Horror : Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

The first remake of the paranoid infiltration classic moves the setting for the invasion from a small town to the city of San Fransisco and starts as Matthew Bennell notices that several of his friends are complaining that their close relatives are in some way different. When questioned later they themselves seem changed as they deny everything or make lame excuses. As the invaders increase in number they become more open and Bennell, who has by now witnessed an attempted "replacement" realises that he and his friends must escape or suffer the same fate. But who can he trust to help him and who has already been snatched?

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077745/plotsummary?ref_=tt_stry_pl





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Re: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

It's a pretty decent remake. You reminded me that I want to rewatch the original, it has been a while that I've seen it. How do you think the remake compares?

Re: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

I think this is one rare case where the remake is better than the original.

I love this scene. THAT NOT MY WIFE!!!



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"filmboards is a bold experiment in free speech and anarchy"
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Re: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

Yes, that scene definitely stands out and the creepy factor is high.

The final scene is pretty memorable too.

Re: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

It's also funny with the Chinese laundryman stereotype in broken English. And the wife's evil glare at the end. Classic!

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"filmboards is a bold experiment in free speech and anarchy"
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Re: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

I used to have the fotonovel of this movie. Do you remember those? I still have my fotonovel copy of Grease somewhere.

Re: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

Yeah I remember those.

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"filmboards is a bold experiment in free speech and anarchy"
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Re: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

One of the few truly great horror remakes. I like it as much as the original film.

Re: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

Ditto to everything you said!

Re: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

Ditto to your ditto!

"Life is tough. Get a helmet." – Candace Owens
"Not today, Satan!" – Blaire White

Re: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

It's very good

Re: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

freaked me out.

suck it.

Re: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

It also works as a sequel and has a great appearance by Robert Duvall…

Re: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

On the old boards there was a post about him and if he was a copy or the orig.

I think the majority figured that he was a clone.

He is whatever you wanna think he is and there is no right or wrong.

Though I am pretty sure he is the orig. because look at how close that priest is to that kid to hit up on him to seduce him!
"Hey kid. Wanna come back to my place and try some wine? I have plenty of Jesus Juice. And then we can play 'Alter Boy' where I will have you get down on your knees before me."

Don't get on my ass about that.
Priests do that pedo shit.
They are child molesting monsters.

Re: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

The 1956 version, which I saw when it was new, will always be my favorite, but Phil Kaufman's remake is a close second.

The improvement in fx over the years justifies the 1978 film. I must say, I was not expecting Donald Sutherland's unearthly scream.

It's a great shame they got cold feet and mangled the ending in the original movie.

The two versions make good companion pieces as a rare instance where two entirely different approaches work successfully on their own terms.

And This, Too, Shall Pass Away

Re: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

Explain how the ending in the original was mangled? I know the censors in the 1950's wouldn't allow certain taboo subjects. Everything was required to end on an optimistic note. It would be interesting to discuss the different endings.

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Re: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

In the original ending Kevin McCarthy, driven to the highway and ignored as a drunk by everyone, stares into the camera in a tight close up and screams, "You're next."

It was, or should have been, one of the most frightening conclusions to any science fiction movie. Studio executives were afraid the public would not accept such a downbeat finish and they ordered the bookend scenes of McCarthy in the hospital.

I describe the additions as mangling the original power of the movie. Others may call it something else.

Either way, it is another example of a studio tampering with something so powerful it scared the bejesus out of them and they forced the director to alter it.

The list of producers and executives tampering with the finished product dates to the early days of the art form and, despite the graphic nature of film today, I don't doubt it is still occurring.

And This, Too, Shall Pass Away

Re: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

Sure, the studios still do it. One infamous example is American History X. This is the 'nice ending' after Derek's brother is shot:



The planned ending where Derek dons a Swastika again was scrapped by censors:

'The original film ends after Danny (Edward Furlong) is shot by a black student (whose brother was killed by Derek (Edward Norton) earlier in the film). In Kaye's version, after this we are taken to a scene in the family apartment where the detectives are trying to comfort Danny's grieving mother and sister. The camera then pans away and cuts to a scene in the bathroom. We see the sink filled with hair and an electric razor next to it. Derek is stood there with his head shaved - he stares in the mirror and looks at the swastika on his chest, before pulling out a pistol. The film ends on a shot of Derek's sick smile, the same smile we saw when he was arrested for his murders earlier in the film.'


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Re: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

I dont think Derek wants to get his Gudā riga stitched up in prison again.

Fuck You Very Much

Re: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

He doesn't give a fuck. He must avenge the death of his brother. He dons the swastika again.

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Re: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

I prefer the ending we got to the scrapped proposed one.
Why?
Because the suggested one is such an old and typical H.Wood cliche of seeking revenge.

I dunno if Derek forgave the black kid but I would rather have him be a changed man then to do the same old same old.
And this is a drama and not an action film so it does seem more realistic for him to not seek revenge.

Re: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

I would prefer Derek the man had grown and changed. But apparently the ending was not true to the original story. It was changed with a politically correct motive.

For sake of realism I prefer they not edit to make things nicer.

I believe it's better to stick to the original rather than censor, even if the message may be a negative one. That's realism.

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"filmboards is a bold experiment in free speech and anarchy"
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Re: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

I can get that even though I am OK with what they did.

Re: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

Films were released around that time with pessimistic endings (Kiss Me Deadly, Ace in the Hole and Paths of Glory come to mind) so the decision to alter Body Snatchers was more to do with economics. We can still see the film the way Siegel wanted it so I suppose that is a happy ending.

