Invasion of the Body Snatchers

Director: Philip Kaufman, Phil Kaufman Philip Kaufman

Overview

"Of the few remakes of classic movies that almost equal their source material, Philip Kaufman's 1978 retelling of Invasion of the Body Snatchers receives a better-than-average DVD release from MGM. The film print doesn't look like it has been restored for this release (and it needs to be), but it's great to have this terrifying movie back in widescreen, and the disc's extras are much better than average. The tense, hyper-paranoid sci-fi thriller is smartly directed by Kaufman and beautifully shot by master cinematographer Michael Chapman (Raging Bull, The Fugitive). The DVD presents the film in a widescreen transfer and it also comes with in a pan-and-scan version on the flip side. There's nothing wrong with the transfer, but the source print hasn't been restored and it shows plenty of wear and tear. That said, Michael Chapman's excellent lighting and camera work still comes through beautifully, and Denny Zeitlin's truly unsettling score really gets under your skin on the Dolby audio track. The disc features an excellent commentary track by Kaufman, who really takes you through the making of the movie scene by scene. The commentary will be appreciated more by filmmakers and students than by sci-fi fans, as Kaufman concentrates on how he and Chapman shot the movie rather than going into the complexities of the movie's subtexts. The disc also includes a short documentary called ""Pod Culture,"" which shows you the similarities and differences in each movie version. As an added bonus, the DVD comes with a booklet that is surprisingly interesting and well worth reading (most booklets in DVD's are complete jokes hastily done by copywriters rather than people interested in the movie in question). While this disc isn't perfect, many fans will be glad to own it, and it proves that Invasion of the Body Snatchers remains one of the best horror and sci-fi movies of the 1970s. This DVD only enhances the film's stature."

Product Details

Release Date:	03/31/1998
UPC:	0027616627421
Original Release:	1978
Rating:	PG
Source:	Mgm (Video & Dvd)
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Full Frame, Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Mono, Dolby Digital Surround]
Language:	English
Time:	1:57:00
Sales rank:	14,593

Special Features

Feature-length audio commentary by director Philip Kaufman; "Pod Culture" retrospective; Trivia and production notes; Original theatrical trailer

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Donald Sutherland	Matthew Bennell
Brooke Adams	Elizabeth Driscoll
Leonard Nimoy	Dr. David Kibner
Veronica Cartwright	Nancy Bellicec
Art Hindle	Geoffrey
Lelia Goldoni	Katherine
Jeff Goldblum	Jack Bellicec
Don Siegel	Cab Driver
Kevin McCarthy	Running Man
Tom Luddy	Ted Hendley
Tom Dahlgren	Detective
Garry Goodrow	Boccardo
Jerry Walter	Restaurant Owner
Wood Moy	Mr. Tong
Rose Kaufman	Outraged Woman
Joe Bellan	Beggar
Sam Hiona	Policeman #1
Al Nalbandian	Rodent Man
Robert Duvall	Priest on Swing (uncredited)
Maurice Argent	Chef
Jerry Garcia	Banjo Player
Denny Zeitlin	Composer

Technical Credits

W.D. Richter

Philip Kaufman	Director,Director
W.D. Richter	Screenwriter
Russ Hessey	Special Effects
Dell Rheaume	Special Effects
Robert H. Solo	Producer
Mary Goldberg	Casting
Arthur Rochester	Sound/Sound Designer

Editorial Reviews

Although it relies on special effects as much as psychological shadings to summon up its atmosphere of paranoia and alienation, this horror remake fairly successfully updates the Cold War subtext of the original Invasion of the Body Snatchers to poke fun at the psychological and spiritual excesses of the late '70s. From Leonard Nimoy's sinisterly self-assured pop psychologist to Veronica Cartwright's babbling hippie chick and Jeff Goldblum's persnickety poet, the supporting characters all scream "me, me, me." It's up to Donald Sutherland and the wonderful Brooke Adams to play it straight -- a feat both actors accomplish with typical class. San Francisco itself also plays a major role in the film, from shady goings-on in the streets near Civic Center to a creepy traffic accident on Nob Hill. A large team of makeup and special-effects artists blur the line between plant and human with queasy proficiency, while several actors get the chance to squeal and screech with alien voices quite effectively. Although he keeps the pace moving and credibly juggles actorly angst with gross-out set pieces, director Philip Kaufman isn't as masterful here as he would be with more literary material in the years to come. In fact, subtext aside, Jack Finney, author of the source novel The Body Snatchers, always insisted that his book was nothing but light entertainment, and, chilling as it is, the same can be said of this popular adaptation.