We have reopened some of our venues. Everyone who visits us will need a ticket in advance. Find out more

The Day the Earth Stood Still (U) + presentation by Professor Noel Sharkey

Science on Screen

,Barbican Cinema 2
On-sale dates & times
the Day the earth

Robert Wise's original 1951 landmark sci-fi tale charts the arrival of aliens to planet earth, hoping to save humanity from itself.

The Day the Earth Stood Still was released in 1951 at the height of the cold war arms race and the public fear of nuclear extinction.

Enter the alien saviours Klaatu and giant robot Gort. This was a different narrative from previous movie depictions of robots. Gort aimed to save humanity by threatening our destruction.

Professor Noel Sharkey sets Gort in the context of the real robots leading up to the 1950s and the killer war robots being developed by superpowers right now. The movie remains relevant, both for the new robot arms race and the continued threat of nuclear destruction.

Tagged with: Cinema Science on Screen

US 1951 Dir Robert Wise 92 min

Presented in partnership with the London Mathematical Laboratory

LML

About the speaker

Noel Sharkey is Emeritus Professor of AI and Robotics University of  Sheffield, co-director of the Foundation for Responsible Robotics and chair of the International Committee for Robot Arms Control and has worked in AI/robotics/machine learning and related areas for four decades. He writes articles for academic journals, national newspapers and magazines. Noel frequently appears in the news media and on popular tech TV like BBC Robot Wars (20 series). His research since 2006 has focused on ethical/legal/human rights issues in AI and robot applications in areas such as the military, child care, elder care, policing, autonomous transport, robot crime, medicine/surgery, border control, sex, civil surveillance and algorithmic gender and race bias.

Part of Life Rewired

A season exploring what it means to be human when technology is changing everything
Browse season

Barbican Cinema 2