INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS (1956–2007) - “They're Coming! They’re Here Already!”

INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS (1956) d. Don Siegel (USA)
INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS (1978) d. Philip Kaufman (USA)
BODY SNATCHERS (1993) d. Abel Ferrara (USA)
THE INVASION (2007) d. Oliver Hirschbiegel (USA)

**CLICK HERE TO WATCH FULL YOUTUBE EPISODE**

The theme of an alien entity occupying or replacing the bodies of those nearest and dearest to us had been utilized in horror cinema throughout features as plentiful and varied as Invaders from Mars, It Came from Outer Space, Planet of the Vampires, It Conquered the World, I Married a Monster from Outer Space, The Stepford Wives, The Thing, The Faculty, and many more. But it is producer Walter Wanger’s 1956 production of Invasion of the Body Snatchers, directed by Don Siegel, and starring Kevin McCarthy and Dana Wynter, which has come to exemplify the concept.

The legacy of the 1956 original endured through countless theatrical reissues and television viewings, establishing itself as one of the high-water marks of ’50s sci-fi cinema. However, director Philip Kaufman’s worthy 1978 update proved to be reverential to its predecessor whilst striking its own quirky, innovative, and more graphic chords, with surprising scenes of PG-rated violence and nudity.

Kaufman and screenwriter W. D. Richter relocated the setting from Smalltown, U.S.A. to that of the equally isolated existence within a bustling metropolis, where individuals’ relationships are often so tenuous, we might not initially notice if our neighbors had been “replaced.”

Two other official adaptations followed, 1993’s Body Snatchers and 2007’s The Invasion, both of which suffered the indignities of studio interference and failed to land with viewers or critics. But the legacy of the Body Snatchers remains alive and well, reflecting back our worst fears, as well as exploring the eternal struggle of being human.

It’s no wonder that scholars and critics have found Finney’s story and its four official film adaptations perfect subjects for social commentary. From Communist red scares to self-preoccupied “Me Generations” to militarized mindsets, the shoe continues to fit each and every generation.

Join AC and his incredible panel of guests (Dodd Alley, Christianne Benedict, Neil Calderone, Mike Mayo, John Kenneth Muir) as we celebrate 70 years of INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6Ij0HhB5vc

**If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to SUBSCRIBE and click the NOTIFICATION BELL for the H101wDrAC channel - you won't want to miss what we have coming up next!**

Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!