, army, and aliens really want, clear a space for the ship to land in Washington D.C. and let that robot loose! (one of the main characters was based on Albert Einstein, and he becomes a big player in the peaceful plan of the aliens)

Yeah, remember the Twilight Zone episode "To Serve Mankind"?

Don't get in that line, Aleister.

klaatu barada nikto

Originally posted by NowanKenubi
Since the film was made after WWII, and that the story was somehow "heavily edited", compared to the book, it makes me think that this movie was made a diversion from the fact NAZIS had "flying saucers".

So "Iron Sky" was a documentary....

Steven Spielberg said: "I don't make movies to entertain, necessarily; I make movies to comment on important issues of the day"

Pick apart that quote. Every movie, theme, character, this man has name was NOT TO ENTERTAIN.
The man produced E.T.

reply to post by spaceg0at

klaatu barada nikto

Spoken like a true space goat. Thanks for the vote of confidence.