Body Snatchers (1993)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

Director:

Abel Ferrara

Writers (WGA):

Jack Finney (novel)
Raymond Cistheri (screen story) ...

Release Date:

28 January 1994 (USA)

Genre:

Sci-Fi | Horror | Thriller | Mystery

Tagline:

The Invasion Continues

Plot:

A teenage girl and her father discover alien clones are replacing humans on a remote U.S. military base in Alabama.

Plot Keywords:

Father | Military Base | Military | Alien | Stepmother

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Gabrielle Anwar	...	Marti Malone
Terry Kinney	...	Steve Malone
Billy Wirth	...	Tim Young
Christine Elise	...	Jenn Platt
R. Lee Ermey	...	General Platt
G. Elvis Phillips	...	Pete
Reilly Murphy	...	Andy Malone
Kathleen Doyle	...	Mrs. Platt
Forest Whitaker	...	Major Collins
Meg Tilly	...	Carol Malone
Stanley Small	...	Platt's Aide
Tonea Stewart	...	Teacher
Keith Smith	...	Soldier Gas Station
Winston E. Grant	...	Gas Attendant
Phil Neilson	...	MP Gate Captain

Runtime:

87 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Germany:16 | Norway:15 | Singapore:NC-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R (certificate #32088) | Iceland:16

Filming Locations:

Craig Air Force Base, Selma, Alabama, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

This was the first film shot with Arriscope anamorphic lenses, which were created for Arri by the German manufacturer Isco-Optic.

Quotes:

General Platt: We've learned... it's the race that's important. Not the individual.
Major Collins: The individual is *always* important.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in A Short Film About the Long Career of Abel Ferrara (2004) (V)

Soundtrack:

YOU DIDN'T NEED

"Only the race counts - not the individual".

Okay, the 1956 original paved the way and has to get the credit for that, but from an objective point-of-view, both the 1978 and this 1993 remake are better, scarier, more developed. In comparison to the second version, this one has a nowhere nearly as brilliant, rather disappointing ending, but the pacing is must faster. Abel Ferrara keeps the movie running for only a tight 85 minutes, and pushes all the right buttons along the way; the horror ranges from the gory (the melting heads) to the supremely subtle (the scene in the classroom, where all the kids draw the exact same picture, except for one, who naturally realizes that something is wrong - the teacher seems to want to punish him for being different). This is a spine-chilling, absolutely terrific little picture - but even if it wasn't, it would still be worth seeing just for Meg Tilly's exceptional performance - her "where are you gonna go?" monologue is as scary as anything in say, "Psycho" or "Rosemary's Baby". (***1/2)