Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

Matthew Bennell: "It was something, but it wasn't human."

By Philip Kaufman
With Donal Sutherland, Brooke Adams and Jeff Goldblum

I knew about Invasion of the Body Snatchers for a long time. It all started after I got obsessed with Sin City (2005). I decided to look for more Robert Rodriguez film and ended up seeing Roadracers (TV 1994). In that movie, they extensively discuss Invasion of the Body Snatchers, with friends arguing about whether the original Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) is better than the 1978 remake or not. Not long after that, I watched the original 1956 version but, for some reason, I never got to watch the remake, so I did it recently after watching Donald Sutherland's filmography, after I watched Lock Up (1989). Another thing to note, is that Rodriguez being an obvious fan of the movie, there are plenty of references and tributes in his own The Faculty (1998).

The movie starts on an unknown planet where spores--or at least something liquid--detaches itself and starts travelling into space, ending up of course on planet Earth. There, young scientist Elizabeth Driscoll finds a flower that appears to be the first on earth. She keeps it at home, but soon, her boyfriend begins acting entirely different, she follows him and see him meet strangers. This happens to some other people as well as they complain how their partner or loved one is not who they are, even though they look exactly the same. Matthew Bennell, a health inspector and also Elizabeth's superior, appears to be the only one to believe her. He introduces her to his friend David Kibner, a psychiatrist who tries to help her as more and more people seem to become emotionless and the group of humans gets thinner and thinner.

I watched the original 1956 version a few years ago and therefore it's difficult for me to judge, but I really enjoyed both movies. I think they are some of the best displays of paranoia in movies. The cocoons and transformations are far more realistic in the remake, but I think the suffocating paranoia was even more intense in the original. The fact that both the director and main actor of the original have cameos in the remake is also something I appreciated.

Something I noted though is how most of the secondary actors had to be emotionless, because this is the way aliens appear, and because even in any random town most people will look emotionless as they do their routines, this fact alone adds to the creepiness.

Of course, the movie had a few down times. But the music was interesting and added a lot to the feel of the movie, along with the weird heartbeat sounds and down toned pig squeals of the aliens.

I liked: Intense crowds scenes. Music. Sleep is the enemy. Mysterious. Shadows and lights.

I disliked: The downfall. Very dark at times.

77/100
If you hesitate between this and the original, then I'd probably hint for the original, but if you just want a good movie, pick either... or better, watch both.