Average Rating: 
Rating:  - Body Snatchers Invade Video Collection
Don Siegel's Invasion of the Body Snatchers proves to be a classic of the science-fiction genre. Usually bored to death of sci-fi films, I quite enjoyed this film of pods taking over and transforming themselves into the citizens of Santa Mira, while they sleep, in the hopes of soon engulfing the entire world. Brilliantly acted by Kevin McCarthy in the role Miles Bennel, and Dana Wynter as Becky Driscoll, with a wonderful supporting cast, the film is easily believable. With Milt Rice in charge of special effects, the entire collaberation is a marvel for its time. Upon returning home from a trip, Miles finds the Santa Mira townspeople to be acting a bit unusual, but little does he know that one by one the townspeople are being taken over by pods from another world. Miles and Becky, Miles' girlfriend, attempt to warn the town and save the others, but it soon proves to be no easy feat for them to save themselves. The two drive, and then literally run, for their lives through the California hills. If they can make it to the highway and then to the neighboring town, perhaps they and the world can be saved. With impressive cinematography by Ellsworth Fredericks, notably the highway scene late in the film, and a striking musical score by Carmen Dragon, this film has quickly become one of my favorites. To occupy a place on the shelves amidst my usual favorites is not an easy thing for a film to do, especially for one that is science-fiction, but this brilliant sci-fi film, which hints a bit at McCarthyism, is a can't miss for any film lover.
Rating: - Original 1956 scifi cult classic (scarey film) now on DVD!
This Black & White Scifi/Horror Cult Classic is still a very scarey movie to watch. This DVD is digitally restored and presented in a non-Anamorphic WideScreen Letterbox format. (This is presented with letterbox vertical & horizontal black bars & not enhanced for 16x9 Tvs). The picture quality is still excellent and the movie still delivers its disturbing message.In Summary: a California town is mysteriously invaded by seed-pod cloning aliens. Our lead characters (Kevin McCarthy, Dana Wynter and Carolyn Jones)discover these pods and how they are taking over their town, friends & family members. They try to seek assistance to stop this alien take over but are also being pursued by them. They discover that the pods are secretly placed near the victim. Slowly a clone of the victim matures within the pod & becomes fully mature when the victim falls asleep. The key is to escape and remain awake! As the days go by sleep seem inevitable. What happens to our characters? Does the world find out, before it is to late? This is a nail biting, nerve racking story and it is indeed a cult 1950's classic scifi film. This is one of my favorite scifi/horror movies of the 1950's. "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" has been remade twice but the 1956 movie is the original & the best both in acting & thrills! The Extra Features include an original trailer and an interview with Kevin McCarhty. Again the picture quality & sound are excellent. So if you want a good scarey taste of cult classic history get a bowl of popcorn pull up a seat in the dark and watch "Invasion of the Body Snatchers". Enjoy.
Rating: - "There's no need for hate now, or love"
This classic sci-fi B-movie is one of the best alien invasion flicks of the fifties. But while most of these films depict aliens bringing death and destruction from above, this film is unique in that it depicts a gradual, invisible invasion from the inside.Kevin McCarthy stars as Miles J. Bennel, a doctor who has just returned to his hometown of Santa Mira. Miles is just getting back to work when a number of Santa Mira residents start complaining that their loved ones are no longer their loved ones. Initially dismissive of these claims, Miles is forced to take notice when a strange featureless body is found in the basement of his friend's house. It seems that imposters are being grown out of giant sea pods, placed in people's homes who then replace the originals in their sleep. The pod people absorb all of the originals' memories, looks, and features. There's just one difference; they have no emotions. Night after night, more pod people are grown. As their allies dwindle, it's up to Miles and his girlfriend Becky to get out of Santa Mira and warn the world of the invasion, before the whole world becomes a race of emotionless pod people. Don Siegel's direction builds suspense slowly, but relentlessly. I liked Siegel's vivid use of shadows. As the film goes on, we the audience feel almost as tired as Miles and Becky do in their efforts to flee the pod people and stay awake. "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" is notable for being a film that tapped into the general paranoia beneath the surface of America during the fifties. With the fear of communism high, many saw this film as depicting the invisible spread of communism many believed to be happening. Indeed, the depiction of pod people being put to work in the greenhouses and the authorities tracking down humans resemble how people perceived the Soviet Union; as an Agrarian society composed of emotionless people and a secret police to track down non-conformists. On the other hand, this film could just as easily be seen as an allegory on the McCarthy era. America during the 1950s was an ultra-conservative society; any left of center causes were considered to be "communistic". The way the police track down the still free thinking humans with the help of the pod people resembles the way organizations like Joseph McCarthy's senate committee and the House Un-American Activities Committee harrassed anyone suspected of being a Communist with the help of ordinary citizens. But perhaps I'm looking too deeply here, "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" can be seen as an allegory on any extremist ideology whether it be Fascist, Communist, or just simply the dangers of mindless conformity. However you see this film, it is highly likely that you will be afraid to go to sleep after watching it. As Miles prophetically tells Becky, "I'd hate to wake up one day and find out that you were not you."
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