Jack Finney’s 1950s zombie novel Invasion of the Body Snatchers is undergoing its fourth movie adaptation. Saturday’s Daily Telegraph while discussing the story in its Arts section, includes these choice words:
“The invasion… has crystallised in an image, and a word, that have, well, invaded our culture: “pod”. The alien seed-pods, concealed in our homes, drain the thoughts and memories and physical features from us when we fall asleep, then replace us – our original bodies are disposed of.”
Pic nicked from Flickr.
Each new version of BODY SNATCHERS veers further and further from Finney’s original vision and each adaptation gets worse and worse as a result. The absolute nadir was Abel Ferrara’s 1993 take on the story. When will film-makers realize that there is a reason why novels like INVASION retain their power, even after 50 years? It’s the same situation with the new adaptation coming out of Richard Matheson’s I AM LEGEND. Return to the spirit of the original and you’ll have an effective and powerful cinematic offering…
I Am Legend is a worthy work of art, but it’s original filmic rip-off, The Omega Man, isn’t.