Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)

classics, horror, movies, reviews 2 Minutes

Directed by Don Siegel.  Written by Daniel Mainwaring, based on the novel by Jack Finney. Starring Kevin McCarthy and Carolyn Jones.

Plot: A doctor learns that his small town is being taken over by pod people

DI-InvasionOfTheBodySnatchers

If you want to write reviews for one Invasion, I believe you should watch ALL invasion movies.  So, that’s what we did.  And DJ had a hell of a time because he doesn’t like most of these movies, but I’ll get to that.  The first Invasion happened in 1956 and let’s face it, it wasn’t a miraculous piece of film making, but it was fun.

In your classic invasion plot, pods are setup somewhere in the vicinity of a sleeping person.  During their sleep, they disappear and their form is re-imagined inside the pod. Now they are pod people, alien, and they want everyone to be JUST THE SAME!!  All individuality is gone.  Free will is gone.  And huge plot holes abound.

For instance, how is it that everyone can be changed?  We’re all so different.  Other invasion movies will tackle this subject thankfully.  And SPOILER ALERT!!! …. If the pod becomes you and steals your mind and your body, how did Becky wake up in the cave? She fell asleep in the cave, shouldn’t she have woken up somewhere else?  And how do the pods replicate people without ever coming in contact with them?

All these questions and a few other things are why DJ didn’t like the movie.  He hated the lack of Freddy Claws.  He hated that people couldn’t win.  And while I take the end as an optimistic sign, he takes it pessimistically.  It was an original concept at the time, but it didn’t follow rules.  He had to stretch himself way too much to enjoy it.

So, as you can imagine, DJ does not recommend the 1956 Invasion.  He only gives it a 29/100.  I do enjoy it though.  Not very very much, but enough to recommend seeing it before – or even after – you’ve seen the other Invasion movies.  I give it a 61/100.

And if watching with a party of people, play this simple drinking game.  Drink every time someone on the screen does.  Back in the 50’s, it was all about smoking and drinking on camera.  It’s a fun way to make the movie even better.  But please, have a designated driver to take you home safely.

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Published by TaraRomero

I suppose I could list my favorite movies here, but instead I'll give you a strange glimpse into what makes me TaraRomero. 1. I met George Romero. He was the kindest and sweetest man. He talked to me for longer than he should have with the line getting longer. He also held my hand. And when he noticed the ladybug I have tattooed on my wrist, he said he liked it and asked me it's name. Till then, it had not had a name. Now, I call him George. 2. I love stickers. All stickers. I just adore them. I even ask for stickers for Christmas! As a matter of fact, the birthday that just past, every member of my immediate family gave me sticker packs as gifts. Affordable and extremely appreciated. 3. I have never put much stock in astrology or horoscopes, but I LOVE the magic of the MBTI. Omg. I am an INFP and it actually sounds just like me. Introverted mostly. Creative always. Heart before head and not the most logical. Totally me! For better or worse. 4. It's no surprise I count horror so high up on the list of things that make me, me. However, it's so within my soul that I was part of the Horror Club in college. Interesting bunch. And even took a Horror Lit class as an elective. I got an A. 5. Coffee always makes me happy. Always. I'm particularly fond of caramel macchiatos. But I'll drink black coffee if it's the only thing available. 6. I hate shock for the sake of shock and endings that depress me. I always mention the movies Within (2016) and the Eli Roth produced, written and starred in, Aftershock (2012), as proof of this distate I have. I abhor the idea that just because I like horror, some people think I'd actually praise a movie that lets you think the "Final Girl" just made it through the night, only to slap her in the face with a tsunami. 7. We are big time animal people. I mean, if I could, I'd have an elephant, a bear, a zebra, a penguin, an otter and a meerkat, living with me. Seriously though. We have 2 dogs right now and 2 cats. Both cats we picked up when they each came to our front door hungry. And both dogs we got from 2 different sets of neighbors. Both who, unfortunately, don't know how to care for pets long-term. But they're happy and healthy now!! 8. Revisiting my love of horror, one of the above cats, my cat, is a little black guy named Church. Because Pet Sematary. His middle name is even Pascow. To give credit where credit's due, the name was DJ's idea. But he loves horror too! 9. I'm big into art. Along with movie posters and an Anne Frank quote, I have some actual paintings on my wall. I really think Dali paints beautifully when he wants to. And if I don't get to see Michaelangelo's Pieta in person some day, I will be very disappointed. 10. Lastly, I find Emily Dickinson's poetry intriguing. I took an elective course about her as well. But do you know I injected horror even there? I was given a poem to dissect and I picked one on death, of course. Then, I researched old "Death Photos" and even printed out copies for everyone in the class. They were so interested in looking at them that it stopped them from all looking at me, and I was able to deal quite well with my stage fright. Haha

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2 thoughts on “Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)”

  1. I agree. Becky’s transformation is one part of the film that doesn’t make sense. Despite that plot inconsistency, it is still a masterpiece of classic sci fi cinema that has been widely recognized by film scholars. It is an allegory for the political climate of the 1950s.

    I wrote a short essay on Invasion of the Body Snatchers called “Individualism vs. Collectivism.” If you would like to read it, here is the link: https://christopherjohnlindsay.wordpress.com/2014/03/12/invasion-of-the-body-snatchers/

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