Gort

I came here to give you these facts. This resin statue of Gort, the alien robot from the sci-fi classic “The Day The Earth Stood Still” was produced in limited quantities by Rocket Pro in 2006. Only 1951 specimens were made, to commemorate the 1951 release of the famous movie.

In the movie, Gort is a mighty robot who stands guard over the flying saucer that the main character, Klaatu, piloted to Earth. According to Klaatu, even though he’s somewhat simplistic looking (particularly in comparison to the robots often seen on this site!), Gort had the power to destroy the entire Earth. After being injured, Klaatu instructs Helen to say to Gort “Klaatu Barada Nikto” so that the robot does not do just that. This simple phrase has gone on to be one of the most famous movie quotes ever. It was used by the character “Panhandle” in the first episode of the US version of Grendizer when he thinks he’s seen a UFO and also by Ash in the movie “Army of Darkness” when he needs to get the Necronomicon from the graveyard. I’m sure there have been plenty others, but those two examples come to mind for me.

This statue is one of the best options out there if you are looking for a 3D representation of the character. Rocket Pro also produced a tin walker and a small diecast, but this statue checks in at an impressive 16″. And even though it’s just a statue, honestly, there really isn’t much reason to need a Gort that can be posed. He barely moves in the movie. Of course, it would be awesome to have one whose visor opens and lights up!

The only other drawback is the material used. I’m not a big fan of resin. I’d much prefer a smoother material that I don’t have to worry about breaking. This comes packaged in a two-part styrofoam tray enclosed in a full-color box and a numbered certificate of authenticity.

I can’t say that this is the greatest Gort that there ever could be, but it’s a nice addition to my fledgling monster collection. A remake of “The Day The Earth Stood Still” is apparently in the works and due in theaters about a year from now. It’ll be really interesting to see how they portray the character this time around. I suspect such a simple, almost innocent looking design will not fly with today’s audiences.