The actor who plays Dr. Miles Bennell is Kevin McCarthy, who you see briefly in the 1978 remake as the man being chased by pod people through the streets of San Francisco, and is killed by an automobile. McCarthy also appeared in several of Joe Dante's films, such as Piranha (1978), The Howling (1981), the "It's a Good Life" segment of Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983), and Innerspace (1987). Theodora is played by Carolyn Jones, who is most known for playing Morticia Addams in The Addams Family television series.

@robertjewell9727

4 ай бұрын

Thanks for mentioning that. That's a great cameo, eh?

The 1956 version has always been one of my favorite movies.

Spoon bread is a corn meal souffle that can be served savory, with bacon or cheese added, or sweet with syrup or honey. Canada should adopt it, since it's one more thing to pour maple syrup over.

@44excalibur

3 ай бұрын

As if Jen needed to hear any more Canadian jokes. 🤣

I saw the 1970s version first as well because back in the early '80s it was aired on either CBS or ABC every year. Really loved it. You can watch the 1950s version and it is also great, there is no conflict, except they deal with the same subject. I feel each movie has their own feel so they are not completely the same experience. I love both versions equally.

I was a little kid when I saw this. I loved it. Haven't thought about it in years. It made me think of another if you want to go back. The original "Time Machine" with Rod Taylor. Thanks for the memory.

The original version of Invasion of the Body Snatchers did not include the bookended scenes of Dr. Bennell in custody at a hospital recounting his story to the police, or Kevin McCarthy's voiceover narration. The original ending was the scene of Dr. Bennell looking into the camera at the audience screaming, "They're coming for you! You're next!" The studio, however, did not want a pessimistic ending, so the film was given a new beginning and ending with Dr. Bennell in police custody and telling his story to a psychiatrist, as well as the pods being discovered at a highway accident, confirming Bennell's story and alerting the authorities to the alien threat, hopefully stopping the pods from being distributed.

The movie originally ended with him yelling "Your next"! but the studio wanted a positive ending and insisted on adding a prologue and epilogue suggesting a more optimistic outcome.

One of my all time faves. Don Siegel was one of THE great directors. This story never loses any of its power which is why it gets retold so often.

@ReelReviewsWithJen

4 ай бұрын

It’s one of my favourite plot lines, thanks for watching!

This movie ranked at #88 in the 100 scariest movie moments on Bravo, cool reaction as always Jen, you take care and have a great weekend sweetie and most of all, cheese and rice 🥰❤️

Invasion of The Body Snatchers was directed by Don Siegel, who would later go on to become famous for directing Clint Eastwood in several films, such as the 1971 thriller Dirty Harry, as well as Coogan's Bluff (1968), Two Mules for Sister Sara (1970), The Beguiled (1971), and Escape from Alcatraz (1979).

@clarencewalker3925

3 ай бұрын

You stole my thunder. Oh, and Don Siegel played the cab driver in the remake.

@44excalibur

3 ай бұрын

@@clarencewalker3925 Sorry. 😂 Thanks for the info!

@ReelReviewsWithJen

3 ай бұрын

I haven’t seen any of those but I’ll add them to the list!

I'm so glad you finally got around to watching the original Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Jen! 😁The original was based on Jack Finney's 1954 novel The Body Snatchers. There were several differences between the movie and the book, such as the novel ends with the extraterrestrials, who have a lifespan of no more than five years, leaving Earth after they realize that humans are offering strong resistance, despite having little reasonable chance against the alien invasion.

@ReelReviewsWithJen

4 ай бұрын

I’ll have to check out the book and compare now that I’ve seen it, thanks for watching!

Fun fact: the actress who played the character Theodora 'Teddy' Belicec ----- (wife of the guy who's pod double was on the pool table) ---- is the actress Carolyn Jones. Carolyn Jones played the character Morticia Addams on the 1964 television show Addams Family.

@jonanderson559

4 ай бұрын

I always default to thinking of her as Morticia. I keep forgetting that she had this whole other big screen career, and being surprised when I recognise her in a movie.

@jessediaz1293

4 ай бұрын

Who?

