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Invasion of the Body Snatchers

  • 19561956
  • ApprovedApproved
  • 1h 20m
IMDb RATING
7.7/10
49K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
Theatrical Trailer from Republic Pictures
Play trailer2:20
2 Videos
67 Photos
  • Drama
  • Horror
  • Sci-Fi

A small-town doctor learns that the population of his community is being replaced by emotionless alien duplicates.A small-town doctor learns that the population of his community is being replaced by emotionless alien duplicates.A small-town doctor learns that the population of his community is being replaced by emotionless alien duplicates.

IMDb RATING
7.7/10
49K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Don Siegel
  • Writers
    • Daniel Mainwaring(screenplay by)
    • Jack Finney(based on the Collier's magazine serial by)
    • Richard Collins(uncredited)
  • Stars
    • Kevin McCarthy
    • Dana Wynter
    • Larry Gates
Top credits
  • Director
    • Don Siegel
  • Writers
    • Daniel Mainwaring(screenplay by)
    • Jack Finney(based on the Collier's magazine serial by)
    • Richard Collins(uncredited)
  • Stars
    • Kevin McCarthy
    • Dana Wynter
    • Larry Gates
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 281User reviews
    • 161Critic reviews
    • 92Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 wins

    Videos2

    Invasion of the Body Snatchers
    Trailer 2:20
    Invasion of the Body Snatchers
    Joe Dante on Invasion of the Body Snatchers
    Featurette 2:49
    Joe Dante on Invasion of the Body Snatchers

    Photos67

    Kevin McCarthy and Dana Wynter in Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
    Kevin McCarthy and Dana Wynter in Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
    Kevin McCarthy in Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
    Kevin McCarthy and Dana Wynter in Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
    Kevin McCarthy and Dana Wynter in Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
    "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" Kevin McCarthy 1956 Allied Artists
    "INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS" Dana Wynter, Allied Artists, 1956, I.V.
    "Invasion Of The Body Snatchers" Kevin McCarthy,Dana Wynter 1956 Allied Artists
    "INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS" Dana Wynter, Allied Artists, 1956, I.V.
    "INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS" Dana Wynter, Allied Artists, 1956, I.V.
    "INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS" Kevin McCarthy, Dana Wynter, Allied Artists, 1956, I.V.
    "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" Kevin McCarthy 1956 Allied Artists

    Top cast

    Edit
    Kevin McCarthy
    Kevin McCarthy
    • Dr. Miles J. Bennellas Dr. Miles J. Bennell
    Dana Wynter
    Dana Wynter
    • Becky Driscollas Becky Driscoll
    Larry Gates
    Larry Gates
    • Dr. Dan 'Danny' Kauffmanas Dr. Dan 'Danny' Kauffman
    King Donovan
    King Donovan
    • Jack Belicecas Jack Belicec
    Carolyn Jones
    Carolyn Jones
    • Theodora 'Teddy' Belicecas Theodora 'Teddy' Belicec
    Jean Willes
    Jean Willes
    • Nurse Sally Withersas Nurse Sally Withers
    Ralph Dumke
    Ralph Dumke
    • Police Chief Nick Grivettas Police Chief Nick Grivett
    Virginia Christine
    Virginia Christine
    • Wilma Lentzas Wilma Lentz
    Tom Fadden
    Tom Fadden
    • Uncle Ira Lentzas Uncle Ira Lentz
    Kenneth Patterson
    • Stanley Driscollas Stanley Driscoll
    Guy Way
    Guy Way
    • Officer Sam Janzekas Officer Sam Janzek
    Eileen Stevens
    • Anne Grimaldias Anne Grimaldi
    Beatrice Maude
    • Grandma Grimaldias Grandma Grimaldi
    Jean Andren
    • Eleda Lentzas Eleda Lentz
    Bobby Clark
    • Jimmy Grimaldias Jimmy Grimaldi
    Everett Glass
    Everett Glass
    • Dr. Ed Purseyas Dr. Ed Pursey
    Dabbs Greer
    Dabbs Greer
    • Mac Lomaxas Mac Lomax
    Pat O'Malley
    Pat O'Malley
    • Baggage Manas Baggage Man
    • Director
      • Don Siegel
    • Writers
      • Daniel Mainwaring(screenplay by)
      • Jack Finney(based on the Collier's magazine serial by)
      • Richard Collins(uncredited)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit
    Dr. Miles Bennell returns to his small town practice to find several of his patients suffering the paranoid delusion that their friends or relatives are impostors. He is initially skeptical, especially when the alleged doppelgangers are able to answer detailed questions about their victim's lives, but he is eventually persuaded that something odd has happened and determines to find out what is causing this phenomenon. —Mark Thompson <mrt@oasis.icl.co.uk>
    • alien infiltration
    • alien invasion
    • small town
    • on the run
    • police officer
    • 221 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • The original Black & White classic
    • Genres
      • Drama
      • Horror
      • Sci-Fi
    • Certificate
      • Approved
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      During its original release, papier-mâché pods were on display in theater lobbies, as well as black-and-white cutouts of Kevin McCarthy and Dana Wynter running frantically away from a crowd of pod people.
    • Goofs
      (at around 20 mins) When Dr. Bennell is shown the body on the pool table he never bothers to ask where it came from or why it is there. One would think that would be the first question.
    • Quotes

