Invasion of the Body Snatchers

Well, the idea was good enough for this baby to have been remade or outright ripped-off perhaps one too many times than it should have been. Still, a landmark in the history of science fiction/horror INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS will still surprise those who see it for the first time. For starters, it does not use cheap tricks and shock to makes it's points and score it's hits...it uses proper set up, strong character development and a pervaded atmosphere of paranoia and suspicion. Director Don Siegel, who would also direct other classics such as ESCAPE FROM ALCATRAZ and DIRTY HARRY always denied he was making any statement on the cold war against communism or the McCarthyism movement of the time, rather, he took the short story and had it adapted solely for the purpose of a drama. It really doesn't matter as INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS manages to capture the feeling of that era if it intended to or not. Kevin McCarthy is fabulous here and it was a nice touch that they reprised his role in the 1978 remake and it is also neat to see acclaimed director Sam Peckinpah as the meter reader and Bobby Clark of Star Trek Gorn fame in a small part. A classic for sure...just don't go into expecting the schlock...this one has more meat than you might think.