essay 3- The Invasion of The Body Snatchers

Molly Cole
Adam Weinstein
October 14, 2007

The Invasion of the Body Snatchers; a political allegory or just a funny, “I can’t believe this is a classic” movie? I believe The Invasion Of the Body Snatchers is a political allegory with a touch of humor. This film was not just made to scare, but to show the parallelism of the small community in the film to all of American Society during the cold war era. The Invasion of the Body Snatchers is a classic horror film from the 1950’s, taking place in a little town in California called Santa Mira. Pods from outer space, which turn everyone, into robot-like forms, abduct the whole town; people who are abducted have no emotion or feeling at all. When someone in the town is at all suspicious of their neighbor’s new behavior, they would be the pods next targets. In many ways the pods are just like the communist party. In John Whiteheads, A tale for our Time, it is believed that, “The unraveling of the pod conspiracy has the flavor of an FBI exposé. The pod people represent a completely regimented society. Metaphorically, they are all alike as "two peas in a pod" because they have been sapped of their emotional individuality”(Peary). This film has been interpreted in so many ways, but I believe that McCarthyism is the main theme in this film. The pod people represent what America believed communists were like. We were told communists wanted everyone to conform and obey their master, just as the pod people did. As the audience from the fifties watched this film, many saw all traits of the communist party in these pod people. We were under the impression they wanted to take over and out lives would become absolutely worthless once conformed. McCarthyism pushed these views on America and almost destroyed the unity of our country.

Apart from the political aspect of the movie and its many interpretations, the film as a horror flick, was definitely not up to par. The jaw clenching music, the shocking scenes and the outrageous plot, could have definitely terrified me in the fifties, but after decades and decades of film going, it isn’t a horror film with out realism. The thought that something so terrifying could actually happen to you makes the film scarier. Our era, is so used to the worlds greatest special effects and realism, that The Invasion of the Body Snatchers can’t be scary, the special affects are so juvenile that I think my little brother could have done them. Bottom line, The Invasion of the Body Snatchers can’t be classified as a horror film, the corny lines and sub par acting make me laugh more than I scream. Even though I would never recommend this film to a horror fiend, that doesn’t mean I don’t think all of young America should watch it. I believe the picture that is displayed in this film was not only a problem in the fifties but is a problem in today’s society as well. This film shows the audience what conformity is, and should be a great example of what not to do in the future.

To wind it up, The Invasion of the Body Snatchers will always be a classic. Although, horror classic, I’m not sure of. This film might have been made just to give everyone a good scare, with out any ulterior motives, but the reality is, this film has two stories, it displays a time in American Society that was horrible and scary for everyone. No one could be trusted, everyone so paranoid about one another that life couldn’t be lived to its fullest. This film secretly shows our governments flaws, and we must learn from our mistakes to make out future greater. The Invasion Of the Body Snatchers is a must see, just to show society what we don’t want to become. Besides, it IS a classic, so you have to watch it!

Works cited
Whitehead, John. “Invasion of The Body Snatchers: A Tale for Our Times” Gadfly Online. 14, October 07