I find it haunting that this movie has been swept under the carpet.

I don't really know how popular it was in 1962 but I think it still has quite a "bite" to it almost 50 years later. Unless it is remade, contemporary audiences will never even know about this film. The remake of The Day the Earth Stood Still did not do well in theaters but it may serve as a commercial for the original. In my opinion both of these films are excellent in content and execution!