Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)

Dr. Dan 'Danny' Kauffman: Love, desire, ambition, faith - without them, life's so simple, believe me.
Dr. Miles J. Bennell: I don't want any part of it.
Dr. Dan 'Danny' Kauffman: You're forgetting something, Miles.
Dr. Miles J. Bennell: What's that?
Dr. Dan 'Danny' Kauffman: You have no choice.

Director:  Don Siegel
Producer:  Walter Wanger
Main Cast:  Kevin McCarthy, Dana Wynter, Larry Gates, King Donovan
Runtime:  81 minutes

There are movies that pass away over time and become irrelevant and there are those that remain strong and fitting even 60 years later.  Shot in just 20 days for a then budget of USD350,000 (remember Forbidden Planet cost USD1,900,000-), Invasion of the Body Snatchers is currently, as at May 2016, sitting at number nine in the AFI (American Film Institute) Top 10 Sci-fi movies of all time, so it’s clear that this is one of those films that has remained strong, relevant and engaging. 

The opening of the film reminds me very much of the opening scene in the 1950 Film Noir classic D.O.A where the camera follows the main character as he crosses the street into the Police headquarters to report a murder and when the police detective asks who was murdered, the main character says “mine” and from there he tells the story as to what happened to him and why he is certain to die at any moment ( a great movie by the way).  In Invasion of the Body Snatchers (IOTBS) Miles Bennell (Kevin McCarthy) tries to report what is happening in his home town to authorities however they think he is a nut case.  So in sheer frustration he reflects back and tells the story of what happened and how he got to where he is now.  It’s a brilliant start that gets you in from the moment the opening credits finish, just like D.O.A and several other Film Noir classics such as Kiss Me Deadly and Experiment in Terror.  

There are several ways to look at this movie with two of them being that it relates to the fear being faced in the post-atomic Cold War era and another that thought that comes to mind and that is from a Christian point of view that, as mentioned in the above quote, there is the idea that America (let’s just say the world, cause it’s not specifically about America) is getting more engulfed in sin and ultimately desires to lead and force the Christian into a life that not unlike that stated in the above quote.  The un-natural (alien infestation) has now become so prominent that the natural (born with emotions and a soul) way has become unpopular and even a threat to the new society so it needs to stopped, likewise those against God have become so common that the life of the Christian is so unpopular that it also is seen as a threat and its belief’s and thinking need to be changed to conform with the rest of society.  It’s certainly an interesting thought as society is leaning this way even today.  But, I digress.

Miles (Kevin McCarthy), a local doctor, returns to his home in Santa Mira after a time away.  Since he has been away some odd things have been happening where, for instance, certain family members no longer feel that that they recognise another member of their family.  Yes, they look the same but something is missing.  This becomes more prevalent and really starts to worry both Miles and his close friend and would-be lover Becky (Dana Wynter) so they start looking into a few things more carefully.  That’s really all I am going to say as it’s a great movie that should be allowed to tell you the story, not some knucklehead behind a computer screen!  Needless to say, this is a great quality movie that is anything but a “B” movie thriller from the 50’s.  It stands well to modern day storytelling and keeps up the suspense in a way not unlike some of Hitchcock’s films.   

It’s not too often when a remake is as good or better than the original but Invasion of the Body Snatchers also had a remake in 1978 starring Donald Sutherland and Leonard Nimoy which is also a very good movie and also worth watching (despise the scene or two containing nudity and the odd swearing).  But the original here is still the best but only marginally above the 1978 remake.

The version I watched was the HD version available on Google Play (no doubt the same as the one available on many legal streaming digital services).  The quality of the image was proof that the film had seen a restoration.  I have no doubt that the Bluray available from the USA (under the brand Olive Films) would be a bit better but at the moment that is also fetching a AUD30+ price tag for a bare bones release (ie. No extras at all).  I am normally not too keen to buy digital versions if the physical disc is available cause its giving the idea to studios that digital is the best way to release a film, but in reality nothing compares to the hard copy of the film both in terms of image quality and extras, but the price of the digital version was less than half that of the physical media so until a more reasonable Bluray comes out with good extras (are you hearing this Arrow, Eureka or Umbrella or Madman??) I will make do with digital.

