Gort (The Day the Earth Stood Still)
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| Gort | |
|---|---|
| The Day the Earth Stood Still character | |
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| Gort firing beam weapon. | |
| First appearance | Farewell to the Master |
| Last appearance | The Day the Earth Stood Still |
| Portrayed by | Lock Martin (1951) CGI effect (2008) |
| Information | |
| Species | Robot |
Gort is a fictional humanoid robot in the 1951 film The Day the Earth Stood Still and its 2008 remake.
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[edit] 1951 Performance
The eight-foot metal robot accompanies Klaatu, a visitor to Earth from a distant planet, aboard a flying saucer. He does not speak, but uses a beam weapon projected from beneath a visor to vaporize weapons and obstacles. Klaatu described him as being part of an interstellar police force. He claims that the people of the universe constructed numerous robots like Gort and gave them irrevocable powers to respond to violent actions in order to "preserve the peace." He further claims that "There's no limit to what [Gort] could do. He could destroy the Earth."[1]
The character was based loosely on Gnut, a large green robot from outer space in "Farewell to the Master", a 1940 short story by Harry Bates which was used as the basis for Edmund H. North's screenplay. In the story, Gnut is believed to be the servant of his humanoid companion, but reveals himself, at the end, to have been the master.
On screen Gort is a large "seamless" robot that appears to be constructed from a single piece of "flexible metal". He was portrayed by 7'-7" (231 cm)-tall actor Lock Martin wearing a thick foam-rubber suit designed and built by Addison Hehr. Two suits were created, fastened alternately from the front or back so that the robot could appear seamless depending on the camera angle. Another fiberglass statue of Gort was used for close-ups of him firing his beam weapon or when the scene did not call for him to move. In order to maximize the height of the robot, the costume was made with lifts in the boots and was designed so that the figure's helmet stands nearly a foot above the top of Martin's head. Prisms were employed so that Martin could see through the costume's visor and air holes were provided under the robot's chin.
During most of the film, Gort remains motionless in front of the saucer, which rests on the National Mall in central Washington D. C. while scientists and military researchers examine him. At one point Klaatu communicates with him using signals from a flashlight. He also responds to spoken commands, including the famous line "Gort! Klaatu barada nikto!", spoken by Patricia Neal's character at the film's climax.
[edit] 2008 Depiction
Gort is an all-CGI effect in the remake. Like the earlier version, he does not speak and shoots deadly beams from his single eye. He is significantly taller in this version, about twenty-eight feet. The name is only used once and is not his original alien name but an acronym for "Genetically Organized Robotic Technology" assigned to the robot while it is being studied by the military and scientists.
In this rendition, GORT is composed of a vast swarm of "nanomachines" or "nano bugs", minuscule insect-like devices that self-replicate through the consumption of metal and are capable of disintegrating any substance they touch. When the need arises, GORT can transform from a solid humanoid form to a huge cloud, which then swarms around targets and devours them. In addition to this mode of attack, GORT still possesses his trademark eye-beam to destroy obstacles, and to also manipulate attacking fighter drones by hacking into their electronic systems via projected beams. He is destroyed by Klaatu at the end of the film to save humanity with a massive EMP that also destroys all of humanity's electrical technology.
Unlike the 1951 version, the newer GORT robot has 5 digits on each hand, instead of the mitten style hands. His feet however have no digits. Features such as the cuffs, belt, visor and boots are gone.
[edit] Comparing 1951 and 2008 performances
Owen Gleiberman writes that "Gort isn't so lovey-dovey" in the remake; rather, "he's like a super-tall, obsidian Oscar statue wreaking havoc."[2]
[edit] Cultural references
- A life size replica of the 1951 Gort is on display at the Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame in Seattle.[3]
- A photo of Gort, with Ringo Starr, appears on the cover of Starr's 1974 Goodnight Vienna album.
[edit] See also
[edit] Sources
- ^ North, Edmund H. (1951-02-21). "The Day the Earth Stood Still". Original Script. ScifiScripts.com. http://www.scifiscripts.com/scripts/TheDayTheEarthStoodSTill.html. Retrieved on 2009-01-06.
- ^ Gleiberman, Owen (2008-12-10). "Review of 'The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008)'". Entertainment Weekly. http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20245359,00.html. Retrieved on 2009-01-06.
- ^ Mitchel, Gary (2005-10-18). "The Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame". RevolutionSF.com. http://www.revolutionsf.com/article.php?id=2877. Retrieved on 2009-01-06.
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