- Appreciation of Invasion of the Body Snatchers 1978

I caught this on TV again the other day. I was only 9 when this came out. Unfortunately I didn't get to see it in the theater. But I watched it countless times on television, cable and home video over the years. I think one of the reasons I love it so much is that I love all of the actors in it as well as the characters they play. When you actually care about them there is something at stake. This is something I find missing a lot in current films. It also contains one of the coolest cameos in film history if you ask me.

One thing I am surprised at is how little I have been able to find in regards to behind the scenes material about the making of this film. I haven't found anything in regards to deleted scenes, interviews at the time of its release, how the effects were done, etc..

 

There was a 2-disc collector's edition DVD released in 2007 that contains a commentary and 4 behind-the-scenes featurettes.

 

Thanks. They didn't bring those extras over to the US bluray release did they? I don't see them listed from the specs I saw online.

 

I don't own the Blu-ray myself, but according to this page, the extras were carried over:
http://www.dvdcompare.net/comparisons/film.php?fid=16782

 

I always liked this version, it had a creepy vibe, almost surreal. I have a sealed copy of the soundtrack tucked away somewhere.

 

It appears that the UK version has more extras.

 

One of those few remakes that actually holds up against the original film. I love the original, but the 1978 version is creepy in a more modern way. And it has an unforgettable ending. There is also a later remake that isn't up to the level of the first two, but I remember it wasn't terrible.

 

I like the original a lot, and I would say it's the scarier of the two, but the '78 remake is creepier, wilder, funnier--it's a total blast. And yeah, as babyblue says, there's the killer ending.

 

I remember seeing this in the theatre. When "Amazing Grace" came on, it was behind us, one of the earliest blatant use of surround sound we'd witnessed. It was a "whoa!" moment.

 

There are actually a couple of later remakes: Body Snatchers (1993) and The Invasion (2007). I enjoyed them both.

 

I only saw it once, in its theatrical run. The image of the dog with the human face has never left me. Yikes!

 

Loved it. Quite creepy.

There are a couple of cameos in the film. The famous one, and the one I suspect you're referring to, echoes back to the fifties version of the film, and is *very* cool.

The other cameo, early on in the movie, has Robert Duvall in a priest's outfit inexplicably swinging on a park swing - adding to the creepy overall vibe.

Harry

 

I recently saw the 1978 version and thought it was very good, but I still prefer the 1993 "Body Snatchers" overall.

 

I remember seeing the 1978 version at a drive-in, double billed with Coma. I was 8 years old at the time and the final scene has always stuck with me. Actually, the whole movie was pretty creepy, as I recall. I'd love to see it again.

 

That and De Palma's The Fury were the best movie endings of 1978.

 

That is a good example of a piece of music that seems to fit perfect in a scene.

I have a thing for bagpipe music anyway.

 

Bagpipes..."Amazing Grace"...Leonard Nimoy. Occurred in INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS and STAR TREK II.

Harry

 

That's what I'd say. I think it's a very respectful remake of the original that's just different enough to be distinctive, but not so different that it isn't the same story. And they came up with a more logical interpretation of what the pods were for and how humans were being replaced by aliens. I like both the '56 version and the '78 version quite a bit.

 

Veronica Cartwright does a great job in that scene. You can really see the despair and anguish on her face when she realizes Sutherland is "one of them". As in Alien, she has a great terrified face.

 

I'm enamored with the whole 70's cinema vibe of paranoia and unease. Klute, Parallax View, 3 Days Of The Condor, The Conversation, on and on. This remake seemed to fit much of that atmosphere. Saw it in the theatre- the ending was quite a shocker!

 

I love this version. Very creepy and atmospheric, and a terrific cast. I always loved Brooke Adams. She was beautiful and had such a unique presence. And I agree about Veronica Cartwright - always great. And Leonard Nimoy had an effective supporting role.

 

Don't like anything other than the original.

 

I dig em all!

 

I still give the edge to this version though I havent seen 2007's "Invasion". I'm biased by having seen this first, my Dad took us to see it in the theater and I've watched it many times since.

One thing I figured out only after repeat viewings.

Spoiler: Conversion

in the first scene where brook adams is at the park, it seems clear to me now even at that point that it's too late for humanity. The school teacher is acting weird, eyeing brooke's character and encouraginge her student's to pick the alien flowers. They, Brooke and her friends, never had a chance

Also, I was initially fooled by how long things take to unfold. If you exclude the last scene, it's just a few days but seems longer.

Finally,

Spoiler: Nimoy

interesting to note that Nimoy's character appears to have been converted on the day of the book signing. He seems fine and helpful in that scene but later on at the mud baths not so much and seems clearly different proven out when he gets in the car after leaving them all the next day.