Re: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

My favourite version. It's must be one of the, if not the most, remade movie.

Re: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

Maybe, but Little Women is way up there too for being remade.

I asked her if she liked it.
She said "Stupid movie."

Re: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

Saw it once and didn't care for it. Just didn't work for me at all for some reason. I think the original is some good 50s sci-fi though.

Happiness is a warm… yes it is… GUN!

Re: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

Best sci fi horror film ever.

Just because I'm not on THEIR side, doesn't mean I'm on YOURS.

Re: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

Yes, the remake is actually better than the original.

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"filmboards is a bold experiment in free speech and anarchy"
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Re: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

I agree.

Just because I'm not on THEIR side, doesn't mean I'm on YOURS.

Re: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

I agree. The 1956 version was low-budget formulaic fun, but the 1978 version was exciting, propelled by a quartet of likable characters, with Veronica Cartwright being the standout, imo. Nobody can convey terror like VC can. She's just so freakin' cool!

I watch the movie about twice a year. Great sinister fun!

"My life is over. I might as well dance with Johnny Slash!"

Re: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

I agree, Veronica Cartwright was excellent. And Donald Sutherland as well.

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"filmboards is a bold experiment in free speech and anarchy"
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Re: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

Good Movie!

Re: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

I like this version as much, if not a little better, than the original. It's got a "creepy" factor, and better illustrates the "pods" takeover. Love the ending! So upsetting!!

Re: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

Another imposter!

Get vaccinated or die!

Re: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

very memorable ending

Re: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

Agreed!

Re: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

I like both versions though if both came on TV at the same time I would prob. go with '78.

As for any other remakes, reboots, sequels or whatever else that followed afterwards, forget it.
I may have watched one but I am not going to bother with any of those.

Re: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

What?

NO ONE brought up the freaky ass hybrid of Banjo Sam and his puppers Roof until now?
They are going on tour and the replacements will love them!

Love the banjo music they put in there.
Nice touch.

Re: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

I forgot about that. Lol.

What was the point of the Dogman? I guess the pod replication process screwed up and replicated a man sleeping with his dog or something. But how does that work? All the other pods are perfect replicas. It doesn't make much sense scientifically.

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Re: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

They prob. put it in as a fun SFX touch.
That and they needed that girl to scream at seeing something shocking.

Re: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

Well I would like to know the alien technological process of how a pod can replicate an individual without direct physical connection to that individual?

I mean placing a mere pod in the back room of your apartment seems to mean it can takeover your body and soul. How do they do that?

Physical contact isn't even required. How are the individual pods focused on which human being they are designed to duplicate?

The Dogman shows that the alien technology fucked up.

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Re: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

I thought we saw the pods reach out with little hairs that touched their victims.

My main nitpick is remember how long it was taking to reproduce Donald?
It was taking minutes.
Then later on when he was away from that woman for less than a minute she was cloned when he came back.

Re: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

Okay, it's been a few years since I've seen it and I don't remember all the details. In the original 1950's version there was no physical contact whatsoever.

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Re: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

If you go to the page for it the movie is there.

https://filmboards.com/board/10077745/

At 1:11:30 you can see threads from the pods reaching out and touching Matt's hand when he drifts off and then it starts to clone him.

Others are also cloned there too but the origs. were inside his apt.
I figure that it must have picked up on them through his brain waves or somehow tapped into his memories to duplicate them?

Though you are right that it is not consistent.

At 50:15 you can see where Matthew arrives to see a cloned Elizabeth in a side greenhouse in her bedroom and she was not near the pod unless the "husband" had it touch her and then moved one away from the other.
But she did have an alien flower on her bed stand which is not seen here.
So I dunno how they do it either. Again, brainwaves?
I guess just create your own ideas or leave it as a mystery unless someone else has an idea that the filmmakers suggest.

And then at 1:41:55 you can see where Matt leaves Liz to check out the ships and comes back to her at 1:43:27 and her body has been snatched.
So why was it super shot this time, less than two minutes, when other times it took a heck of a lot longer to make the transformation?

Re: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

The director takes a lot of license to make the film more suspenseful. I imagine that's why the transformation was sped up. Details like that are what make for good directing even if some of the logic of the story is thrown off.

Like I said, it's been a few years since I've watched this film. The next time I'll look closer to see the point of contact between the pod and the human.

It must require physical contact or they wouldn't have made the point of showing the pod touch Matt's hand.

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Re: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

I was hinting that you could go and check it out on the page with the times I suggested and do not have to wait too long to re watch the whole thing again, unless that is what you prefer.

I did not bother to check out other contact, if there was any at all, with other doubles like for Goldblum's in the mud bath house.
I don't think there was because they wanted it to still be a mystery and not reveal the solution too quick at that point.
The only one I know of is obvious is in the garden when it touches Matt.

Re: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

what is very intriguing to me is i hear this remake is actually better than the very respected original. now this is very interesting to me bc i haven't seen either movie.

so do you consider this movie better than the original?

lukejbarnett

Re: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

Yes, the 1978 version is better than the original. It just has more interesting effects. The original is a product of the 50's and it was a parody of McCarthyism and the "Red Scare" where everyone was a "Communist" in hiding.

I'd say the 1978 version is better alone for the Chinese man in the laundry "That not my wife".

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Re: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

"…Chinese man in the laundry…"

With how insane and wrong too much wokeness can get, would they even dare to think of having that today even though there prob. are actual Chinese that work in laundries or would they be too afraid to offend the pink panty wearing white men who get their panties in a twist from being too easily offended even though what is depicted might be factually correct?
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