World Famous Comics: Invasion of the Body Snatchers
Invasion of the Body Snatchers
Starring: Kevin McCarthy, Dana Wynter, Larry Gates, King Donovan, Carolyn Jones Directed By: Don Siegel Average Rating: Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Audience Rating: Unrated Binding: DVD Format: Black & White, Closed-captioned, Dolby, DVD-Video, Full Screen, Letterboxed, Widescreen, NTSC Label: Republic Pictures Number of Items: 1 Region Code: 1 Release Date: July 01, 1998 Running Time: 80 minutes Theatrical Release Date: February 05, 1956
Amazon.com essential video: Something's wrong in the town of Santa Mira, California. At first, Dr. Miles Bennell (Kevin McCarthy) is unconcerned when the townsfolk accuse their loved ones of acting like emotionless imposters. But soon the evidence is overwhelming--Santa Mira has been invaded by alien "pods" that are capable of replicating humans and taking possession of their identities. It's up to McCarthy to spread the word of warning, battling the alien invasion at the risk of his own life. Considered one of the best science fiction films of the 1950s and '60s, this classic paranoid thriller was widely interpreted as a criticism of the McCarthy era (that's Senator Joseph, not actor Kevin), which was characterized by anticommunist witch-hunts and fear of the dreaded blacklist. Some hailed it as an attack on the oppressive power of government as Big Brother. However viewers interpret it, this original 1956 version of Invaders of the Body Snatchers (based on Jack Finney's serialized novel The Body Snatchers) remains a milestone movie in its genre, directed by Don Siegel with an inventive intensity that continues to pack an entertaining wallop. Look closely and you'll find future director Sam Peckinpah (an uncredited cowriter of this film) making a cameo appearance as a meter reader! --Jeff Shannon
"Think Pod" Kevin McCarthy is fabulous in this film. It shows what a truly great actor he is, even if he did end up on "Flamingo Road." I have always liked the guy who in later years, played the best refined gentleman or evil refined gentleman ever. Next to Kevin, I liked the pods best--great special effects, and realistic--chilling when found in the backs of trucks en route to other US destinations. After Kevin and the pods, I then liked the action, the horror of realization, the attempts to prevent panic, the campy background music. Still entertaining and better than any re-makes.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1955) This film of 1955 with Kevin McCarthy and Dana Wynter is one of my two favorite Sci-fi's (the other is Alien).It's fast moving, has great direction and acting and is very scary particularly with the scene of the "replacement people" oozing out of the pods, and not knowing if someone's "real" or not. A timeless classic for all.
great example of Cold War culture in 1950s America What made this grade-B science fiction movie a hit in the 1950s? It resonated with deep Cold War fears. I show this movie in my college-level U.S. History classes to shed light on the Eisenhower Era's "Cold War ethos." Americans who feared communist subversives (who were impersonating good Americans) were primed to be scared by aliens who would impersonate humans.
We are not who we are Body Snatchers is good old fashioned B-Movie hokum that gives more bang for its buck than expected. It was an instant classic hit more than just a popcorn fodder monster flick. What make Body Snatchers work is that it is powerfully psychological. There are no makeup effects or monsters but just people like you or me who are not what they seem. This is an amazingly effectively ploy that creates edge of your seat paranoia and hyper tension throughout. It is high concept paying off in aces.
Dr Miles Bennell finds people in his town coming to his practice complaining that friends and relatives are not what they are. Eventually his scepticism turns to fear and he uncovers a horrible truth that the town is being taken over by aliens that can mimic humans. It is also directed by the man who brought us Dirty Harry, Don Siegal.
Still powerful Saw the film when it came out, at the Wellston Theatre in St. Louis. Saw it many times on T.V. Seeing it anew I realized how really top-rate the script, casting, acting, direction, score and cinematography are. There is not a mis-step and there is some amazing camera work. Look at the scene when the townspeople are heading for the mine; I think what we are seeing first is animation, then the townspeople come into focus. The 1950s are captured PERFECLY here and this was made DURING the era! Having been a teenager in the 1950s I can tell you that what you are seeing is not an exaggeration and not a parody. That is exactly how life and people were. Some of us knew something was wrong, or that we didn't fit in as hard as we tried, or that something was missing (always searching for real feelings and real depth from people but it just wasn't there), but we couldn't articulate it. Plus the '50s were a GREAT time to be growing up--simple, predictable, clean, family-oriented and for teens focused on true friendships, a wonderful school life, home and church. The '60s and '70s proved a terrible shock yet a relief too. The film is wonderful and watchable over and over. You'll never see better acting!
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