In Britain, bodies of NATO paratroopers are being snatched during routine jumps by a mysterious red-beam of alien origin.In Britain, bodies of NATO paratroopers are being snatched during routine jumps by a mysterious red-beam of alien origin.In Britain, bodies of NATO paratroopers are being snatched during routine jumps by a mysterious red-beam of alien origin.
Hilary Heath
- Julie Slade
- (as Hilary Dwyer)
Pamela Conway
- Lorna
- (as Lorna Wilde)
Carol Hawkins
- Paula
- (as Carolanne Hawkings)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaWhen the aliens' spaceship appears, the model used is the same one from Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. (1966), but repainted in a lighter shade.
- GoofsWhen Allen is about to jump from the Dragon Rapide aircraft, the shot goes to the cockpit of the aircraft and the altimeter clearly indicates 0 ft. The radio conversation states the plane is at 11,000ft but the shot from the ground show an aircraft at only about 2000ft and the reverse shot from the AC the height seems even lower.
- Alternate versionsThe film was originally passed uncut as an 'X' for cinema by the BBFC before poor sales led to the film being recalled and re-cut for an 'A' certificate. The cuts included edits to Lorna's swimming scene to remove nudity and a shortening of the love scene between Lorna and Bob. The version issued by Anchor Bay in the Tigon Collection box set is the edited print.
- ConnectionsReferenced in Discussing the Pod (2013)
Featured review
THE BODY STEALERS (Gerry Levy, 1969) *1/2
Abysmal sci-fi (an unwise change of pace for Tigon) which, up to this point, had been the low point of Anchor Bay UK's "The Tigon Collection" - not that there were any particular highs! Michael Armstrong, director of THE HAUNTED HOUSE OF HORROR (1969) - and who was eventually replaced by Levy - compared it to Ed Wood in his Audio Commentary for that film, and I can't say that he was too far off the mark!
A competent cast flounders in the face of an inane premise and lackluster handling: veterans George Sanders, Maurice Evans (as the chief villain/alien) and Robert Flemyng; heroes Patrick Allen and Neil Connery (yes, Sean's younger sibling!); starlets Hilary Dwyer (better suited to period pieces like her three films with Vincent Price - WITCHFINDER GENERAL [1968], THE OBLONG BOX [1969] and CRY OF THE BANSHEE [1970]) and Sally Faulkner (I was impressed by her in VAMPYRES [1974] and PREY [1977], and here looks lovely if nothing else!). However, Lorna Wilde is terrible as an alien temptress(!) - and the (mercifully brief) contribution of Shelagh Fraser as Mrs. Thatcher(!), an ageing nymphomaniac barmaid with a shrill voice, is positively embarrassing!!
One of its most hilarious - and dated - aspects is the way it presents Allen and Minister's aide Allan Cuthbertson(!) as a couple of would-be studs, in obvious imitation of the James Bond extravaganzas; the cheesy score (by Reg Tilsley, who fared better with THE HAUNTED HOUSE OF HORROR) doesn't help, either. A measure of the film's sloppiness is the fact that Hilary Dwyer's name has been mysteriously omitted from the cast list at the end of the picture, though I doubt she voiced her complaint about it to the production company! Patrick Allen's Audio Commentary is actually quite engaging though, understandably, he offers little insight into the film itself - given also that he doesn't remember much at all about its making, and had never even watched the damn thing until now!
A competent cast flounders in the face of an inane premise and lackluster handling: veterans George Sanders, Maurice Evans (as the chief villain/alien) and Robert Flemyng; heroes Patrick Allen and Neil Connery (yes, Sean's younger sibling!); starlets Hilary Dwyer (better suited to period pieces like her three films with Vincent Price - WITCHFINDER GENERAL [1968], THE OBLONG BOX [1969] and CRY OF THE BANSHEE [1970]) and Sally Faulkner (I was impressed by her in VAMPYRES [1974] and PREY [1977], and here looks lovely if nothing else!). However, Lorna Wilde is terrible as an alien temptress(!) - and the (mercifully brief) contribution of Shelagh Fraser as Mrs. Thatcher(!), an ageing nymphomaniac barmaid with a shrill voice, is positively embarrassing!!
One of its most hilarious - and dated - aspects is the way it presents Allen and Minister's aide Allan Cuthbertson(!) as a couple of would-be studs, in obvious imitation of the James Bond extravaganzas; the cheesy score (by Reg Tilsley, who fared better with THE HAUNTED HOUSE OF HORROR) doesn't help, either. A measure of the film's sloppiness is the fact that Hilary Dwyer's name has been mysteriously omitted from the cast list at the end of the picture, though I doubt she voiced her complaint about it to the production company! Patrick Allen's Audio Commentary is actually quite engaging though, understandably, he offers little insight into the film itself - given also that he doesn't remember much at all about its making, and had never even watched the damn thing until now!
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- Bunuel1976
- May 30, 2006
- How long is The Body Stealers?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Invasion of the Body Stealers
- Filming locations
- Shepperton Studios, Shepperton, Surrey, England, UK(studio: filmed at Shepperton Studios)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime1 hour 31 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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