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IMDb > Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
Invasion of the Body Snatchers
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Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) More at IMDbPro »

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Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) -- A small-town doctor learns that the population of his community is being replaced by emotionless alien duplicates.

Overview

User Rating:
8.0/10   12,629 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 7% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Director:
Don Siegel
Writers:
Daniel Mainwaring (screenplay)
Jack Finney (Collier's magazine serial)
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Contact:
View company contact information for Invasion of the Body Snatchers on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
5 February 1956 (USA) more
Genre:
Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller more
Tagline:
... there was nothing to hold onto - except each other. more
Plot:
A small-town doctor learns that the population of his community is being replaced by emotionless alien duplicates. full summary | add synopsis
Awards:
1 win more
NewsDesk:
Movie Reviews: 'The Invasion'
 (From Studio Briefing - Film News. 17 August 2007)

User Comments:
'Invasion Of The Body Snatchers' is THE 1950s paranoid SF/Horror classic! more

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
Kevin McCarthy ... Dr. Miles J. Bennell

Dana Wynter ... Becky Driscoll
Larry Gates ... Dr. Dan 'Danny' Kauffman
King Donovan ... Jack Belicec

Carolyn Jones ... Theodora 'Teddy' Belicec
Jean Willes ... Nurse Sally Withers
Ralph Dumke ... Police Chief Nick Grivett
Virginia Christine ... Wilma Lentz
Tom Fadden ... Uncle Ira Lentz
Kenneth Patterson ... Stanley Driscoll
Guy Way ... Officer Sam Janzek
Eileen Stevens ... Anne Grimaldi
Beatrice Maude ... Grandma Driscoll
Jean Andren ... Eleda Lentz
Bobby Clark ... Jimmy Grimaldi
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
Sleep No More
They Came from Another World (USA) (working title)
Walter Wanger's Invasion of the Body Snatchers (USA) (complete title)
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Runtime:
80 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Sound Mix:
Mono (Perspecta Sound encoding) (Western Electric Recording)

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Throughout the years, Sam Peckinpah (who appears briefly in the film as the meter reader) claimed that he had done work on the script ranging from modifications to major overhauls. Those who worked on the film claimed that if Peckinpah had made any changes to the script, it was limited to a few lines of dialog. Peckinpah's claims became so inflated that the actual writer, Daniel Mainwaring, threatened to file an official complaint with the Writers Guild of America, so Peckinpah backed down. When Peckinpah died in 1984, many of his obituaries still carried the claim that he had rewritten the screenplay for this film. more
Goofs:
Continuity: When Miles is carrying the sleeping Becky from her house to his car, her right arm is hanging limp on the way down the stairs and her left arm is holding Miles. But in the next shot at the front door her body position is changed, with her right arm around Miles shoulder and left arm hanging limp. more
Quotes:
[first lines]
Dr. Harvey Bassett: Oh, Doctor Hill.
Dr. Hill: Dr. Basset. Well, where's the patient?
Dr. Harvey Bassett: I hated to drag you out of bed at this time of night. You'll soon see why I did.
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Movie Connections:
Featured in Gremlins (1984) more

FAQ

How closely does the movie follow the novel?
Is there an alternate ending?
Where do the pods come from?
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40 out of 43 people found the following comment useful:-
'Invasion Of The Body Snatchers' is THE 1950s paranoid SF/Horror classic!, 21 April 2003
Author: Infofreak from Perth, Australia

'Invasion Of The Body Snatcher's is my favourite 1950s science fiction movie alongside 'Forbidden Planet'. Both are very different movies. 'Forbidden Planet' is arguably the first SF blockbuster, an intergalactic adventure, in colour, with a large budget and impressive special effects. 'Invasion Of The Body Snatcher's is a smaller movie, a low budget black and white paranoid thriller that is a classic of its type. Many subsequent movies have been influenced by this one, and there have been at least two remakes (Philip Kaufman, Abel Ferrara), but it still takes some beating! Director Don Siegel is best known for tough guy crime dramas like 'The Killers' and 'Dirty Harry', but shows his versatility with this extremely effective and disturbing horror story. The legendary Sam Peckinpah had an uncredited hand in the script, and (keep an eye open for) a small cameo as a meter reader. Kevin McCarthy is terrific as the small town doctor turned hero. His performance is excellent, and made him a legend to SF and horror fans everywhere (he reprises it briefly in Kaufman's excellent 1970s remake by the way). The lovely Dana Wynter leads a strong supporting cast, and buffs will get a particular kick out of seeing Carolyn Jones (a.k.a. Morticia Addams) and Whit Bissell. ('I Was A Teenage Werewolf', 'Creature From The Black Lagoon' and too many others to mention!) This movie has aged very well, much better than say, 'The Thing From Another World', and still stands as THE 1950s paranoid SF/horror movie. An absolute classic that I guarantee still packs a punch! Highly recommended!

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Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Can you recommend some other classics mrmike123
Idea for a sequel brucedgo
HUGE Plot hole! (spoilers) inkpunk
Dana Wynter crossbones2005
Really Confused...(small spoiler) skaloosh
Dana (Male and female) dave-1437
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