Undiluted pleasure and excitement. The scriptwriter, W.D. Richter, supplies some funny lines, and the director, Phil Kaufman, provides such confident professionalism that you sit back in the assurance that every spooky nuance you're catching is just what was intended.
Set at the intersection of post-Vietnam paranoia and the myopic introspection that became hippiedom's most lasting cultural contribution, the Philip Kaufman-directed Invasion alternates social commentary with impeccably crafted scares. As much an echo of Don Siegel's 1956 original as a remake, it does little to change a formula that worked fine the first time around.
I say this as a big fan of the 1956 film. I have nothing against remakes, some are great, some are good, some are bad, some are downright awful. Fortunately Invasion of the Body Snatchers(1978) is one of the truly great ones, one of those rarities that not just lives up to the original film but almost beats it.
The only reason why it doesn't quite is because the 1956 film does more with the change of the townsfolk. That said, it is a very well made film, with the special effects enhancing the mood rather than distracting from it and the scenery and cinematography striking. The make up is also outstanding.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers also has a strong score that just adds to the tension and suspense, a compelling story especially the ending, in fact for me I marginally preferred the ending here, the dialogue is intelligent and well-delivered and the direction is very fine.
There is some great acting too. Donald Sutherland and Brooke Adams are strong leads, while Jeff Goldblum steals the scenes he appears in. Overall, a great film and worthy remake. Anybody who has not seen the Invasion with Craig and Kidman, it may be a good idea to keep it that way. 9/10 Bethany Cox
Director Philip Kaufman and producer Robert Solo cleverly entwine such elements as disorienting low-angle shots, an ominously pulsating soundtrack and eerie gloom with the tried-and-true plot and come up with a tight thriller. [29 Dec 1978, p.20]
There's not much depth to the charaterizations, but they're uncommonly vivid for a horror movie. You believe that these wildly disparate people are friends, and the growing sexual affection between Sutherland and Adams is conveyed with a nice, understated warmth. [18 Dec 1978, p.85]
The screenplay, by W. D. Richter, remains bright and lively throughout, but the plot just isn't full enough to carry a feature film. The characters are vivid, and uniformly well-played, and their pre-pod lives are fairly well established. But an hour into the film, once the menace is identified, the few remaining humans begin fleeing for their lives, and after that it's just run, run, run.
If there is a hero in the new film, it is Donald Sutherland, who gives an energetic, intelligent, emotionally rangy performance as the public health officer working on the case. There is nothing wrong, either, with Brooke Adams as his colleague and lover. But, sadly, they can not compensate for all the other mistakes in a film that lingers too long and too soberly over material that, as the original showed, must be quickly, even superficially handled, if it is to be accepted at all.
Feels way more like a BLOW OUT or a THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR than a flowers-from-outer-space-flick. Dense atmosphere, San Francisco in the 70s, great casting, an unnerving score, and effects that I found really disgusting (I do have a fear of fungi and spores **** thing with 70s American cinema is: The stories can be wild, but the actors look like real people and act in a world that's believable.
The first update of the 50s classic for a few moments manages to duplicate the ingenuity of the original, raising the levels of fear and paranoia and above all, with a pessimistic and chilling ending. To note the participation of Kevin McCarthy, the same as the original version. If you notice any suspicious attitude in a neighbor, or the newspaper delivery boy, watch out!
Definitely one of the best sci-fi/horror movies of it's time. With great acting, impressive practical effects and a very atmospheric soundtrack, Invasion of the Body Snatchers delivers and gives much more than what you would expect.
+Excellent cast
+Interesting sci fi premise -Camera work and lighting have aged poorly
-Screenplay hasnt aged well either
IOTBS uses a fascinating concept of the creeping takeover of the human population in san Francisco with alien human hybrids(and presumably the world!). As a piece of movie history it has aged poorly however. There is little artistic merit to be found in the cinematography although it looks clean in uhd format. Sadly the majority of the film is shot at night but the lighting is virtually non existent so there is little benefit to that choice as everyone and everything is simply swamped in darkness. Cast performances are erratic with little logical reasoning in the screenplay to really sell the sometimes bizarre reactions. The visual effects are possibly the strongest area of the film as they are practical effects and seeing them in uhd was quite intriguing especially the homeless guy face on the dog!
Soundtrack performs its function with some odd moments of synth throughout no doubt very edgy back in 1978 but in 2020's feels campy. The hilariously sexist screenplay has also aged terribly but if you dont mind quirky campy sci-fi this may entertain you.