Was Michael Rennie's character Klaatu really portraying Val Thor?

I know, I know, the movie The Day the Earth Stood Still was made in '53 and Val Thor supposedly landed in Alexandria, VA in '57, but look at the physical similarities.

Klaatu

Val Thor (far right)

Same basic physical chracteristics with Val Thor repotedly being 7' and Rennie's Klaatu 6'-4" (very tall for an actor), both with basically the same message for planet Earth, and both landed very close to Washington D.C..

I think the movie was based on Val Thor. I think Val Thor landed before 1953 when the movie was made.

Peace

[edit on 3-11-2006 by Dr Love]

Or a more believable scenario would be..

Val Thor was based on Klaatu.

I dont remember Val stopping all the electricity in the world or having a massive robot space police man with him though, so it might not be anything.

I have a question. If Val Thor is here and he's getting us ready for Christ's return and all like I hear and he's living under or around Lake Mead and all, why isn't he out speaking like crazy about current events? I mean im sure he isn't allowed to get himself directly involved and all but at the same time, why isn't he out speaking like crazy, why hasn't anyone heard anything from Dr. Frank Stranges lately? Why aren't they speaking out about anything that's going on? I mean look at our world right now and how much hate and inustice there is, why arent they speaking out? Where's the proof that this ship landed at all in the first place? I mean im totally open minded and all, but if this ship landed 14 miles south of the Pentagon (pentagon boulevard), why wasn't it seen by a ton of people and put into the news? and if it is true, would the government really let the movie, The Day the Earth Stood Still, go out publicly? IMO there are too many factors saying no to this thing, but like i said, I'm open minded and all so im not putting down the OP or anything like that.

Originally posted by PennKen2009
I have a question. If Val Thor is here and he's getting us ready for Christ's return and all like I hear and he's living under or around Lake Mead and all, why isn't he out speaking like crazy about current events? I mean im sure he isn't allowed to get himself directly involved and all but at the same time, why isn't he out speaking like crazy.

Maybe because he never existed to begin with? I mean I dont know what else to say about it. This alledged photo of him looks to me (and I say this with no inclination other then my own gut instinct) like a film still...as in a movie drama. Both men look like male models at the time, and the girl is smoking hot for the day too. The man in the middle looking at "Thor"...does anyone see that he's wearing makeup?

I think this is another one of the efforts of people back then, they all have the same Sci-Fi flavour. I mean c'mon....Valiant Thor? Thats right out of a comic book.

[edit on 3-11-2006 by jritzmann]

I could be wrong, but the guy in the picture identified as Val Thor looks an awful lot like John Payne. I'm highly confident. I'll bet some serious image search would likely turn up the image as a still from a movie shoot.

John Payne was in the original "Miracle on 34th Street", but that's not the movie that shot was taken from. Just a point of reference.

Sorry to tell you this, but Reality sucks.

'The Day The Earth Stood Still' was based on a short story, if you want to know more then go to Wikipedia.

If you want to know about John Payne, then go here.

I do not think that it is John Payne in that picture in the first post due to the ears and nose, but very similar, although it does look like a studio shot.

Today it is still one of my favourite sci-fi programmes that I still enjoy watching. I am not sure how they done the robot, or the craft, but the special effects for it's time is nothing but amazing. It was almost like they had a consultant on the subject telling them how to make the craft and the robot.

Gort is my favourite character in the film. I especially love the way, he disarms the military.

It would be great to see a remake of this film for todays audience. I can just imagine what the craft and Gort would look like in the remake.

Hey doclove, what up.

Anyhoo as I've stated many times before I love The Day the Earth Stood Still.

Klaatu Borata Nikto is still one of my all time favorite nerdly greetings.

I was going to say about the same thing as Mccoy but he beat me to it.

I would like to add though...if I may go a bit skunk works on ya...that considering all the theories about government involvement in ufos and of course the known involvement such as planting operatives and/or agents within ufo groups (very 1950's and then counterculture '60's) and of course the supposed disinformation programs allegedly initiated by the government, I would not be suprised if Val was a psy-op developed by the government based on (as mentioned before) the klaatu character from tdtess.

The movie was (correct me if I"m wrong) quite the hit/phenomenon, akin to say the way ID4 or MIB was a hit/phenomenon.

So here comes the gov, very impressed with how influential klaatu's message was, came up with this plan.

I mean what better way to observe the growing UFO community than to have your own "alien" amongst them.

Also let's not forget that the government certainly seemed more open back then about their interest in ufo/alien technology.

Again, not something I'm tied to just spit balling a theory here.

Spiderj

OH and of course...klaatu borata nikto

ok thanks for the info thats what I thought, it was just a big hoax and whatever

Okay, check this out. I still think the "Val Thor" on the right in that picture is John Payne. I also think the other guy (on the left) is Rory Calhoun. If I'm right, this picture was taken a lot earlier than 1959. I can't identify any movie that John Payne and Rory Calhoun were both in, so maybe this is some studio's publicity still.

And maybe not, but if these two guys aren't Rory Calhoun and John Payne, they're doing a helluva job of imitating them.

I Stand Corrected!

John Payne's looks changed a little after a sreious car crash back in 1959, with the link to Rory Calhoun that yeahright provided and a little more research I found a common link!

Both actors were featured on a Television Series called Death Valley Days, both were prominent Western Actors.

Given the decor of the location, the style of the photographs and now two of the persons identified - We have a possible Debunking of Valiant Thor pictures.

My guess now is that it is a publicity shot from a production that may have never been shot as there were no joint appearances on the same episode/film. Besides, I used to see these kinds of pictures all the time, prepublicity was a big thing to build hype for the stars and the production, it was also a gauge to see if it would sell.

[edit on 6-11-2006 by 2stepsfromtop]