Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

Based on a novel by Jack Finney and itself a remake of the 1956 film adaptation, the 1978 version of Invasion of the Body Snatchers defies the odds by being exceptional on its own merits. Featuring a stellar cast, including Donald Sutherland, Brooke Adams, Leonard Nimoy, and a young Jeff Goldblum, this version turns up the suspense and paranoia to the extreme.

A spore-like alien species descends on San Francisco during a rainstorm. Clinging to and then cross-breeding with plants, the aliens produce a strange, pod-like organism that blooms with a small red flower. Curious humans pick the flowers and take them home, unaware that the plant grows into a duplicate of the person closest to it.

Elizabeth (Adams) and Matthew (Sutherland) work at the San Francisco Department of Health. When Elizabeth’s husband begins acting strangely, she tells Matthew that she believes that he literally isn’t himself. Initially skeptical, Matthew introduces Elizabeth to Dr. David Kibner (Nimoy,) a psychiatrist. But when their mutual friend, Jack (Goldblum,) discovers a half-formed pod-person after waking from a nap, Matthew begins to believe Elizabeth. The small group of friends have to figure out how to get others to believe them too.

Director Philip Kaufman (The Right Stuff) and cinematographer Michael Chapman (Taxi Driver) create an increasingly claustrophobic atmosphere with numerous facial close-ups, distorted focus, and jarring camera angles. Screenwriter W.D. Richter (Dracula) provides intelligent dialogue that sounds natural despite the unnatural scenario. The partially electronic score by jazz musician Denny Zeitlin punctuates the tension.

I especially enjoyed that the film takes the time to allow the audience to get to know the characters. We hear conversations that aren’t necessary to advance the plot as much as they are to flesh out the principal players. In today’s era of rapid-fire editing and non-existent attention spans, it’s nice to see a genre picture that doesn’t feel rushed yet never drags.

The special effects — all of which are practical rather than digital — display the bizarre transformation of the pods into people. Their somewhat artificial look gives them an eerie, embryonic look. Paired with Ben Burtt’s gurgly sound effects, they’re pure nightmare fuel.

There have been at least four film versions of the 1954 novel, “The Body Snatchers.” If you’re not going to watch the 1956 original, this is the one to see.