Ahhh Jen... one of the original sci-fi classics!🛸You kinda have to watch it with the realization that technology wasn't quite as good as todays.

The lead actor in this film, Kevin McCarthy, was also in the 78' version. He was the guy running in the streets warning people when he gets hit by a car. There is 2 more remakes. The ones you've seen are the best IMO.

Glad you enjoyed it, Jen. This has been a staple in the genre for a very long time, and it still holds up. There are so many good ‘50 sci-fi movies, as well as many that are so bad they’re incredibly enjoyable (particularly those of Roger Corman). Thanks for this one.

@clarencewalker3925

3 ай бұрын

Yes, Roger Corman, King of the B's and honorary Oscar recipient.

The studio hated the original ending. So, they went back and did this new ending. To give it a hopeful ending. Originally it was the footage of him running through the traffic screaming their here already. There's been like three to five remakes since the 76 version too.

3 quick points 1. the lead actor and perhaps playing same character appeared in the 70s version trying to warn the characters while they were driving and was killed run over straight afterwards 2. The start and end scenes (flashback narration) were added to give the story a less bleak ending 3. The Thing is a remake on a 50s Black and White film The Thing From Another World jt would make a great reaction and you can discuss and compare all 4 films. this another great reaction and film reflected the fear of the McCarthy , nuclear era Red Scare USA even the setting of desert America where all the nuclear tests , secret projects and ufo crashes were taking place.

Classic movie. There is also a 1993 Body Snatchers, movie. If I remember correctly it's set on a military base. Also The Faculty, was clearly heavily inspired by Invasion of The Body Snatchers.

@TTM9691

4 ай бұрын

Good version, and an inspired idea to put it on a military base. Although I prefer the first two, the third is definitely worthy. (Can't say the same about the ghastly FOURTH version!) First one takes place in a small town, the second in a major city, the third on a military base. Each one of those scenarios present different types of paranoia!

@markboon2024

4 ай бұрын

@@TTM9691 1993 also has some good/creepy visuals from what I can remember. And a good cast. Never seen the fourth version.

The lead here turns up in the 1978 version, making the 78 version a sequel rather than a remake. Two more versions to go! Body Snatchers (1993) and The Invasion (2007)

@The_Mighty_Fiction

14 күн бұрын

Nope. Philip Kaufman, the director of 'Body Snatchers '78,' has gone on record as saying specifically that his movie is a remake, _not_ a sequel. As such, Kevin McCarthy's cameo was meant to just be a little inside joke for movie buffs who might've recognized him. He's listed as 'Running Man,' not 'Miles Bennell.'

@portland-182

13 күн бұрын

@@The_Mighty_Fiction A remake has the same characters and location...

@The_Mighty_Fiction

13 күн бұрын

@@portland-182 You mean, like 'The Thing?' 😁 A remake follows the same source material. Santa Mira, California becomes San Francisco, California. Dr Miles Bennell becomes health inspector Matthew Bennell. Becky Driscoll, Elizabeth Driscoll. Jack and Teddy Bellicec, Jack and Nancy Bellicec. You'll find many of the same story beats in both movies, the Bellicecs finding a strange man's body in their place only to have it disappear, the pods being hidden at their place to take them while they sleep, the four of them going on the run and so on. I'm just telling you what the director has said definitely; it's a remake, not an undercover sequel. That said, if anyone wants to imagine that guy is Dr Bennell (who's been ranting and raving like a lunatic in the streets for twenty two years before someone finally mowed him down) and the two movies are linked that way, there's nothing in the movie that contradicts that.

I was born in 1950 and had a father who was into horror and science fiction. We were at either the Friday night or Saturday matinee, eating popcorn and scaring ourselves silly. We’d never seen the likes of this movie or “Them” (a favorite) or “Forbidden Planet”. Golden years for my memories.

@micpar2

4 ай бұрын

I wasn't born until 1961. But grew up watching, Shock, Nightmare theaters on tv from like 1968-78. The Day the Earth Stood Still and the Thing too from 1951.

