Customer Reviews

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (Film Ink)

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Miles is beckoned to his friend's house after several cases of people reporting their friends' family and loved ones are not themselves. As it turns out what was originally thought to be a possible case of mass hysteria turns out to be an invasion of a sleepy town by pod-like aliens who then take over the populace's appearances and identities.

Admittedly other reviewers summed this book up better than I, which I attribute partly to my not wanting to give any plot away (for those Amazonians that have not had the pleasure of reading this book yet), and partly because as one reviewer pointed out the alien invasion plot was hardly original even at the time of this title's publication. Writers of Finney's era seemed to thrive on metaphorically writing about the "red" threat of communism.

Finney may not have been the first or last to write on the theme but he did an exceptional job re-visiting other author's alien plots and using his unique style and imagination to write perhaps the seminal novel on the subject. From the opening pages I was scared. Reading each paragraph with a mounting sense of dread as Finney did an excellent job pacing his novel.

Certain scenes jumped out in this relatively thin tome(compared to some horror novels Body Snatchers is almost a novella with an economy of words to do the job of scaring readers) placed within the story for maximum effect. When Miles, and Jack discovered the "blank" slate of a body in Jack's basement I thought "oh sh*t" presumably as Finney intended I should.

As stated this isn't longest horror novel ever and there was no need for it to have been. Finney uses the perfect amount of words to tell his open ended tale of alien takeover elegently and with such an influx of paranoia in the text I reflected upone completion "they sure don't write them like that anymore but I wish they did."

In summation a classic in the genre in the purest sense of the phrase.

I had quite a good time with this novel. Even though there are now thousands of books about alien invasion, the plot of this one still remains original. Due to the nature of the aliens, which are indeed transmissible vegetable parasites (but I won't tell you more about them ;) ), the story does not contain the slightest violence: no serious fight, no bloody killing, no catastrophe. However, suspense, anxiety, mystery are at the rendezvous. Just imagine indeed what psychosis it would generate if there was a mortal epidemic of some sort in your immediate surrounding, epidemic that would pervert the mind. Think about the people you cross everyday, including your own family. Are they really safe? Can you trust them? Don't they plan to contaminate you? On the other hand, you can't eternally confine yourself at home. So, what can you do? It's exactly what the inhabitants of Mill Valley are confronted to, except that a very few of them will hazily suspect the nature of the epidemic; for the others, it will be too late. There are a lot of notable passages in this book. For instance, when Jack reads to Miles (the hero) and their wives his collection of newspaper clippings, all related to irrational events, it gives you the creeps, especially if you are still vividly aware of the context. It's crazy to see how this sequence adds to the malaise, even if the articles have nothing to do with their situation. Ahh, and the final face to face encounter in chapter 17 between Miles and the psychiatrist Mannie, then contaminated and no longer the same we knew at the beginning of the novel. I remember that fine piece of eloquence and philosophy: Miles still doesn't understand why the vegetables, the "pollen" in fact, came from so far away to poison terrestrial life and Mannie, softly, quietly, gives him a long but memorable speech in answer. I'd so much like to reproduce an extract of his words but late Mr Finney's editor would probably resent it -damn good old copyright ;) Beyond that, the author has a very good sense of humor. His character Jack Belicec is all but a self-caricature and he takes benefit of the opportunity to make self-publicity, his previous book "Time and Again" is even quoted! Don't worry, it spoils nothing. These were the positive points. Now, I confess 2 trifles prevents me from giving 5 stars. First, I think that sometimes Miles is too smart a hero. He figures things out a little too fast and unfortunately, I caught myself saying "Mmm... he's too smart to be true." Second, Jack Finney's conception of man and woman relationship flirts a little with machismo, i.e the man is always acting and the woman is always screaming or crying, you known, that sort of thing. It's undoubtedly worthy of the 50's but this conception got old so badly that it has become a misconception so... Well, anyway, "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" is rather a good book, easy to read and pleasant. You can go ahead :)

An epidemic of a specific neurosis: all around you, people are claiming that their closest friends and relatives have been replaced by perfect impostors. They question their sanity. Then they recover. But you start to wonder, for a friend/family member seems a bit odd to you now... not like himself. You try to get help, but the roads out of the city are inexplicably worsening and your phone won't call out of the area. And then it hits you: THEY HAVE CONTROL...

This story has been retold many times (the 50's serial, book, and movie; the retellings of both in the 70's; and that God-awful 1992 movie). The pure HORROR of its concept is so universal that the term "body snatcher" is used worldwide. Beware the pods: there are places in YOUR house they might hide.

This novel is one of the best I've read. It combines decent (though sometimes stereotypical) characters with unbelievably tense action and story twists (not plot twists, though you might not be able to predict this one). The characters are believably human and the important loose ends are explained; Mr. Finney himself tells you that not all of them will be, which makes for an even better story.

If you haven't seen the 1978 movie with Donald Sutherland:

1. You MUST see it. Don't drink much beforehand.

2. Don't expect the same story as the book; in fact, they're two opposed tellings of a wonderful horror concept.

This is a wonderfully inventive story that has spawned three films. Well written, the book tells the tale of a small town through the eyes of its young doctor, Miles Bennell. It seems the town is undergoing a drastic change which is as subtle as it is deadly. It seems that all the townspeople are not what they seem. They look the same. They sound the same. Their memories are intact. Still, they are just not the same.

