Invasion Of The Body Snatchers (1956)

This is an essay I wrote for history through film class.

“Look! You fools! You’re in danger! Can’t you see? They’re after you! They’re after all of us! Our wives…our children…they’re here already! You’re next!” -Dr. Miles Bennell

            Invasion Of The Body Snatchers was made in 1956, the center of the decade. America was in the midst of trouble. There was the Suez Crisis, Civil Rights Activists, but most importantly. The Soviet Union’s international relations with the U.S. had grown tense. America wanted to do everything it could to keep communism from leaking into the country. In 1954, Joseph McCarthy sparked mass hysteria by announcing he had a “list of names” of communists. Everyone was paranoid of his or her neighbors and friends. No one was safe. Don Siegel, Director of Body Snatchers, decided to make a movie responding to America’s moment of terror. Invasion Of The Body Snatchers was a direct link to the paranoid style of the 1950’s and a classic example of a low budget, 1950’s, science fiction, B-movie.

The story begins with Miles Bennell, a well-liked doctor, in hysterics at a hospital trying to explain the invasion. Miles is a member of the town of Santa Mira. He begins to receive patients who claim to be in great agony but as he sees them around town they are perfectly fine. He also hears of people who say their relatives are missing. When Miles and his girlfriend visit one such patient, they find everything to be normal and all the family members counted for. “There's no emotion.” the patient says, “None. Just the pretense of it. The words, the gesture, the tone of voice, everything else is the same, but not the feeling” (Body Snatchers).

Not only was America facing danger because of McCarthy, but also the film industry was about to face its own epidemic. HUAC (House of Un-American Activities Committee was created. It was set up by the House of Representatives to keep a close eye on the content of America’s films. In the 1950’s the television was created. People who sought entertainment could find it on the “magic movie box” in their living rooms. In desperation, the film industry tried to pull in younger audiences. The B-movie was created. A movie that had a low budget and a lesser all over quality to it. The directors could turn the movies out fast and keep America’s youth entertained.

The most popular films were horror and science fiction. Both were relevant to the time period. The idea of mutant creatures stemmed from the reaction of radiation from nuclear bombing experimentation.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers was made with about $420,000. It is one of the most successful B-movies of all time. Using a slow building tension, Siegel brings the viewer in with suspense. Body Snatchers is an original science fiction flick in that it doesn’t have any monsters, only huge indestructible pods. It uses hardly any special effects. Unlike many other movies it had no violence or death.

 “An allegory for Communism and McCarthyism; the traits of being "one of them" is being cold, unable to express emotion or closeness. This original film would become more and more revered and distinctive as time passed” (Filmsite). The alien people replacers represent the communists. They conform into a robot that goes about its day with out feelings or expression. Miles and Becky seem to be the only two left who weren’t taken over. “This is the oddest thing I've ever heard of. Let's hope we don't catch it. I'd hate to wake up some morning and find out that you weren't you.“ Miles tell his girlfriend.

“I'm not the high school kid you use to romance, so how can you tell?” Becky responds.

“You really want to know?“

“Mmm-hmm.“

Miles kisses Becky, “Mmmm, you're Becky Driscoll, all right!” (Body Snatchers).

The couple was overcome with paranoia. They couldn’t trust anyone but themselves. Soon they learn that sleep spurs the transition from person to body snatcher. In one scene Miles leaves Becky to follow the sound of a woman singing, hoping for a human. The song comes from the car radio that a body snatcher is driving. He comes back, kisses the exhausted Becky again, and finds her asleep for a moment. She had changed. Miles narrates, “I never knew fear until I kissed Becky.”

            Becky once said, “I don't want to live in a world without love or grief or beauty, I'd rather die.” That same message is the one Siegel wants the viewers to know. Communism only promised a loss of feelings to those that embraced it. Looking back on Invasion Of The Body Snatchers, it is one of the greatest films the 1950’s ever produced.