And this is definitely a modern viewpoint of what a spaceship would look like.
Admittedly, the original was a pretty advanced design for the times. Not a rivet in sight. 
how many remakes of true classics can actually be considered worthy? not too many 
Absolutely. I just meant the government’s response was typical of movies of the time (and probably conservative, in reality). The military cordon and such.
I think they’d still do the same, but they’d probably gather up some experts as well, as they did here, rather than allowing them to gather themselves, as they did in the original.
Coffeespew 
The '78 version of Invasion of the Body Snatchers was pretty classic in its own right, as was the '82 version of The Thing. It has happened. It’s just rare.
one of the things I found most amazing about the original was Klaatu’s absolutely human appearance. I didn’t expect that interpretation of an extra-terrestrial in a 50s flick
Keanu insisted on saying the line himself. No human ever says the words in this one.
I think there’s a line in the original that indicates that Klaatu’s human appearance is for our benefit. I think he says something like “It would frighten you.”
Keanu insisted?? like he’s Sir Anthony Hopkins or something???
oh, okay. silly me :rolleyes:
“The fact that they chose to disable our defense shows us something of their intentions.”
Or it might show you that you had already shot them once, and they didn’t want you to do it again.
I think he was one of the producers. Amazing what a little power can do for you.
and how like the government to think it can classify stuff like this. grrrr, arrrgh
Madam Secretary here makes a good point, though.
Advanced cultures, in all human experience, tend to wipe out the primitive natives.
the operative phrase being “in all human experience”
Of course. OTOH, how else would we be able to judge the intentions of an alien race? That’s usually why these sorts of things turn out badly.
makes me think of Contact and how different the perspectives were on the implications of the message
I definitely dislike the military depiction in this movie. I’d like to think that the real military are not stupid enough to purposely incite an advanced opponent that they have no reasonable chance against.
This part is one thing I really like about this version. There’s nothing similar in the original.
the military seemed pretty stupid in the original–going at the ship with jackhammers & diamond tip drills. military and masses, just plain stupid & arrogant