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Film Aliens: Friend or Foe?

By Susan King, Los Angeles Times Satff Writer So if you meet an alien invader on the street, will the creature shake hands with you or kidnap you, take you to his space ship and perform horrific scientific experiments? Well, at least in Hollywood’s eyes, the second scenario is the preferable one. For every sweet creature from another planet like “E.T,” Jeff Bridges’ “Starman” to Eddie Murphy in the new comedy “Meet Dave,” there have been a seemingly endless line of devious, ruthless aliens who are up to no good on Earth. Here’s a look at alien friends or foe on screen over the years.

By Susan King, Los Angeles Times Satff Writer

So if you meet an alien invader on the street, will the creature shake hands with you or kidnap you, take you to his space ship and perform horrific scientific experiments?

Well, at least in Hollywood’s eyes, the second scenario is the preferable one. For every sweet creature from another planet like “E.T,” Jeff Bridges’ “Starman” to Eddie Murphy in the new comedy “Meet Dave,” there have been a seemingly endless line of devious, ruthless aliens who are up to no good on Earth.

Here’s a look at alien friends or foe on screen over the years.   (Mark Wilson / Associated Press)

“The Day the Earth Stood Still” - Klaatu Barada Nikto

“The Day the Earth Stood Still”

With a remake on the way starring Keanu Reeves, it’s time to check out this classic 1951 original directed by Robert Wise about a handsome, humanoid alien named Klaatu (Michael Rennie) who arrives in a sleek spaceship in Washington, D.C. to warn the world not to take their conflicts into space or “Planet Earth will be eliminated.” Of course, the governments of the world don’t want to heed his warning. All we can say about this terrific film is “Klaatu barada nikto.”

Alien Demeanor: Friend with stipulations   (Hulton Archive / Getty Images)

Ray Harryhausen

“Earth Vs. the Flying Saucers”

Fred Sears directed this quintessential 1950s flying saucer movie. Featuring the innovative stop-motion special effects of the legendary Ray Harryhausen (left), the 1956 release finds an alien spaceship visiting the location of a U.S. satellite project. When a misunderstanding leads to the aliens being fired upon, the otherworldy behing retaliate by sending flying saucers bent on destruction to all the major cities on the planet.

Alien Demeanor: Friend turn foe.   (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

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