Wilma was played by Virginia Christine, best known for a long-running series of TV commercials for Folger's coffee in the 1970s, where she played Mrs. Olsen, the cheerful Swedish-American neighbor educating young wives on how to keep their husbands happy with a good pot of coffee.

16:30 - "Just handing the pod like 'Yes, this is our baby.'" - It's worse than that, she was going to take the pod and put it in the playpen of that woman's daughter, so that she could be duplicated and replaced as well. In case it's not obvious, this movie is the origin of the phrase "pod person". As for other versions, there's Body Snatchers (1993), which isn't a direct remake, but more like another movie set in more or less the same universe. Then there's The Invasion (2007), which has the same theme of people being taken over, but in a different way than the previous movies.

22:05 Well the 1978 version DID have a dog, but they put a twist to it and it was a dog with a human head/face, and the lady screamed at it 😅. 26:08 BTW the scene in the 1978 version is actually Kevin McCarthy yelling "You're next!" to Donald Sutherland while they're in their car is an homage to this scene, before he gets chased away by a mob.

The guy narrating who is the main character is Kevin McCarthy, you may know him as the manager in the howling who said who knows maybe she's pregnant.

Amazing movie

Kevin McCarthy has a cameo in the 1978 version as an older version of his character Both films were very much products of their time

Great movie 😊

Kevin McCarthy appeared in the 78 version, still trying to warn people. There were TWO more remakes after 78...Abel Ferraras BODY SNATCHERS (90s) and INVASION (the weakest) with Nicole Kidman.

Just got my notification while at work. Can't wait to get home to see your react. One of my favorite 50's sci-fi along with 'Them', 'The Thing', 'Earth vs. The flying saucers' etc... Have a nice St. Patrick's day Jen!🤓

@ReelReviewsWithJen

4 ай бұрын

Thank you! Hope you enjoy the video! And Happy St.Patricks Day 🍀

I have seen both and never put it together that the main actor in this one was the person who got run over by car in the 1978 remake

The actor playing the doctor was the screaming man knocked down by Donald Sutherland in the 78 version 😊

The remake is excellent and can stand proudly next to the classic original.

"Whatever you do... DON'T FALL 💤!"

The guy at the gas station played the pastor in Little House in the Prairie in the '70s and also played an older Tom Hanks in The Green Mile movie.

Vaguely remember trailers for a 90s version, but don't remember seeing it.

Great reaction to it. I found this 1956 version to be far more political, which was a lightyear's leap for American films. I think a lot of that was a smack-back to the beating that Hollywood suffered from US Senate hearings. The early '50s had Republican Senator Joseph McCarthy undermining the US Constitution by accusing people of being 'red' or 'pink'. He was armed with a US Senate subpeona power, and his UnAmerican Activities committee's co-chairman, another Republican criminal named Richard Nixon, were charging and ruining Americans' lives. The ability to accuse alone was a massive change in American daily life, and eventually we had this film, where mere Accusation was destroyed by simply having Everyone Convert!

@Cbcw76

4 ай бұрын

By the way, the original MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE has many reference points to Joe McCarthy ("I have a list of 124 names that are known Communists" one hour, and then it was 212, and 197 and on and on. That was the blueprint against Americans that by McCarthy/Nixon's commiittee. But there was also the Kefauver Commission, where accusation attacks were made against the yet-to-be-acknowledged Mafia. This was referenced on GODFATHER's hearings scenes.

@Cbcw76

4 ай бұрын

One of the fun points of those Hollywood slapbacks was the furious rewrite for a silly radioactive monster-man movie called CREATURE WITH THE ATOM BRAIN. The Kefauver Commission blackened every Italian surnamed individual as potential Mafioso, and in ATOM BRAIN, the villain was the swarthy, greasy-hair gangster but they changed this name of "Buchanan" rather than 'smear' anyone else.

The scene where Kevin Mcarthy(Miles Bennel) is on the highway shouting “You’re next!” was supposed to be the movies’ original ending.In fact,I believe the movies’ final image was supposed to be the one where Kevin Mcarthy seems to be looking straight out into the audience as he screams his warnings.The studio wasn’t having any of that,though,and chose to go with the more upbeat ending where it seems like there’s a chance humanity will win.

