taffer

I have never seen Invasion of the Body Snatchers, so I decided I want to check it out. Looking on wikipedia, I see that there are 3 movies, the original in '56 and the '78 and '93 remakes. Which one is best or which one should I watch?

RichC2

I like the 78 and 56 versions about equally for different reasons.

Hated the 93 remake.

Daytripper

I thought all three were equally great. In their own different ways. All very effective thrillers.

mike7162

I picked the '56 version for it's in-your-face, over-the-top theatrics, but I love all three versions - they're all completely unique takes on the same plot.

story

I haven't seen the third version, but the second version is good. I'd have to go with the first version, however, because there's an element of social commentary serving as the backbone of the story that just isn't there (as prominently) in the other versions.

rw2516

The '56 version. I think it's very atmospheric and creepy. The small town setting adds a "trapped/cut off from help" feeling. Dark basements, body on pool table among other things puts in on top for me.

Seantn

The 78 version is the best. It's one of my favorite sci-fi films. The final 10 seconds are creepy as hell.

Jamezuva

whoah, I didn't realize there was yet another remake of this on the way called "The Invasion" starring Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig

I've seen the first two, and didn't really care for either of them except for the last 10 seconds of the 2nd one

Kudama

I thought both the first and second versions had equal social commentary.
'56:Here come the Commies
'78:Here come the Republicans

('93:Here comes Meg Tilly...naked!)

rennervision

The '78 version is my favorite, and I would even put it in my Top 10 List of scariest movies.

But you've got to see the '56 version first. If not, you'll miss the homage/joke appearing near the beginning of the '78 remake.

And actually, I don't think "remake" effectively describes the last two films. In my mind, they could easily be seen as sequels.

Hu Phan

I think they all have their merits:-

The Don Siegel 1956 effort sells the paranoia of the main character (Kevin McCarthy) very well and showcases some good character acting. It still plays with your head in the way that a lot of science fiction films of the era do not (except perhaps The 27th Day.)

The 1978 one benefits from a great ending and a solid performance from Donald Sutherland. For me, it has a little too much of the 70s vibe to work as a timeless film, but it does stick in your head - especially one sound effect.

The 1993 one has a great pace and several memorable and creepy images - the young boy being the only one in the kindergarten with a painting that is not identical, the military efficiency of the alien's plan, the night shooting, Gabrielle Anwar naked, Meg Tilly possibly naked, R. Lee Ermey giving another bat-out-of-hell performance, etc. It just doesn't quite gell and the male lead is very bland indeed.

I hope the fourth one keeps up the good standard.

Seantn

They all have different locations, so i'd agree that they're somewhat sequels instead of remakes... The original: Small Town The 78 version: San Francisco The 93 version: A military base

inri222

Ky-Fi

The '56 version is my favorite, but also don't forget about The Puppet Masters (1994), with Donald Sutherland. I thought that one was an excellent, extremely tight, tense and fast-moving action pic. Very underrated, and one of my favorite sci-fi movies of the 90s.

I think all the "Body Snatcher" movies were unofficial adaptations of Robert Heinlein's novel "The Puppet Masters" ?

edit: nix that, I just read that Invasion of the Body Snatchers was a novel also. But anyways, The Puppet Masters is basically the same idea, and a fun movie.

fryinpan1

The 1956 version is the only one I have seen, but I liked it.

Josh-da-man

The '78 one is my favorite. Sure it's looks dated, but it works... I have a particular love for the horror and science fiction movies that came out during that period (mid-70s to early 80s). Alien, Halloween, The Thing... how can you not love them.

The ending was absolutely killer. I liked that they showed the "pods" coming to Earth from the alien planet... all of the little bits of gooey crap falling to Earth during a rainstorm and nobody noticing. Spock.

I've only seen the original once, and that was when I was probably nine or ten, and it bored me. I've always wanted to revisit it, but haven't yet.

The '93 one was okay, better than I expected it to be.

Filmmaker

Oh, 1978, to be sure. I promise. The '50s version was good for its time, but overrated and appreciated through rose colored glasses for many cineastes.

rw2516

The Jack Finney novel is worth reading also. Read it years ago as a kid. What was the name of the skeleton in the doctor's closet? Mr. Bones?

meritocracy

I've enjoyed all three for various reasons, many of which have already been enumerated above. Which is the best? '78...no question.

FRwL

Me too, and especially since it was more relevant with McCarthyism/cold war subtext in the subversive pod entities, the paranoia aspect is intense.