Amazon.com Essentials:
Something's wrong in the town of Santa Mira, California. At
first, Dr. Miles Bennell (Kevin McCarthy) is unconcerned when the
townsfolk accuse their loved ones of acting like emotionless
imposters. But soon the evidence is overwhelming--Santa Mira has been
invaded by alien "pods" that are capable of replicating
humans and taking possession of their identities. It's up to McCarthy
to spread the word of warning, battling the alien invasion at the risk
of his own life. Considered one of the best science fiction films of
the 1950s and '60s, this classic paranoid thriller was widely
interpreted as a criticism of the McCarthy era (that's Senator Joseph,
not actor Kevin), which was characterized by anticommunist witch-hunts
and fear of the dreaded blacklist. Some hailed it as an attack on the
oppressive power of government as Big Brother. However viewers
interpret it, this original 1956 version of Invaders of the Body
Snatchers (based on Jack Finney's serialized novel The Body
Snatchers) remains a milestone movie in its genre, directed by Don
Siegel with an inventive intensity that continues to pack an
entertaining wallop. Look closely and you'll find future director Sam
Peckinpah (an uncredited cowriter of this film) making a cameo
appearance as a meter reader! The DVD release includes an interview
with Kevin McCarthy, and for the first time on home video the film is
presented in its original 2.35:1 widescreen aspect ratio. --Jeff
Shannon