The 1950's put out a number of great original sci-fi films. "War of the Worlds", "The Thing", "Journey to the Center of the Earth" and "The Time Machine" to name four that were remade in later decades.

@recyclerhopkins

3 ай бұрын

The original "Day the Earth Stood Still" is worth checking out.

@randyacuna5643

Күн бұрын

@recyclerhopkins sorry but, the remake of Day is a total bomb. Of the classic 1950s science fiction films , the invasion and the Fly remakes stand out for me.( just my take)

@bobmessier5215

Күн бұрын

@@randyacuna5643 The Day the Earth Stood Still remake with Keanu Reeves is not good. Re-read recyclerhopkins comment. He recommended the 1950's original.

@randyacuna5643

Күн бұрын

@bobmessier5215 yes, the original Day is a classic, nothing to say about the remake.

@bobmessier5215

Күн бұрын

@@randyacuna5643 A disappointment. Reeves is an inconsistent actor.

Great to see your reacting to the original version the fact that it's set in small town America makes it even more creepy and believable.💓👍🇬🇧

One thing I could never understand about this movie is how Becky was replicated after she fell asleep even though she was nowhere in the vicinity of a pod.

Killer Klowns wardrobe. Excellent!

I like the original movie it's a classic. I can watch over and over. The remake can't compare to the original.✌️❤️

@ReelReviewsWithJen

4 ай бұрын

It’s so well done I really liked it, thanks for watching!

I just watched this yesterday. You put this reaction up yesterday too. Creepy coincidence 😮

That blond lady plays Mortita in the '60s Addams Family TV series.

@clarencewalker3925

3 ай бұрын

Carolyn Jones.

@recyclerhopkins

3 ай бұрын

This movie is full of well known character actors from the 40s/50s/60s/70s that were in many classic movies and tv shows. Virginia Christine(Wilma Lentz) was Mrs. Olsen in the Folger Coffee commercials in the 70s. Richard Deacon(Dr. Bassett) played Fred Rutherford, Lumpy's dad on Leave it to Beaver and Mel Cooley on the Dick Van Dyke Show. Whit Bissell(Dr. Hill) was also in many movies and tv shows of this era as was Dabs Greer(Max Lomas, the gas station guy). The great director Sam Peckinpah was Charlie, the unseen worker in the basement.

This version of the movie captured the cold war paranoia of the 1950’s.

There is another remake with Nicole Kidman called THE INVASION. Great reaction. Best sci-fi of the 1950s imo.

This is one of those stories that can be used as commentary for every era. This one is about the fear of Communism, the 1978 version is about government surveillance, the 1993 version is about the military industrial complex. I imagine a new version would be about social media.

Not the ending I expected. It felt like the end of the first season of a show that got cancelled before the story could finish in the second season

The ending was changed because the studio found it to be bleak, especially when you consider this film was made during the Cold War era.

Classic

The original is pretty good but I saw the '78 remake first and I just love it more. If you've never seen it before I would love your reaction to the 1960 Gothic thriller The Innocents. Thanks for your hard work.

Jen, there’s a 2007 version with Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig simply called “Invasion”. The story plays differently, but it’s the same concept, and pretty intense. I’d say it’s definitely worth a watch. 👍

@ReelReviewsWithJen

4 ай бұрын

I’ll add it to the list, thanks for watching! 🎬

The ending of the book is different yet. The pod people only live for five years and then die, and then the pods move on to the next planet after they've exhausted all the biological material where they're at. But because of the resistance of humans (and Miles burning down the pod farm with gasoline), they give up on earth and just float away.

I hope you can eventually continue your reactions to the films of Brian De Palma, Jen! I hope you can one day watch the De Palma thrillers Phantom of the Paradise (1974) and Body Double (1984).

@ReelReviewsWithJen

4 ай бұрын

They’re on the list! Thanks for watching 🎬

@44excalibur

4 ай бұрын

@@ReelReviewsWithJen That's great! You're welcome! Thanks for the awesome reaction videos!

