Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Philip Kaufman

Writers:

Jack Finney (novel)
W.D. Richter (screenplay)

Release Date:

20 December 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Romance | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

Get some sleep

Plot:

In San Francisco, a group of people discover the human race is being replaced one by one, with clones devoid of emotion.

Plot Keywords:

Unhappy Ending | Murder | Uncharacteristic Behavior | Dating | Nose Bleed

Awards:

3 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

Donald Sutherland	...	Matthew Bennell
Brooke Adams	...	Elizabeth Driscoll
Jeff Goldblum	...	Jack Bellicec
Veronica Cartwright	...	Nancy Bellicec
Leonard Nimoy	...	Dr. David Kibner
Art Hindle	...	Dr. Geoffrey Howell, DDS
Lelia Goldoni	...	Katherine Hendley
Kevin McCarthy	...	Running Man
Don Siegel	...	Taxi Driver
Tom Luddy	...	Ted Hendley
Stan Ritchie	...	Stan
David Fisher	...	Mr. Gianni
Tom Dahlgren	...	Detective
Garry Goodrow	...	Dr. Boccardo
Jerry Walter	...	Restaurant Owner

Runtime:

115 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Canada:14+ (Ontario) | Netherlands:16 (orginal rating) | Finland:K-16 (2000) (uncut) (DVD) | Finland:K-16 (1987) (cut) (video) | Finland:K-18 (1979) (uncut) | West Germany:16 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Australia:M | Norway:15 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:PG | Singapore:NC-16

Filming Locations:

1227 Montgomery Street, Telegraph Hill, San Francisco, California, USA

Company:

Solofilm

Trivia:

According to the commentary on the DVD, director Philip Kaufman said they paid 'Robert Duvall (I)' by giving him an Eddie Bauer jacket.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: The cameraman is reflected in the phone booth window while Matthew Bennell is inside.

Quotes:

Elizabeth Driscoll: I keep seeing these people, all recognizing each other. Something is passing between them all, some secret. It's a conspiracy, I know it.
Matthew Bennell: There can't be a conspiracy!
Elizabeth Driscoll: Matthew, I'm telling you something is going on here.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Fear of the Flesh: The Making of 'The Fly' (2005) (V)

Soundtrack:

Amazing Grace

It has one of the better endings that I've seen in horror / science-fiction films.

Second film version of Jack Finney's enduring novel is set in San Francisco. Health department inspector Matthew Bennell (Donald Sutherland) is tearfully informed by co-worker Elizabeth Driscoll (Brooke Adams) that her boyfriend now seems like a different, thoroughly unemotional person. Soon the two of them notice that this is turning into an epidemic, and eventually the truth is revealed. "Space flowers" that have drifted to Earth ultimately turn into pods that duplicate human beings, creating these new, but emotionless entities that exist only to continue reproducing the species.

Almost forty minutes longer than the classic original 1950's version, this effective genre entry can actually stand on its own. It works as a social comment on the fear of becoming just one face in a long line of drones, and provides good acting showcases for a cast also including Jeff Goldblum, Veronica Cartwright (gearing up for her equally affecting performance in "Alien" as another terrorized, and terrified, individual), Art Hindle (of the original "Black Christmas"), and Leonard Nimoy, in a probably-not-coincidental Spock-like role as a coldly pragmatic psychiatrist.

Special effects (by Tom Burman and Edouard Henriques) are enjoyably yucky, the music very offbeat at times but generally helpful in establishing the mood, and direction very assured. Working from a script by W.D. Richter, director Philip Kaufman ("The Right Stuff") knows how to deliver some good shocks and keeps the feeling of paranoia rampant throughout the balance of the picture.

Also reminiscent of a similar idea espoused in John W. Campbell, Jr.'s short story "Who Goes There?", itself filmed in two separate, memorable film adaptations from 1951 and 1982, "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" successfully maintains interest and involvement for what is a pretty long picture at almost two hours in length.

The cameo roles are noteworthy: Kevin McCarthy virtually picks up where he left off in the first film adaptation, and original "Body Snatchers" director Don Siegel is a cab driver. Robert Duvall, who'd acted in Kaufman's debut picture, "The Great Northfield, Minnesota Raid", is noticeable in a small, non-speaking bit part early in the picture.

Both intelligent and spooky, this movie has the ability to appeal to a broader audience than other genre fare.

8/10