      Dr. Miles J. Bennell: They're here already! You're next! You're next, You're next...!

    • Crazy credits
      THE END comes up on the final shot of the film of Miles looking relieved that Dr Hill has believed his story, and is calling the FBI about the alien invasion of Santa Mira.
    • Alternate versions
      Originally released at 80 minutes; reissued in 1979 at 76 minutes, deleting the studio-imposed prologue and epilogue starring Whit Bissel and Richard Deacon.
    • Connections
      Edited into The Giant Claw (1957)

    User reviews281

    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    One of the best sci-fi horrors ever
    I feel like I've seen so many movies with this kind of concept. People aren't themselves, something fishy is going on. Eventually, the evidence is too much to ignore but our main characters are already outnumbered by tens or hundreds. It's similar to the zombie genre except that here the "possessed" or "infected" ones act normal which is far more unnerving. This has to be one of the earliest and most effective versions of this kind of story.

    It is legitimately creepy and has many memorable moments. Blank, "dead" bodies turning up out of nowhere. Alien pods giving birth to proto-humans. A convergence of strangers in the middle of town as if they all have telepathic powers. You begin to suspect people constantly, are they really on our side? Are our heroes being lured into a trap? Are they safe here? The build-up is excellent as well. People urgently seeking a doctor and then abruptly canceling and feeling much better. A boy terrified of his mother because she is not really his mother and then suddenly he is okay again. A woman swears that her uncle is no longer himself but can't quite prove it. Your imagination starts to fill in the gaps.

    It's effective to show the main character flustered and babbling at the start. It contrasts greatly with how calm and reasonable he was only a few days ago as he recounts what happened. We figure that it must have taken something very disturbing to drive him to that level of mania. This builds our anticipation for finding out what he went through.

    It's funny that the main actor's name is (Kevin) McCarthy. There are certainly parallels that could be drawn with the communism scare of the 1950s. Are we too suspicious about our neighbours? Are we becoming paranoid and seeing everyone as being against us? Or perhaps our freedom is being taken away and we are being forced to robotically follow traditional American values.

    Invasion of the Body Snatchers wastes no time at 80min. It builds the way a good suspense/horror film should and the turn of events are satisfying. It isn't too predictable and it really had me on the edge of my seat, apprehensive about where the story was going and how it could possibly be resolved. Less is more and this movie only shows what it really needs to. It plants the seeds of fear in your mind and you do the rest.
    helpful•11
    0
    • Christopher_Reid
    • Feb 5, 2016

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    Photos

    FAQ9

    • What is "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" about?
    • Is "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" based on a book?
    • Where do the pods come from?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 5, 1956 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Walter Wanger's Invasion of the Body Snatchers
    • Filming locations
      • Town Square, Sierra Madre, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • Allied Artists Pictures
      • Walter Wanger Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $417,000 (estimated)
    • Gross worldwide
      • $1,861
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 20 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White

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