Those who have noticed this, suddenly end up retracting their concerns days later. Something is not right in the town of Mills Valley, and Dr, Bennell knows it. Those large seed pods that are suddenly showing up every where are at the root of it. Their unearthly presence is connected to the profound changes that the people of Mills Valley are undergoing, and Dr. Bennell will stop at nothing to save his beloved town and the world from the invasion of the body snatchers.

This is a great story by a wonderfully inventive writer. Jack Finney is a masterful story teller. He expertly weaves a tale that will keep the reader riveted to the pages of this book. It is no wonder that three films based upon this book have been made, "The Invasion of the Body Snatchers" (1956), The Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978), and Body Snatchers (1994). All three are worth watching.

Everyone knows about the movie adaptation of "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" -- pod people, creepy takeover, lots of suspense. While the movie was good, the original novel is perhaps a more enjoyable story -- a creepy, tense novel that raises some intriguing questions about human nature.

Dr. Miles Bennell receives an odd patient from his old ex-girlfriend Becky: Her cousin Wilma is making bizarre claims about her relatives. She claims that while they look, talk, dress and act just like Uncle Ira and Aunt Aleda, they are fakes. Miles talks with Wilma, but she doesn't show any typical signs of insanity. What's more, other people are insisting similar things about their friends and family -- that they seem just the same, but that they aren't themselves.

Then things get more complicated. Miles's pal Jack and his wife Theodora have an "unfinished" person in their basement, a never-been-alive-and-not-living-now human being that is slowly turning into a duplicate of the real person. Growing out of alien pods that have migrated to our planet, the pod people are slowly and seductively working over the town -- and they will soon have the entire world.

This now-classic SF book was published in the 1950s, before the advent of space opera and Star Wars. (It also has a noteworthy resemblance to Robert Heinlein's "Puppet Masters," a similar book published four years before) Finney's book can be a bit dated in places -- for example the female characters are kind of wimpy -- they tend to get hysterical and follow the level-headed manly men. Fortunately these flaws are few and far between.

The writing and dialogue are solid, not outstanding, but pretty good. It does raise some interesting questions about human nature: In one scene, Miles is offered a life without strife by the pod people, and quickly turns it around to reveal that not only would a world of pod people be doomed, but also would have no drive, no enjoyment, no real living as we know it. It would all be bland, with no suffering but also no pleasure. Finney's writing is probably at its peak there, especially given the cold, pleasant attitude of the pod people -- no mustache-twirling and cackling for these villains.

As with many first-person narrators, Miles is not a fantastic character, but he does develop a certain strength and intelligence as the story goes on. Writer pal Jack is a bit more interesting -- I wonder if he was a sort of alter ego for Finney. Becky and Theodora have secondary roles, but are nevetherless fairly good. All other supporting characters, unfortunately, are pretty forgettable.

Though the movie deviated strongly from the book, fans of that film might want to check the origjnal story out anyway. Interesting and pretty well-written, especially for fans of horror/SF.

INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS is one of those novels that have become part of popular culture. This is due more to the fact that three movie adaptations have been filmed (by Don Siegel in 1956, Philip Kaufman in 1978, and Abel Ferrara in 1993), than it has to do with the overall quality of the novel itself. Surprisingly, given the B-movie theme, INVASION remains quite an entertaining read.

The plot is far too well-known to bother repeating here. Suffice to say, people in a small town are being replaced with exact duplicates. Or are they? We all know the answer by now, but I won't ruin the surprise for those four people who don't know the ending.

I think the reason this works so well is that the story never stops moving. It propels the characters along, not pausing for more than a cursory examination of their backgrounds. Which makes it ideal fodder for a movie. It reminds me of Stephen King's self-review of his novel THE RUNNING MAN. It may not be perfect, or subtle, but it MOVES.

Granted, it is not perfect. Its examination of male/female relations seen slightly dated. The lead character makes conclusions that seem reasonable when you know the ending, but implausible when you don't.

But the sense of paranoia is very real. The slow death of the town is eerie and palpable (I wouldn't be surprised if King has reread INVASION several times before penning his own ode to the death of a small town, SALEM'S LOT). And the ending actually is surprising, for people only familiar with the movies. All three movies have different endings, but the original is one that couldn't be explained to satisfaction on film. It would seem too abrupt. On the page, however, it is quite surprising. Even logical, which is a rare commodity for stories these days.

INVASION is by no means a masterpiece of literature. But it is a fine example of pure storytelling.

Most people know the movies based on this book: from the Kevin McCarthy version, to Donald Sutherland, to Gabrielle Anwar and Nicole Kidman, 'Invasion of the Body Snatchers' is a good story for film. The original novel, while not everyone's cup of tea, is a more realistic look at what human beings would do if a silent invasion from outer space happened.(This edition is the 'updated' one, with the date allegedly 1976, although the world of the novel is straight 1950s, with weak women and conservative ideals.)

