INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS (1956)
Tagline: They come from another world!
(Sci-Fi, Drama, You’re Next) [PG]
Note: This movie was not given an MPAA rating, but it definitely would have been a [PG].
Miles, am I going crazy? Don’t spare me, I’ve got to know.
In this one, Dr. Miles Bennell comes back to the town where he practices medicine and finds out that a bunch of his patients really want to see him urgently. As he looks into the situation he discovers that they are plagued by paranoia and feel that their family members are not themselves. Miles spends a lot of time convincing everyone that they are having psychotic episodes, but in time sees a metamorphosis with his own eyes that convinces him, that his small town is quickly being replaced by body snatchers.
First off, I wish I didn’t have an issue with the lead actor in this movie, but I really don’t like Kevin McCarthy in this role as Dr. Miles Bennell. He has some moments where his acting feels like he is into it, but in other parts of the movie, it feels like he is just going through the motions. I would rather have seen someone like Jeff Morrow or Max Showalter. Even with my reservations about McCarthy, his interaction with Dana Wynter who plays Becky Driscoll is spot on. The playful flirting between the two characters is of many bright spots in this movie. The film in general is very well cast. Having actresses like Jean Willes (best known for THE MAN WHO TURNED TO STONE) and Carolyn Jones (best known as Morticia from “The Addams Family”) and others were nice touches.
This film gives us several messages and insights on life and here is what I thought stood out as pretty accurate or just kind of dumb but “true”. To start, this movie made me miss full-service gas stations. When I was young back in the 70s full service gas stations were common, but at some point in the ’70s more and more gas stations were getting rid of this. Apparently, in some parts of the United States, you can still get full service at a gas station, but it’s super rare these days.
One insight that I noticed is that if you are ever trying to run up a hill with a really tired woman, this movie serves as an instructional video on how to do that. We also get the message that if a dog or a kid is freaking out about another person, there is something to that. The kid might be wrong, but at the very least it should be looked into. Then finally this movie highlights a pretty dumb thing. It’s crazy to me that every time a big problem comes up in the movies, the first thing the adults think is “I think we could all use a drink”. Bloody Hell! You would think that would be the last thing you would think of “because” you are an adult and you are in charge of trying to “solve” the problem.
What this movie does really well, is give us an amazing script. This is definitely one of the better-written sci-fi flicks of the 1950s. We also get some really good effects. You can tell the budget was minimal, but what they did with the “pods” and the body snatching element is convincing and well executed. Overall I can see why people at the time thought this was an anti-communism movie. There is no escaping that this feels very much like that and honestly, that would be fantastic if people got that message. We need more of that. However these days I think it’s more relevant in light of attacks on the family structure, people not wanting to live in their own skin, and overall failure to celebrate the individual. This thing definitely speaks to the dangers of group-think and making the powers that be your gods.
If I have one complaint outside of Kevin McCarthy it’s the score. There are several scenes where just a piano is used and it just really doesn’t work.
Overall INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS is considered a sci-fi masterpiece because it is. No matter what you got out of the film there is no denying it’s well-crafted and brings out some of the darker fears of atomic and space age pop culture.
This is a 7 out of 7.
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