Ready for some suspense, scares and gross out moments? 1978's INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS is an intelligent sci-fi thriller and a true film rarity, a remake that improves on the original!
Director Philip Kaufman (The Right Stuff) brings an offbeat tone to every angle of the film as he tells the story of a small group of friends that begin to suspect something different about their loved ones and customers.
As the phenomena continues to expand across the city of San Francisco, Health Inspector Matthew (Donald Sutherland) his asst Elizabeth (Brooke Adams) and husband & wife acquaintances Jack and Nancy (Jeff Goldblum and Veronica Cartwright) find themselves falling deeper and deeper into a massive conspiracy.
Alien spores are hatching exact replicas of humans and as they take life, the real person shrivels into a giant dust bunny that's casually swept into those ever roaming trash trucks.
While that description makes it sound funny, the real transformation is anything but humorous. Even today, the special effects teams work holds up well as the spores and their offspring deliver that perfect combo of spooky, weird and gross.
Sutherland and cast are terrific, as is Leonard Nimoy as a renowned psychologist who attempts to cast the rumors of what's happening as a mass delusion.
The music score by Denny Zeitlin is offbeat and strange, the photography by Michael Chapman (Raging Bull, Taxi Driver) is great and the entire production is first rate.
Film buffs should watch closely for the star of the original 50's version Kevin McCarthy as the man in the streets yelling "They're Coming! You're next!" and the director of the original Don Siegel, cast as the taxi driver that takes Matthew and Elizabeth toward the airport.
One of the best sci-fi films of the 1970's, INVASION is a suspenseful, crazy ride, right up to its famous, last image. We'll hatch it an A.
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