![“Klaatu barada nikto” is a phrase originating from the 1951 science fiction film The Day the Earth Stood Still. “Klaatu” is the name of the humanoid alien protagonist in the film. Klaatu (Michael Rennie) commanded Helen Benson (Patricia Neal) that, were anything to happen to him, she must utter the phrase to the robot Gort. In response, Gort relented from destroying the Earth and resurrected Klaatu from death.[1]
The documentary Decoding “Klaatu Barada Nikto”: Science Fiction as Metaphor examined the phrase “Klaatu barada nikto” with some of the people involved with The Day the Earth Stood Still. Robert Wise, director of the film, related a story he had with Edmund North saying North told him, “Well, it’s just something I kind of cooked up. I thought it sounded good.”[5] Billy Gray, who played Bobby Benson in the film, said that he thought that the message was coming from Klaatu and that, “barada nikto must mean… save earth”.[6] Florence Blaustein, widow of the producer Julian Blaustein, said North had to pass a street called Baroda every day going to work and said, “I think that’s how that was born.”[7] 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.’”[8]](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/17/Script-showing-Klaatu-barada-nikto.jpg)
“Klaatu barada nikto” is a phrase originating from the 1951 science fiction film The Day the Earth Stood Still. “Klaatu” is the name of the humanoid alien protagonist in the film. Klaatu (Michael Rennie) commanded Helen Benson (Patricia Neal) that, were anything to happen to him, she must utter the phrase to the robot Gort. In response, Gort relented from destroying the Earth and resurrected Klaatu from death.[1] The documentary Decoding “Klaatu Barada Nikto”: Science Fiction as Metaphor examined the phrase “Klaatu barada nikto” with some of the people involved with The Day the Earth Stood Still. Robert Wise, director of the film, related a story he had with Edmund North saying North told him, “Well, it’s just something I kind of cooked up. I thought it sounded good.”[5] Billy Gray, who played Bobby Benson in the film, said that he thought that the message was coming from Klaatu and that, “barada nikto must mean… save earth”.[6] Florence Blaustein, widow of the producer Julian Blaustein, said North had to pass a street called Baroda every day going to work and said, “I think that’s how that was born.”[7] 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.’”[8]
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