The plot is simple: Dr. Miles Bennell practices in his hometown of Mill Valley, California. He becomes inundated, as other doctors in the area are, by patients claiming that their loved ones are somehow imposters...but the patients can't provide any concrete evidence. What's thought to be some sort of mass hysteria is actually quite different: when Miles' friend Jack and his wife Theodora find a strange body in their house, it becomes clear there's something extraordinary going on. Mill Valley has been invaded by 'pods', which replicate, then destroy, the inhabitants.

There's a good slice of Cold War paranoia here; the 'pod people' claim that they are exactly like everyone else, but without the burden of emotion or ambition. One could say that the view of communism in this era, with its rejection of religion and what the West viewed as 'normal', as another way to describe these 'pod people'. Miles and his friends are struggling not just against a physical force, but an ideological one: Mill Valley is in a slow decay -- businesses close, the streets empty and dirty, the houses dilapidated. Unlike the film versions, the novel has a rather anticlimactic ending, which I won't spoil. Worth reading.

I read this book in a single sitting, it was so good! True, I am a lover of science fiction, but Finney's sharp and precise writing skills really appealed to me. The book is quite different from the 1978 movie, but just as good. Two times whilst reading, my blood was chilled by the unnerving descriptions. When Finney writes, he really gets into character, and the result is amazng. You can actually feel the creeping horror and desperation of the characters, which only adds to the suspense and makes the ending all the more marvelous. A truly great classic!

2004 marks the 50th anniversary of this classic science fiction novel's publication, and Invasion of the Body Snatchers remains firmly entrenched in pop culture and continues to exert a significant influence on the writers and filmmakers of today. Everyone has heard of Invasion of the Body Snatchers, no less than three film adaptations of the story have been produced, and the book itself remains in print and will surely remain so for the foreseeable future. What makes this story so popular? The answer to this question isn't so simple. While I think the novel is a thoroughly good, gripping read, there are a few elements of the plot and premise that I find fault with. In the grand scheme of things, these issues have little impact on the story, but I do believe that Finney's novel is not perfect.

Of course, this is a story borne out of a culture of the 1950s seemingly obsessed (at least Hollywood was) with the idea of aliens coming to earth and, in most scenarios, arriving with hostile intentions. "Aliens attack" books and movies were a dime a dozen in those days, and most of them became variations on the same theme. The stories were new, but the ideas were well-established, going back at least as far as H.G. Wells' The War of the Worlds. Finney's premise was different than most, and it drew strength not only from its originality but from the political atmosphere of the time. America became quite paranoid in the decade after World War II; the Red Scare had many people observing their neighbors and associates and sometimes wondering if they might actually be Communists. America was preoccupied for some time with the dangers of an invisible, insidious threat within the nation's very midst. Invasion of the Body Snatchers played upon and drew from this type of internal self-doubt and paranoia, and I believe that is its true secret of success.

Finney's "aliens" didn't blast down from the heavens and immediately begin attacking human beings; instead, they arrived silently and secretly - in the very midst of what was unassuming, small-town America, in the form of giant pods. Reports of these pod landings were reported but largely ignored, allowing the spores of alien life to begin their work in secret. The material inside the pods could completely replicate any life form, and thus was born the first "changed" human being. This "new" person looked and acted completely like the original and went about living that person's normal, every day life. The number of changed individuals quickly grew as each day passed. A few people began to sense that one or more of their friends or loved ones was somehow different, but it was all but impossible to prove such a thing to themselves, let alone others. Dr. Miles Bennell, the story's narrator, spoke to several such patients and dismissed their claims as some sort of psychological delusions - at first. His eyes were opened to the truth only when a friend chanced upon a developing replacement body in his home, and by this time virtually the whole town had been changed. Bennell and three other "survivors" were alone, trapped among friends who were no longer themselves, and their growing paranoia soon metastasized into true fright.

What could be more unsettling than the fear that your neighbor, your co-worker, even your own spouse, parent, or child was no longer the person you had known all your life? Anyone and everyone was a potential threat, a secret agent conspiring with others to assimilate you, to rob you of everything you value most in life. External threats and the fears they invoke can be dealt with, set aside for short periods of time; nuclear attack is a horrifying nightmare, but it does not prevent you from leading your normal life in the present. The enemy within is always the most insidious threat, and Invasion of the Body Snatchers is the very embodiment of this most terrifying of fears.

I wanted the original version and was a little disappointed to find out this wasn't it. According to the inside of the book the original was published in 1954 in a magazine, with an expanded edition following in 1955. This revised edition was published in 1978 (presumably to accompany the release of the 2nd movie version). I do wonder how much was really changed though. Aside from dates, references to 70's model cars and jogging, not much is there to distinguish from the 1950's.

I've loved this story since seeing the 1956 film version as a kid. If you've seen that movie you'll find the feel of this book much the same. The only major differences come towards the end where we are given much more insight into the aliens and their motives, and a finish that is different from any of the theatrical versions.

Easily a five star story aided much by Finney's conversational prose. If you liked any of the movie versions it's worth reading the book.