31 More Days of Horror: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)

The inspiration for many films including two of its own remakes, the original B&W version still stands the test of time. Invasion of the Body Snatchers holds it’s own against modern horror thanks to masterful direction and the perfect build of paranoia.

Dr. Miles Bennell (Kevin McCarthy) is skeptical when he returns to his small town practice to find many of his patients complaining of the same story. A loved one is acting oddly, almost as if they have been replaced. A man of science, Dr. Bennell immediately dismisses the events, but before long strange things occur that don’t add up.

Dr. Bennell and the viewer begin to question everything. Who can we trust? Director Don Siegel delivers a tense, succinct classic that makes great use of minimalist elements. There’s no obvious demon. Instead we have a hunch. Acting on that hunch, the quest for truth will result in one of two things: insanity or death.

The casting is simply top-notch. Believability it key. The overall composition of the production is beautiful. Siegel makes great us of shadow to exhaust emotion. The score is another key element. Its ability to summon chills and drive the story subconsciously is the mark of a job well done.

A subversive attack on 1950s McCarthyism?  Maybe. I supposed you could project a number of social commentaries, but that takes all the fun out of it. Enjoy Invasion of the Body Snatchers for what it is—a thrilling scare.