So when you want to watch a quality thriller, give the 1956 Invasion of the Body Snatchers a go.  Whilst some of the scare is not as strong as it would have been in the 50’s, it is still a great film that is probably pushed aside these days because of its age.  But this is one that will hang around and likely out last many good new releases.  Highly recommended!  Watch it and find out why! 

**Update** since writing this review I have purchased a DVD copy of the film which has the same cover picture
as the above and the image quality is great.  Maybe not as good as the Bluray but still really good so if you
want a physical copy import the DVD/Bluray from the USA that has the same cover as the above.

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Hot Rods to Hell (1967) – A mini review of one CAMPY movie

Just like today there are movies that are great and movies that are….well…not so great.  In this case we have a not so great movie that falls under the category of “It’s so bad that it’s kinda cool!”.  The DVD branding is “Cult Camp Classics” and that’s exactly what we get.  Campy over and under acting that is kinda dodgy yet so bad that its kinda funny and cool.  The cars are kinda neat and that hip boppy 60’s music is, to be honest, great!  

The movie is basically about a family who move to the Californian desert to run a motel but they get on the bad side of some young Hot Rod drivers who are determined to run them out of town.  We have some good car action that shows off some neat Hot Rods but some of the driving is sped up and there is a reasonable amount of rear projection use in some of the driving scenes.  The clothing and setting is SO 60’s so if you go into watching the movie with expectations of bad campy acting you’ll enjoy it.

The DVD reviewed is a Warner Bros. release imported from the USA for about AUD $10 and is under the designation of “Cult Camp Classics” so the movie was so well known for its campy feel that they decided to label it that way!  So go into it expecting nothing but that and you just might enjoy it!

A few of the car chases are here below:

Overall the DVD video quality (1.78:1 aspect ratio and is anamorphic) is really good as is the sound quality, certainly something you wouldn’t really expect for a movie that is not top notch and in a way, reminds me of the Bluray for Plan 9 From Outer Space (a 1959 Sci-Fi that has often been dubbed as the worst movie ever made – its really not that bad lol but don’t expect anything half decent either!) in that it’s a bad movie but effort has been made to give a really good visual presentation.   The only extra are trailers.

Anyway, if you want to know what “Campy” acting is check this puppy out and as mentioned above, go into it with no expectation and you might half like it, especially for the cars and music!

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The Woman in the Window (1944)

Richard Wanley: There are only three ways to deal with a blackmailer. You can pay him and pay him and pay him until you're penniless. Or you can call the police yourself and let your secret be known to the world. Or you can kill him.

Director:  Fritz Lang
Producer:  Nunnally Johnson
Main Cast: Edward G. Robinson, Joan Bennett, Dan Duryea
Runtime:  99 minutes

Another Film Noir that is often seen in the “Best of” list. The Woman in the Window is one that takes you on a ride from the start to the very end and is another outstanding example of Film Noir (apart from the ending, more on that later) where the main characters get caught into a sticky situation with little, if any, way out.  A brilliant film by Fritz Lang.

The film begins with Professor Richard Wanley (Edward G. Robinson) sending his wife and two kids away on a trip he is unable to attend.  Afterwards he meets up with his two friends (a Doctor and District Attorney) and they discuss, among other things, the wonderful painting of a woman in the window next door to their club and have a laugh at what they would do if they met the girl in real life.  Soon after they leave Professor Wanley goes and takes one more look at the painting and as he gazes into the window a reflection of the painting's subject, Alice Reed (Joan Bennett,) appears in the window.  After some chatting and a drink at the bar he ends up in her apartment to look at some other art sketches and a general chit-chat when they get confronted by Alice’s boyfriend who misinterprets the situation and begins a fight.  In self defense the boyfriend gets killed and to protect their reputation both Richard and Alice try to cover up the killing.

