This Blu-ray release from Olive Films (www.olivefilms.com – www.facebook.com/olivefilms) will be available for purchase on September 16th.
It’s truly remarkable that some 62 years after it’s original release, Invasion of the Body Snatchers still manages to captivate and entertain. The film has spawned numerous imitations and remakes… and remarkably, some of them are actually quite good. Perhaps there’s just something about the concept of a person you know changing and no longer being the same. Whatever the case (and there are various theories as to why the movie is so effective), this week the Olive Signature line is re-releasing an excellent new Blu-ray of the flick
The story follows Dr. Miles Bennell (Kevin McCarthy), a recently divorced doctor returning to his hometown of Santa Mira and beginning a new practice. It isn’t long before he encounters old sweetheart Becky Driscoll (Dana Wynter) who has also gone through a separation. Bennell immediately reconnects with his old flame, but their relationship is put on hold by a series of claims from locals who believe that their family members have somehow changed. When friend Jack Belicec (King Donovan) and his wife Teddy (Carolyn Jones) ask for assitance after discovering a strange plant pod on their property, they all discover the truth. Aliens are slowly taking over the community by making copies of victims when they are sleeping. Once they have replaced a victim, they carry all of the person’s memories, but show a complete lack of emotion.
It’s a fast-paced and eerie little low-budget film that works better than many others of its ilk because of the likable performances, pacing and impressive make-up effects. Most B-movies feature characters making bizarre choices simply to advance the plot and create tension. This movie includes smarter adult leads trying to piece together a mysterious conspiracy. Not only does the more naturalistic delivery make the protagonists more relatable, but their personal struggles feel more authentic when contrasted with the perfect, picket-fenced families of aliens trying to take over the town.
The film also features plenty of memorable moments. One such bit includes the discovery of the pods opening with foamy duplicates pouring out. There are plenty of nicely played scenes between the characters attempting to discern if someone else may have turned, adding tension. Visually, a wide shot of the pod people walking around the town square like ants is a simple but striking image. A climactic sequence involving Bennell and Driscoll being chased up a stairwell and across the hills is also impressive, especially a shot in which the camera pulls back and continues moving as the exhausted characters race towards the lens. Finally, there are a few exceptional close-ups of an empty expression against a look of shock on the protagonist’s face that really capture the horror of seeing a loved one turned into an emotionless plant-alien.
So yes, it’s a science-fiction classic status is well-deserved. The movie is presented in a widescreen aspect ration of 2:1 and this Blu-ray displays a very high quality image. There’s a lot of moody lighting in the movie during the evening scenes and it’s very sharply and accurately represented here, with inky blacks and plenty of menacing shadows that hide parts of the background, leaving open the potential for pods being in play just about anywhere.
The extras are numerous and informative. There’s a new commentary track with a film historian who gives plenty of technical information about the cast and crew members, giving brief biographies with details about how cast members ended up being hired on the project. It’s a bit dry but provides plenty of trivia. However, the second commentary is a real winner. Recorded a few years back, it includes stars McCarthy and Wynter along with moderator Joe Dante (director of Gremlins, Innerspace, The Burbs and many other titles). The conversation flows freely as they describe their experiences shooting the movie, giving plenty of details and surprising tidbits.
The numerous bonus featurettes are equally informative giving more details about the various aspects of the production. There’s certainly almost two hours worth of material here and it’s all fascinating. Obviously one of the big topics of interest is what deep seeded audience fears were being capitalized on. Some see it as an analogy of a communist invasion with new ideas overtaking American society, while others have believed it to be the reverse and more of an attack on right-wing McCarthyism and traditional values.
As it turns out, director Don Siegel (Flaming Star, Dirty Harry, Escape from Alcatraz) and author Jack Finney were always tight-lipped about the deeper themes and quite enjoyed all the speculation. Many of the guest speakers believe that this is what it so effective and memorable about the movie. The images are already creepy and can be interpreted in a wide variety of ways. After listening to all of the facts, it appears that the filmmakers weren’t necessarily thinking in broad political terms, but instead creating a commentary on a general loss of individualism. In fact, they may have been directly critiquing post-WWII suburban communities as being too bland, gentrified and dictating a particular kind of life.
Others dish on the interesting struggles the film had in getting made. This included the studios not liking the idea of having childless, divorced protagonists and insisting that the Bennell character should be a widower. The biggest bone of contention and one that Siegel did have to compromise on was the ending, which studio heads demanded be less bleak and disturbing. It’s amusing to hear on various extras that the director and author were so unimpressed with the executives that during the production they referred to them as “pods”.
There’s more intriguing stuff in other featurettes as it is revealed that their was some argument over what to call the film (some really eccentric titles are displayed). There are also entertaining shorts about the locations used and I also really enjoyed comments from various writers and directors about what they think about its subject and meaning. The parties involved include John Landis, Joe Dante, W.D. Richter (who wrote the exceptional 1978 remake) Stuart Gordon (who co-wrote the solid 1993 redo), Mick Garris and many others. They all have fun comments about the movie.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers is rightfully considered one of the best horror/sci-fi movies ever made and this Olive Signature Blu-ray is the high bar for viewing it at home. The disc outshines all previous releases with exceptional picture quality and the widest assortment of extras ever collected. Those who are fans of creature features are obligated to pick this one up… it’s a fantastic release perfectly timed for the Halloween season.