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The Day the Earth Stood Still
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===Klaatu barada nikto=== Since the release of the film, the phrase "[[Klaatu barada nikto]]" has appeared repeatedly in fiction and in popular culture. The [[Robot Hall of Fame]] described it as "one of the most famous commands in science fiction",<ref>[http://www.robothalloffame.org/06inductees/gort.html "2006 Inductees: Gort."] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080412123007/http://www.robothalloffame.org/06inductees/gort.html |date=April 12, 2008 }} ''The Robot Hall of Fame'' ([[Carnegie Mellon University]]), 2006. ''The Day the Earth Stood Still''</ref> and Frederick S. Clarke of ''[[Cinefantastique]]'' called it in 1970 "the most famous phrase ever spoken by an extraterrestrial".<ref>Clarke, Frederick S. ''[[Cinefantastique]]'', 1970, p. 2.</ref> Patricia Neal had a problem speaking the phrase, though she was proud of the film overall. "I do think it's the best science fiction film ever made, although I admit that I sometimes had a difficult time keeping a straight face. Michael would patiently watch me bite my lips to avoid giggling and ask, with true British reserve, 'Is that the way you intend to play it?'"<ref>Neal, Patricia. ''As I Am: An Autobiography''. {{ISBN|9781451626001}}</ref> [[Edmund H. North]], who wrote ''The Day the Earth Stood Still'', also created the [[alien language]] used in the film, including the iconic phrase "Klaatu barada nikto." The official spelling for the phrase comes directly from the script and provides insight as to its proper pronunciation. No translation was given in the film. Philosophy professor Aeon J. Skoble speculates the famous phrase is a "safe-word" which is part of a [[fail-safe]] feature used during diplomatic missions such as the one Klaatu and Gort make to Earth. With the use of the safe-word, Gort's deadly force can be deactivated in the event the robot is mistakenly triggered into a defensive posture. Skoble observes that the theme has evolved into a "staple of science fiction that the machines charged with protecting us from ourselves will misuse or abuse their power."<ref>Skoble 2007, p. 91.</ref> ''[[Fantastic Films]]'' explored the meaning of "Klaatu barada nikto" in a 1978 article titled "The Language of Klaatu". The article, written by Tauna Le Marbe, who is listed as its "alien linguistics editor", attempts to translate all the alien words Klaatu used throughout the film.<ref name="fantastic-films">Le Marbe, Tauna. [https://web.archive.org/web/20040628163125/http://www.dreamerwww.com/fanfilm/fanfilm2.htm "The Language of Klaatu."] ''Fantastic Films'', Issue 1, April 1978.</ref> In the article, the literal translation for Klaatu barada nikto was "Stop Barbarism (I have) death, bind" and the free translation was "I die, repair me, do not retaliate."<ref name="fantastic-films" /> The documentary ''Decoding "Klaatu Barada Nikto": Science Fiction as Metaphor'' examined the phrase "Klaatu barada nikto" with some of the people involved in the production of ''The Day the Earth Stood Still''. [[Robert Wise]], the director of the film, conveyed an account of Edmund North telling him, "Well, it's just something I kind of cooked up. I thought it sounded good."<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1346880/ "DVD: Decoding "Klaatu Barada Nikto": Science Fiction as Metaphor|time = 0:14:05."] ''Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment'', December 2, 2008.</ref> [[Billy Gray (actor)|Billy Gray]], who played Bobby Benson in the film, said he believed the message was coming from Klaatu and that "Barada Nikto must mean{{spaces}}... save Earth."<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1346880/ "DVD: Decoding "Klaatu Barada Nikto": Science Fiction as Metaphor|time = 0:14:20."] ''Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment'', December 2, 2008.</ref> Florence Blaustein, widow of the producer Julian Blaustein, said North had to pass a street called ''Baroda'' every day going to work and indicated "I think that's how that was born."<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1346880/ "DVD: Decoding "Klaatu Barada Nikto": Science Fiction as Metaphor| time = 0:14:47."] ''Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment'', December 2, 2008.</ref> The film historian Steven Jay Rubin recalled an interview he had with North when he asked the question, "What is the direct translation of Klaatu Barada Nikto, and Edmund North said to me 'There's hope for Earth, if the scientists can be reached'."<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1346880/ "DVD: Decoding "Klaatu Barada Nikto": Science Fiction as Metaphor|time = 0:14:55."] ''Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment'', December 2, 2008.</ref> When director Robert Wise was awarded the American Film Institute's Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997, he ended his acceptance speech with it, which in that circumstance meant "Thank you from the bottom of my heart."{{cn|date=May 2025}}
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