I have seen this movie several times and enjoy it just as much as the first time.  The Professor does end up putting his foot in his mouth a few times which appears a little silly but apart from that it is well thought out and acted wonderfully.  The main trio (Edward G. Robinson, Joan Bennett and Dan Duryea) were so good together that Fritz Lang (director) got them together for another movie along similar lines called Scarlet Street (1945) which again, is listed in many of the Best Film Noir lists around the Net.  Edward G. Robinson is his usual excellent self and Joan Bennett is perfect as they try to get themselves out of trouble. Then along comes the slimy character of Dan Duryea (often seen in Film Noir as the bad guy) who slips in to take them both for a ride in a hope of getting some financial gain.  His plays the role wonderfully with the sly way way he talks and acts.  

Without giving anything away, the original ending of the film had to be changed to meet the Hayes Code ( a set of guidelines as to what can and cannot be included in movies – enforced 1936 till 1968) so its not the real ending intended (which was much darker) by the director but nevertheless works well.

The film ranks quite high and whilst everyone has their own personal preferences and likes, this one sits in the top 10 of my favourite Film Noir from the 40’s and 50’s though I am sure it would be a tough call to build such a list.  

The DVD reviewed is the Australian release which has the film with no extras.  The image is in the usual 1.33:1 aspect ratio and is very good in quality though there are a few sections where the quality does vary a little which is no fault of the transfer to DVD as such but rather of the original source.  The audio is good for a movie of this age and is presented in the usual mono with generally clear dialogue.  There is a Bluray available but it appears the DVD still trumps it in terms of quality.  

Overall this is a master work of Fritz Lang and therefore comes Very Highly Recommended!

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The Square (2008)

Director:  Nash Edgerton
Producer:  Louise Smith
Main Cast:  David Roberts, Claire van der Boom, Peter Phelps, Bill Hunter
Runtime:  105 minutes

Thought I would review something a little different for Noirvember. The usual country of origin that comes to mind when “Noir” is mentioned is usually U.S.A. primarily because of those classic 40’s and 50’s films and of course the numerous Neo Noir from the 60’s onwards, however what if Australia made a neo noir?  The movie in mini-review today is an Aussie crack at neo noir and to be honest its really good!

Filmed in and around Sydney (Sutherland Shire primarily), Raymond (David Roberts) and Carla (Claire van der Boom) are having a secret affair.  One afternoon Carla sees her husband with a bag of drug money and plans with her secret lover to steal the cash and runaway to a place where they can live freely together…. happily ever after.  But as always nothing goes quite to plan and slowly they start digging themselves deeper and deeper into trouble.

The above screenshot really explains the story and title of this great Aussie flic, a man being trapped in a box where each direction he looks feels like a dead end with no way out.  This great movie is really similar to the likes of Fargo and is neo noir through and through.  Considering this is Nash Edgerton’s first feature film it is one heck of a crack and well worth watching but I must say that there is a bit of swearing in the movie so take note. Its not over the top but still prevalent but that aside it is a really good movie if you like films similar in nature to Fargo (1996), Get Carter (1971), Harry Brown (2009), Payback (1999) sort of flavour.

I managed to snag one of the two-disc special edition DVD’s which you can still get (JB-Hifi and eBay) and is really the best version to get cause its loaded with extras should you wish to delve a bit deeper into the movie. There is no Bluray release.

The image is in a 2.35:1 aspect ratio and has good image quality though its not as sharp as many other modern movies, perhaps intentionally or due to type of filming equipment (shot on 16mm film as opposed to digital). The audio comes in the usual Dolby Digital 5.1 flavour and sounds good with clear dialogue.  The 2-disc DVD also comes with the following extras:

• Audio Commentary by filmmakers
• “Inside The Square” featurette
• Trailers
• Deleted Scenes
• Pre-Visualisation featurette
• Visual Effects featurette
• Music Video
• ‘Spider’ short film by Nash Edgerton
• Popcorn Taxi Q & A
• Production Stills

Overall another great Aussie film that screams Noir and well worth watching.  Highly Recommended if you like films like Fargo.

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