Invasion Of The Body Snatchers (1956)

One of the high water marks of science fiction cinema. I’ve had the opportunity to see this Don Siegel film many times (including on the big screen) and each time I’m spellbound. A small town California doctor (Kevin McCarthy) has several patients who claim mothers, fathers, uncles etc. aren’t their mothers, fathers, uncles but impostors. Investigating, he discovers to his horror that that people are being taken over in their sleep by emotionless, unfeeling doubles born from space pods. The film runs at a tight 80 minutes and every minute is intense. In the ensuing years, it’s been endlessly debated whether the film’s “message” is cold war paranoia about communism taking over or rather that conformity stifling and taking over our individualism. Whatever, it remains a genuine masterpiece of the genre. Ellsworth Fredericks (FRIENDLY PERSUASION) is responsible for the compelling imagery. The skilled cast includes the ravishing Dana Wynter, Carolyn Jones, King Donovan, Larry Gates, Jean Willes, Whit Bissell, Virginia Christine and in a small role, future director Sam Peckinpah.