Invasion of the Body Snatchers: A breath-taking nightmare of an alien invasion

Everyone has probably had a nightmare, or a hidden fear, of the world changing inexplicably one day or of being the last person on the planet and being surrounded by zombies or aliens. What would happen if you were actually in such a circumstance? Or if you were leading up to this circumstance and had to survive, what would you do? This is exactly the fear which is played upon in Don Siegel’s 1956 film Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

The story begins with a psychiatrist rushing to a hospital where a man is yelling at the top of his voice. The psychiatrist agrees to listen to his story as the man, presumed to be insane, reveals himself to be a doctor by the name of Miles Bennell from a small town called Santa Mira. Miles had just returned from a long trip and was greeted by his nurse with the news of countless patients waiting for his counsel. Peculiarly, all the patients had recovered mysteriously and no longer required a doctor. Miles was then faced with complicated situations as people in his town claimed that their loved ones were no longer the same; that they looked and acted the same but were somehow emotionless. Miles paid no heed to their claims as his psychiatrist friend assured him that it was an epidemic mass hysteria and Miles himself was busy getting reacquainted with his lost love, Becky Driscoll. Soon Miles figured out that the claims were in fact true and that the town was in risk of being run over by alien beings and he had to try to save himself and the ones he loved.

The screenplay of the film was adapted from a 1954 novel called The Body Snatchers. It is a classic in the science fiction genre with very little need for special effects and a film which relies heavily on a brilliant plot. The film was made on an extremely small budget which goes to show that good quality need not have great effects and technology. Every second of the film is captivating and the film as a whole is absolutely enthralling.

Although the film does not fall typically under film noir, it has many elements of the genre. It lacks the theme of crime and a plot with revolves around it, but it does have the use of shadows and background scoring which can place it effectively under the film noir genre. The film also employs other interesting techniques like the Dutch angle which helps build the tension in the particular scenes, the iconic shot of two characters driving in a car – which is done from both sides of a 180 degree axis – and a background score which helps modulate the mood according to the setting of the scenes in the film.

The film is a thriller from start to finish. It is a well made horror film which you cannot peel your eyes, or ears, away from even for a few seconds. It captures its audience with a brilliant story, good performances and a very good production value. It definitely deserves to be considered among the list of the most iconic of films made in the sci-fi and horror genres.

Insidious: Attempting to terrify our non-physical bodies

One of the most fascinating theories of the ancient world is astral projection. Astral projection is an out-of-body experience which involves leaving the physical body behind to travel to higher planes in the form of an ‘astral body’. It is fascinating to think that in the modern world, in spite of science and the requirement of solid facts, there is place for belief in such ideas as astral projection; a form of living beyond the bounds of the physical body to experience more.

The Lambert family has recently shifted into a new house. The family consists of the patriarch, Josh, his wife, Renai, their two sons Dalton and Foster, and their newborn daughter. Dalton is an adventurous boy who likes to play with action figures and imagine new worlds as their battlefields. He does not lose a chance to explore new things and it is this curiosity that brings him to the attic of their new house. In trying to reach the light switch in the attic, Dalton has an accident and suffers a mild concussion. He goes to sleep that night as usual but unfortunately does not wake up the next morning. The doctors reveal that he is in a comatose state but medical science has no reason to explain his grave condition. Renai takes care of him for 3 months but finds it difficult to continue to live in the house which has an ominous presence. The family shifts houses but the hauntings continue. Finally, consulting with a paranormal expert, the family discovers that it wasn’t the house that was haunted but Dalton himself. Josh must take matters in his own hands to make sure his son comes back to his normal state safely.

The film begins with the story of an ordinary family who have just started their new life by welcoming a new member and moving into a new house. From there, the story goes into a tragedy of a mother taking care of her son before turning on its heels to become a horror about a paranormal condition of astral projection. The film starts decently and becomes quite interesting with the theories of astral planes and travelling beyond physical existences. The expectation of watching the characters take on what is called ‘The Further’ in the film, i.e. the astral plane where non-physical persons roam, becomes quite exciting. Unfortunately, the manner in which it has been dealt is quite disappointing. Towards the end of the plot, the horror elements in the film actual become quite ridiculous.

The film is not really terrifying. It does use a few scare tactics with good costume and makeup alongside quick cuts and sound effects, but that is as far as it goes. Overall, the film would have been more interesting if the astral planes were dealt with better and if the film maintained its consistency.

Red White & Blue: One fact to destroy three lives

Sometimes there are simple occurrences which can shape entire destinies. It is hard to believe that the introduction of a single fact into one’s life can cause a spiral into an unforeseen direction, like a butterfly effect which cannot be predicted. Red White & Blue, the 2010 film directed by Simon Rumley, documents this sort of change of a single fact to unleash an untoward story which creates a ripple effect to drastically change the lives of the characters who are involved.

Erica is a slacker who is willing to jump into bed with any man that will have her. Unfortunate instances in her past have left her scarred and numb as she goes through life with no focus apart from having sex with a man only once, never falling in love and staying away from friendships. In this mix, she gets into bed with Franki, a wannabe rock star who is facing emotional turmoil as he helps his mother recover from her cancer while also trying to reconcile with his ex-girlfriend. Erica is forced into getting a job when her landlady demands rent but finds a friend and confidant in Nate, an ex-army veteran from the Iraq war, who has recently moved into the building. As Erica begins to learn how to trust with Nate at her side, Franki steps back into her life with some disturbing news which will adversely affect Erica, Franki and Nate.

The film tends to move slowly but unleashes a long, arduous story along the way. Beginning as a drama and then slowly moving into a thriller with instances of gore as the plot spins on its heels, the film has a unique treatment of its own. The drama is underplayed and many-a-times subtle clues in the story can be missed. It is crafted in a way that every shot of the film can convey a point which is important to the story. However, the film begins as slacker-based drama which has the potential to become a classic before it completely changes into a revenge plot which can be a little hard to follow and digest.

The style of the film borders between amateur and independent which is evident with the minimalistic makeup, bare use of background scoring and ambient sound recordings in certain outdoor scenes. There are plenty of points to be made in this film, and with a different execution it might have made those points more clearly.