Mmm, Spoon Bread...my favorite! 😁

@ReelReviewsWithJen

4 ай бұрын

Haha!

had to go watch the movie before watching youre reactions ,so i just finished watching it.

I prefer the 1950's version.

A couple of fun facts (there certainly do seem to be a lot of them...); - Like so many sci-fi/monster movies of this era, the story was intended as an allegory for Communism... - The original ending had Kevin McCarthy running through the streets proclaiming "They're coming! They're already Here! You're next!" The happier/hopeful ending was tacked on at the last minute, because the original ending was considered too terrifying... - Kevin McCarthy had a cameo in the '78 version, continuing his warning...

There is indeed another, more recent version... 1993's "Body Snatchers" had its title truncated, somewhat, but it is essentially the same story set on a military base. It's just ok.

Another good movie is the original 1949 movie D.O.A. with Edmond O'Brien ✌️❤️

Great to see you covering the original Jen!. I love this movie, but, I do think the 1978 remake is slightly better. Either way both a classics and make for a great double bill!. There is another version if you're interested, it's called Body Snatchers (1994). Not really a bad film, but definitely not a patch on the other two.

@anthonymunn8633

4 ай бұрын

There's also a fourth version"The Invasion" with Nicole Kidman.It's probably the least of the four.

If you're looking for good originals, then I can only recommend the original "The Thing from Another World" from 1951. Absolutely great for the time...!

It's said that this film was an allegory for McCarthyism and the push toward conformity and uniformity in the 1950s.

Check out the original 1950's classic SF and monsters. Starting with the THING and The Day the Earth Stood Still both released in (1951), The War of the Worlds (1953), THEM! (1954), Forbidden Planet and GODZILLA King of the Monsters with Raymond Burr (1956) The BLOB (1957) and The Deadly Mantis (1957)

That was enjoyable. Salute

@ReelReviewsWithJen

3 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching!

"Cape Fear" is another one where the original just as good as the Scorsese remake! See ya! 🤘🌎❤️

Invasion of the Body Snatchers 1956 Invasion of the Body Snatchers 1978 Body Snatchers 1993 The invasion 2007 (Nicole Kidman) Assimilate 2019

there is alt least 2 sequels (Unoifficial)

You did nothing wrong really watching the 70s version first in my opinion. Sure, I'm also watching originals before remakes and this one is good for a 50s sci-fi. But I think the '78 remake was an improvement. And I guess the man throwing himself on their car screaming that they are coming in the '78 movie was a reference to the end of this one. If you like this type of paranoia horror and alien parasitic invasion I recommend the British TV series Quatermass II from 1955, and Quatermass and the Pit from 1958-1959 (NOT the movies!). Both are only 6 episodes each like many British shows. The first Quatermass is a "lost" show with only two episodes of bad quality left, so that is not recommended even though I enjoyed watching them as a big fan of the sequels. Back then most TV was live, so the recordings was a try to be able to export them to Canada for example. But the result wasn't satisfactory. But watching the two episodes left, the work is impressive with cuts between studio and on location scenes done live on TV. The whole QII in one playlist: kzread.info/head/PLTnNatqisuR70EBCI5_igLBbTHb2wnUuq QatP on Dailymotion: www.dailymotion.com/video/x3fjm7q Not that I'm trying to make you watch them or anything... ;)

I think the 76 version is vastly superior

The subtext of this movie and several other sci-fi movies of the day, was communism and the fear that the "red menace" represented. Two years before the release of INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS, Senator Joseph McCarthy (no relation to the star of this film Kevin McCarthy) chaired hearings in the US Senate on so-called un-American activities, seeking to root out undercover communist sympathizers. This film skillfully takes that paranoia and spins it into a tale of aliens from outer space, but the parallels are clear. Also, the 1978 version is more like a sequel than a remake. The 56 version ends with Kevin McCarthy's character running in Santa Mira traffic shouting "you're next" like a lunatic while the 78 version begins with that same character briefly encountering Donald Sutherland's character as he continues to run screaming through San Francisco traffic before being suddenly struck by a car and killed. Note also that the stories were similar but not identical, with different character names & occupations in different locations. 🤔😳😱😱😱