The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951): A Christ-like being from another solar system warns people to settle their differences peacefully or the planet Earth will be destroyed. The film implied that scientists will save us from mutual assured destruction. The Thing From Another World (1951): In this film, an alien being is found to be contaminated by radiation. "The Thing" is ultimately electrocuted before his menace spreads from the Arctic. The film's last line of dialogue is a reporter's radio warning broadcast: "Watch the skies! Everywhere. Keep looking. Keep watching the skies!" Duck Dodgers in the 24 1/2 Century (cartoon, 1953): The United States (Duck Dodgers or Buck Rogers) and the Soviet Union (Marvin the Martian from the red planet) humorously struggle to control Planet X, destroying it in the end. There's just enough left at the end for Dodgers to plant his flag and claim the remaining dust for Earth. Them! (1954): Mutated, giant, radioactive ants hatch in the New Mexico desert after an atomic bomb test. A professional soldier leads the search after the murderous ants travel from the New Mexico desert to city storm drains. The ants are interpreted as communist infiltrators and are destroyed in the end. Godzilla (1954): A fire-breathing reptilian creature with radioactive breath is brought back to life from the ocean depths to terrorize Tokyo after underwater nuclear testing. This movie was made only a decade after the country's experience with nuclear fallout from Hiroshima and Nagasaki and during a time of underwater nuclear testing. The monster represents the atomic bomb and all its danger and destruction. Reflect on these films and do some additional research, if necessary, to write a brief response (three to four sentences) to the following questions: What can you infer about the meaning of these films? What do they have in common? Why do you think they were so popular? How do you think they helped people cope with the dangers of the era?