RELEASED IN 1978 and directed by Philip Kaufman, "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" stars Donald Sutherland and Brooke Adams as friends, Matthew and Elizabeth, who work at the Health Department in San Francisco. They increasingly suspect that people are somehow being duplicated and trace the problem to alien plant pods. Leonard Nimoy plays Matthew's pop psychologist friend while Jeff Goldblum & Veronica Cartwright are on hand as a couple who run a mudbath parlour.This could be viewed as a sequel rather than a remake. The entries in the series are as follows: "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" (1956); "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" (1978); "Body Snatchers" (1993); and "The Invasion" (2007).The first one is in Black & White and is probably too dated and tame for most modern viewers, but it's still worthwhile; it takes place in small town, California. This 1978 sequel switches the setting to the big city. The 1993 movie shifts to an army base in the deep south while the 2007 version switches back to the big city of Washington DC.This rendition has a peculiar tone with a lot of the events taking place at night. There's a subdued eerie and dreary air with paranoia morphing into conspiratorial and then ghastly reality. The 70's atmosphere and cast are highlights, as is the score with its unnerving pieces. Brooke Adam's has exquisitely sculptured facial features (eyes, nose, lips, teeth, chin, cheeks and forehead). The creepy pod-birthing sequence in the garden is cogently done.THE MOVIE RUNS 1 hour, 55 minutes and was shot in San Francisco. WRITER: W.D. Richter.GRADE: B

On the short list of truly great horror/sci-fi remakes, one that often gets left out is the 1978 version of "Invasion of the Body Snatchers." Pre-dating John Carpenter's "The Thing" and David Cronenberg's "The Fly" (two films that set an extremely high bar for all other remakes), Director Philip Kaufman's take is the second adaptation of Jack Finney's novel, "The Body Snatchers" and is a real head-spinner, even forty years after its release. It's influence -- while not widely reflected on -- can be heavily felt in the sci-fi leaning pop culture landscape that would sprawl out in its wake.Boasting eye-popping special effects that still look amazing (and, at times, repulsive) even today, "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" is no doubt a cut above the average studio horror fare of the time, carrying an air of weight and sophistication that puts it in line with a film like Ridley Scott's "Alien." Kaufman slowly but surely raises the tension and paranoia with a steady hand, effortlessly engaging the viewer from beginning to end with characters that look and feel real, caught up in a surreal experience that looks and feels like a waking nightmare. The film is as dread-filled as it is, at times, visually arresting. Of course, the film also boasts an impressive ensemble cast, lead by a heavily permed Donald Sutherland and a down-to-Earth and charming Brooke Adams. Rounding out the cast are Veronica Cartwright (also of "Alien"), Jeff Golblum giving it all the Jeff Goldblum he can give, and Leonard Nimoy, stepping away from Spock for a change of pace. All five main leads look and feel real, selling the dread perfectly, thus sealing the deal.The kind of film that will leave certain images (and sounds) burned into your brain for years after the fact, "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" is absolute, must-see viewing for genre fans of all shapes and sizes. Kaufman's efforts have surely stood the test of time, and the movie just grabs you by the jugular and refuses to let up until its bone-chilling, music-less end credits. The term "they don't make 'em like they used to" sure gets thrown around a lot, but in this case it is more than apt. One of the best remakes of all- time and definitely one of the most criminally under-rated movies of its era in general.

Sometimes it's a real pleasure to re-watch a childhood favourite and find out that it holds up just as well today as it did when you first saw it in your rose-tinted memories. Well, guess what, INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS is just one of those pleasures, a truly terrifying alien invasion flick that offers first-rate suspense. In fact, I can fairly say this is the most claustrophobic, suspenseful, paranoid, conspiracy-style movie I've had the enjoyment of watching; no other film exactly matches the rising hysteria and the sense that your neighbours are out to kill you. Sure, the movie is slow-paced by today's standards, but that adds to the realism and the sense that you're watching a slice of everyday life unfold, albeit with a major twist.The movie is a remake of the good 1956 original and '50s star Kevin McCarthy has a wonderful cameo as pretty much the same character. The first thing you notice when you watch the film is that it isn't dated at all; the script is refreshingly true-to-life and the characters are normal, everyday modern people. Director Kaufman offers up excellent camera-work and editing to highlight the brooding suspense and deepening chaos without ever going over the top, even in the pyrotechnic climax. The casting too, is top-notch; the major players are a carefully-assembled group of unconventionals who find themselves banded together against alien evil. Tall, gangly Donald Sutherland is all bug-eyes and heroism and looks like he stepped straight off the set of DON'T LOOK NOW; Brooke Adams is all wide-eyes and fragile feminine beauty. Then there's the always kooky Jeff Goldblum in a first major performance, possibly even weirder than we're used to; whilst Veronica Cartwright displays the screaming credentials which earned her a part on board ALIEN.One of the film's most inspired pieces of casting is in Mr. Spock himself, Leonard Nimoy as a psychologist doctor, a really creepy character at that. Then there are the little things that make this film hold together so well: the continuity being immaculate (see the kicking the pod sequence for an explanation of this) and the weird, pulsing sound effects and dodgy music. Special effects are underused and work so well as a result; they're ace and the stuff of nightmares, and definitely scared the heck out of this reviewer at the tender age of 12 or so. The culmination of all this great stuff is an awesome movie that stands the test of time as THE greatest alien invasion flick there is – Spielberg should have tried watching this when he made his pointless and overblown WAR OF THE WORLDS remake.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978): Dir: Philip Kaufman / Cast: Donald Sutherland, Brooke Adams, Leonard Nimoy, Jeff Goldblum, Veronica Cartwright: Ominous and chilling remake that is every bit as great as the original, only it heightens the paranoia aspect. Set in glorious San Francisco, Donald Sutherland plays Health Department representative Matthew Bennell who is confronted with cases of people not being who they are emotionally. Brooke Adams plays Elizabeth Driscoll whose husband is different. These people fall asleep and replaced by pod lookalikes thanks to a flower that Driscoll discovers. Leonard Nimoy plays Dr. Kibner, a friend of Bennell's who attempts to explain this bizarre event in society. Unfortunately Nimoy is too obvious in his motives. The relationship between Bennett and Driscoll is subtle with a hint of romantic interest that is not tresspassed due to her marriage. Another interesting marriage relationship is between Jeff Goldblum and Veronica Cartwright who work in a massage parlor mud bath where a pod body is discovered. Director Philip Kaufman creates paranoia while toying with gadgets and showcasing Adams and her weird eye twirl talent. It can also symbolize the Biblical Rapture when one factors the shocking ending. Great update with a strong theme regarding paranoia and the importance of personality and the outside forces that invade one's senses. Score: 9 ½ / 10