Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

In San Francisco, a group of people discover the human race is being replaced one by one, with clones devoid of emotion.

Director:

Philip Kaufman

Writers:

W.D. Richter (screenplay), Jack Finney (novel)

Stars:

Donald Sutherland, Brooke Adams, Jeff Goldblum

3 wins & 9 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Donald Sutherland	...	Matthew Bennell
Brooke Adams	...	Elizabeth Driscoll
Jeff Goldblum	...	Jack Bellicec
Veronica Cartwright	...	Nancy Bellicec
Leonard Nimoy	...	Dr. David Kibner
Art Hindle	...	Dr. Geoffrey Howell
Lelia Goldoni	...	Katherine Hendley
Kevin McCarthy	...	Running Man
Don Siegel	...	Taxi Driver
Tom Luddy	...	Ted Hendley
Stan Ritchie	...	Stan
David Fisher	...	Mr. Gianni
Tom Dahlgren	...	Detective
Garry Goodrow	...	Dr. Boccardo (as Gary Goodrow)
Jerry Walter	...	Restaurant Owner

Storyline

The first remake of the paranoid infiltration classic moves the setting for the invasion from a small town to the city of San Fransisco and starts as Matthew Bennell notices that several of his friends are complaining that their close relatives are in some way different. When questioned later they themselves seem changed as they deny everything or make lame excuses. As the invaders increase in number they become more open and Bennell, who has by now witnessed an attempted "replacement" realises that he and his friends must escape or suffer the same fate. But who can he trust to help him and who has already been snatched?

---

Plot Keywords:

female nudity | sleep | psychiatrist | health inspector | capgras delusion | 

---

Taglines:

Pray for the human race...

---

Genres:

Horror | Sci-Fi

---

Certificate:

PG

Details

Official Sites:

MGM

Country:

USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

22 December 1978 (USA)

Also Known As:

Invasion of the Body Snatchers

Filming Locations:

1227 Montgomery Street, Telegraph Hill, San Francisco, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$3,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$1,298,129, 25 December 1978, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$24,946,533

Company Credits

Production Co:

Solofilm

Technical Specs

Runtime:

115 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo (Dolby Stereo)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

During the mud bath scene, a man suggests that Nancy read a book titled "Worlds In Collision" by Immanuel Velikovsky. The book was published in 1950 and spent eleven weeks on the New York Times Best Seller list. However, the book was met with overwhelming rejection of its thesis by the scientific community.

---

Goofs

When pods attack Matthew and the others at Matthew's house, four bodies form in the yard, yet Nancy isn't asleep. She's shown wide awake, and she's the one who wakes the others when she goes outside and sees the bodies growing. If the pods can only attack when the human victim is asleep, there should have only been three bodies.

---

Quotes

Elizabeth Driscoll: How are we gonna get out of here?
Matthew Bennell: Through the door. Come on.

---

Alternate Versions

In the version that ABC-TV ran in 1980, ' nude scene, where she was walking through the greenhouse where the pods were being grown, was replaced with an alternate shot of her wearing the red dress.

---

Connections

Spoofed in My Gym Partner's a Monkey: I Fear Pretties/The Magic Fish (2006)

---

Soundtracks

Amazing Grace
Traditional
Performed by The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (as the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards)
Courtesy of RCA Limited

User Reviews

More logical and exacting than the original

While some contend the original was a better version, I still prefer this one. Donald Sutherland, Jeff Goldblum and Leonard Nimoy was excellent, providing more logic and insight to the film where the original failed to accomplish. Sure, it was tougher to make a secret invasion of a large city seem more believable, but the more believable and rational appeal of this film puts it heads and tales above the rest. Also, the fact that it is a little more drawn out and conceptualized, it makes for a better night of movie making than the original.