Starring
Kevin McCarthy, Dana Winter, Larry Gates, King Donovan, Carolyn
Jones, Jean Willes, Ralph Dumke, the ever-reliable Whit Bissell and
the ever-eccentric Sam Peckinpah. Directed by Don Siegel. (1956/80
min).
AVAILABLE
ON BLU-RAY FROM
Review
by Mr. Pawsđ¸
One
of the coolest things about the original Invasion of the Body
Snatchers is that it's conceptually timeless, which is probably
why the film has been remade three times since
its inauspicious 1956 release (with another one reportedly in
development). And let's not forget countless others - big &
small, good & bad, classic & obscure - that have drawn
obvious inspiration from it.
Social
commentary and themes notwithstanding, the original still holds up as
a smart slice of provocative sci-fi horror, certainly belying its
minuscule budget and drive-in fodder title. Despite the film's iconic climax - when Miles (Kevin McCarthy) breaks the fourth wall to
warn us we're next - its most effective moments remain the subtle
ones. The scene where Miles (Kevin McCarthy) realizes Becky (Dana
Wynter) is no longer Becky is still one of horror's most quietly
chilling moments, while the pod people "gathering" at Santa Mira's town square is truly unnerving.
 |
| Everyone loves Mr. Bubble. |
Then
there's those seed pods. They may appear quaint compared to their
horrifically-gooey counterparts in the 1978 remake, but a strong
argument can be made that the greenhouse scene is one of cinema's
earliest examples of the type of "body horror" David
Cronenberg would make a career from decades later. It's amazing
what you can do with a few soap bubbles, and the sequence remains a wonderful early example of gross-out entertainment.
Invasion
of the Body Snatchers has been released on Blu-ray before, but
this time Olive Films has thrown-in a plethora of new and vintage
bonus features (outlined below), all of which are entertaining and
informative. Along with a great video & audio transfer, this is,
so far, the best release in Olive's ongoing Signature series
and one of the best Blu-rays of the year. A must own for any cinephile, even if they own a previous version.
EXTRA
KIBBLES
NEW
FEATURETTES:
"The
Fear is Real" - Directors Larry Cohen and Joe Dante recall their
first experience seeing the film and its influence on thier own
careers.
"I
No Longer Belong: The Rise and Fall of Walter Wagner" - Author
Matthew Wanger discusses the career of the producer, who derailed his
own career by shooting a man.
"The
Stranger in Your Lover's Eyes" - Director Don Siegel's son reads
from the director's autobiography, along with vintage photos.
VINTAGE
FEATURETTES:
"Sleep
No More: Invasion of the Body Snatchers Revisited" - The
best of all the bonus features, with commentary from its two stars,
contemporary directors and historians.
"The
Fear and the Fiction" - A feature about the movie's cultural
impact.
"What's
in a Name?" - An amusing look at some alternate titles that were
considered.
"Return
to Santa Mira" - A look at the various shooting locations.
2
AUDIO COMMENTARIES - One by historian Richard Harlan Smith, the other
a vintage commentary by Kevin McCarthy, Dana Winter and director Joe
Dante.
VINTAGE
KEVIN McCARTHY INTERVIEW
IMAGE
GALLERY
TRAILER
ESSAY
- "At First Glance, Everything Looked the Same," by Kier-La
Janisse
KITTY CONSENSUS:
LIKE BEING TURNED LOOSE IN A BIRD SANCTUARY
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