]The film""s screenplay, by first-time scripter Bruce Robinson, was adapted from Pulitzer Prize-winningNY Timesreporter Sydney Schanberg""sThe Death and Life of Dith PranfromThe NY Times Magazine.It was a terrifying, gaudy film adaptation of Anthony Burgess"" 1962 satiric, futuristic novel of the same name.Harley mentioned the obvious - that he alien""s arrival was regardedwithgreat "surprise."Klaatu related the reason for his lengthy journey (of five months duration) - he had brought an urgent message from 250 million miles away from a closeby, neighboring planet.The duelling combatants (the cop and the criminal) throughout the film - an individualistic, unconventional, neo-fascist, super-hero police detective with a.[Note: It was 12:35 am, just a little past midnight.]2:30 amTwo individuals were introduced in the town""s all-night greasy-spoon diner, the Compton Cafe:Officer Sam Wood (Warren Oates), a uniformed deputy slurping loudly on a tall soda drink as a customer at the counterRalph Henshaw (Anthony James), the sweaty, teenaged waiter-worker entertaining himself by killing flies with a thick rubber bandSam authoritatively demanded that Ralph act subservient, and call him: "Mister Wood" or "Officer Wood" instead of by his first name.