Film Versions Of 'The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street'

In the two versions of “The Monsters are due on Maple Street,” share a common theme of characters being predictable. During both films the theme of being predictable arises when the characters accuse others of being someone they are not. When the neighbours start to become paranoid searching for a scapegoat and find the ‘alien’ that lives on their street, Les Goodman is the first to be accused when his car mysteriously turns on making the neighbours predict that he is the guilty and a potential alien. In the modern version of the film the same theme of prediction arises; however, in a different approach. When the neighbours are having a discussion about the new family that moved in across the street their mind overpowers them to think that
After comparing both films one main difference that stuck out was that both versions had a different climax to them. In the original version the climax of the film is when Charlie mistakes Pete Van Horn as an alien and shoots him; however, in the modern version the climax is when the neighbours rave the new family's home when they think they are the potential terrorists in the situation. This is an important difference because it makes the audience have a different perspective and makes them wonder what is going to happen next. Secondly, the difference in who they accuse as the ‘alien’ or ‘terrorist’ has changed from the neighbours picking on each other to the neighbours picking on a new family who moved in across the street. In the original film the neighbours become paranoid and begin to accuse each other for being the ‘alien’ while in the modern version the neighbours all go against the new family that has moved in across the street as potential ‘terrorists’. The reason this change is important is because the main atmosphere is tense and mysterious, so they took something that would make people nervous. In the 1960’s version the writer chose aliens as the mystery since people were just starting to go to the moon for the first time. In the 2002 version they chose terrorists because the movie came out the year after 9/11. Finally, the last difference between the two films is who they choose accuse. In the original version the neighbours do not protect each other, they just protect themselves. Steve states, "You're standing out here all set to crucify someone! You're all set to find a scapegoat! You're all desperate to point some kind of a finger at a neighbor! Well, believe me, the only thing that will happen is we're going to eat each other up alive!" telling the rest that they shouldn’t be accusing anyone they can. In