Invasion of the Body Snatchers

Director: Don Siegel 
Screenplay: Daniel Mainwaring
Minutes: 80
Year: 1956
Score: 6.67
Release: Olive Signature

It seems passé but I have to thank Olive Signature for another great release. I have only ever watched the Philip Kaufman remake; for a lack of trying, not interest. Right or wrong it is what it is, but, thanks to Olive Signature I have a great reason to break that tradition.

From OliveFilms.com:

“They’re already here! You’re next!” With these chilling words, Invasion of the Body Snatchers sounded a clarion call to the dangers of conformity, paranoia, and mass hysteria at the heart of 1950s American life. Considered one of the greatest science fiction films ever made, Invasion of the Body Snatchers stars Kevin McCarthy (Academy Award® nominee, Best Supporting Actor, Death of A Salesman – 1952) as Miles Bennell, a doctor in a small California town whose patients are becoming increasingly overwrought, accusing their loved ones of being emotionless imposters. They’re right! Plant-like aliens have invaded Earth, taking possession of humans as they sleep and replicating them in giant seed pods. Convinced that a catastrophic epidemic is imminent, Bennell, in a terrifying race for his life, must warn the world of this deadly invasion of the pod people before it’s too late.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers, directed by the accomplished Don Siegel (Dirty Harry, The Shootist) and co-starring Dana Wynter (Airport), Carolyn Jones (A Hole in the Head), Larry Gates (The Sand Pebbles) and King Donovan (The Enforcer), was photographed by Academy Award nominee Ellsworth Fredericks (Best Cinematography, Sayonara – 1958) with production design by Academy Award winner Ted Haworth (Best Art Direction, Sayonara – 1958).

If you are not familiar with the story of Invasion of the Body Snatchers I can only assume that you have just been born and are only now able to be form memories. As titles go Invasion has one of the most telling, spoiler-filled, title ever produced on nitrate. Daniel Mainwaring, and by proxy Don Siegel, gave themselves an uphill battle to string the audience along and keep them guessing after showing them a poster which tells them precisely what that are about the see/read. Siegal is able to execute a nearly perfect 80 minutes of 50s sci-fi which will be used as a blueprint for generations to come.

It is difficult to judge the new HD restoration having not watched the film before, but I will apply my knowledge of hours of muddy VHS and broadcast TV editions of 50s horror and science fiction movies to say that this looks fantastic. The sharpness and the black blacks give way to a few borderline effects but also produce an engrossing viewing experience. This release is a top notch example of what we can do with classic sci-fi when the copywrite owners put the material into capable hands.

On top of that, like the other Olive Signature releases this disc is jam-packed. The commentary with Dana Wynter and Kevin McCarthy, hosted by film encyclopedia Joe Dante, gives you a great view into the making of the feature from the perspective of the actors while Richard Harland Smith’s commentary gives you everything else. Some of the interviews regurgitate the information Dante got out of the actors but the Sleep No More documentary includes some great insight. If you are a fan of classic sci-fi then do yourself a favor and add this disc to your collection. Please note that like the other Signature editions it is limited to 5000 copies, there are no more than 4999 remaining.

Special Features:

• New High-Definition digital restoration
• Audio Commentary by film historian Richard Harland Smith
• Audio Commentary by actors Kevin McCarthy and Dana Wynter, and filmmaker Joe Dante
• “The Stranger in Your Lover’s Eyes” – A two-part visual essay with actor and son of director Don Siegel, Kristoffer Tabori, reading from his father’s book A Siegel Film
• “The Fear is Real” – Filmmakers Larry Cohen and Joe Dante on the film’s cultural significance
• “I No Longer Belong: The Rise and Fall of Walter Wanger” – Film scholar and author Matthew Bernstein discusses the life and career of the film’s producer
• “Sleep No More: Invasion of the Body Snatchers Revisited” – An appreciation of the film featuring actors Kevin McCarthy and Dana Wynter, along with comments from film directors and fans, John Landis, Mick Garris, and Stuart Gordon
• “The Fear and the Fiction: The Body Snatchers Phenomenon” – Kevin McCarthy and Dana Wynter, along with film directors John Landis, Mick Garris and Stuart Gordon, discuss the making of the film, its place in history, and its meaning
• 1985 archival interview with Kevin McCarthy hosted by Tom Hatten
• “Return to Santa Mira” – An exploration of the film’s locations
• “What’s In a Name?” – On the film’s title
• Gallery of rare documents detailing aspects of the film’s production including the never-produced opening narration to have been read by Orson Welles
• Essay by author and film programmer Kier-La Janisse
• Original theatrical trailer

Director: 9 – Cinematography: 7 – Edit: 6 – Parity: 2 – Main performance: 7 – Else performance: 4 – Score: 7 – Sound: 6 – Story: 8 – Script: 5 – Effects: 7 – Design: 8 – Costumes: 7 – Keeps interest: 7 – Lasting: 10