Z-MOVIE? NOT THIS ONE

Chris Bray’s article on the theremin refers to “The Day the Earth Stood Still” as a “Z-Movie” (“From Russia, With Love,” So SoCal, June 8). Excuse me! That 20th Century Fox picture was written by Edmund H. North, directed by Robert Wise and scored by Bernard Herrmann. All three have at least one Academy Award on their resumes.

The film’s producer, Julian Blaustein, had then just completed the landmark James Stewart-Jeff Chandler western “Broken Arrow,” and “Earth Stood Still’s” cast included such distinguished actors as Michael Rennie, Patricia Neal, Hugh Marlowe and Sam Jaffe.

I’m puzzled. If that’s “Z,” what does Bray consider an “A”?

Michael Schlesinger

Sherman Oaks