Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)
So much of what makes 1956’s Invasion of the Body Snatchers good is the time and place that spawned it. Whether intentional or not, you can’t unsee its themes of McCarthyism & paranoia and the ending is very much a product of the 50’s. The 1978 keeps the plot the same but what everything means changes. This"Invasion of the Body Snatchers is much more explicit in its scares and in other ways improves on what we saw earlier. It isn’t “the same” because you don’t have the underlying Red Scare represented in the invasion but it is a better movie.
Elizabeth Driscoll (Brooke Adams) approaches her friend Matthew (Donald Sutherland) with a concern about her boyfriend, Geoffrey (Art Hindle). He looks the same but there’s something off about him. As they approach their friends Jack (Jeff Goldblum), Nancy (Veronica Cartwright) and David (Leonard Nimoy) about his unusual behaviour, they suspect the change within Geoffrey is part of a larger phenomenon.
The movie tells you immediately that what’s happening is otherworldly, which is a good move. Invasion of the Body Snatchers was always a bad title because it gives too much away. If people know what’s happening - perhaps because they’ve seen the classic film - it’s better to embrace this fact than to hide it. Even when you know, the slow drip of information brings you chills. The foreground plot of Elizabeth and Matthew - whom you can tell have an unspoken love for each other - slowly, but steadily gets taken over by the body snatchers plot. Astute viewers will notice small details in the behaviour of the extras in the background, in the actions of Geoffrey that reveal just how dire the situation is. Even with this knowledge, a key reveal drops a bomb on the audience. It had me floored.
Particularly strong is the use of music and foley. Sometimes it’s just damn weird but it certainly is effective. The props and special effects also deserve attention. The animatronics and other bits of technical wizardry hold up remarkably well; some I have absolutely no idea how they did it.
Science fiction fans may already know what elements this film brings to the legacy of Body Snatchers - I’m talking about “the scream”. In context, it unsettles and disturbs. It’s a genius addition that is so good, you know every subsequent director had to keep it. You might be able to find something creepier… but the simplicity of that scream is just too good to pass up.
The film's paranoid atmosphere is stifling. By the time we’re at the last act, you’re as panicked as the characters. You just desperately want what's happening it to end. It doesn’t matter if it’s a happy ending, or not; just end so we can escape and return to our world! This may be why the film can feel a little long at times but wow does its conclusion hit the mark. It’s the absolute perfect note; the only way this movie could’ve ended.
1978’s Invasion of the Body Snatchers is a must-see sci-fi horror. In fact, if you have to choose between this version and the original (which would be unfair), I’d say go with this one. It’s a prime example of a remake that’s even better than the work that inspired it. (On Blu-ray, September 13, 2019)
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Césarée (Marguerite Duras, 1978)
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Educational chart for educational purposes
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Susan Sarandon in Cannes, 1978.
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AL PACINO portraits circa 1978
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John Travolta in Grease (1978)
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but what if the desire to do evil
will become a bit stronger than me
many songs inspire me to draw Michael
"Zlo (Evil)" by Electroforez is one of them
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One Dress a Day Challenge
August: Fantasy & Sci-Fi
The Wiz / Mabel King as Evillene (the Wicked Witch of the West)
The amount of detail in this costume is phenomenal. Every bit of the surface is covered with ornamentation of one sort or another. But somehow, despite the bright colors, it doesn't look cheery at all--quite the opposite, in fact. It seems at once junky and sinister, like a trash heap full of broken jewelry that has come to life.
Another detail that amuses me is that Evillene is wearing three crowns at once--one on the top of her head, and one over each ear.
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Grease (1978)
It only takes one listen for Grease to plant itself into your head and set up a permanent home. In no time, you’ll be reaching for the remote so you can watch this classic musical again. You'll make it your mission to memorize the songs so you can sing along to Summer Nights, You’re the One That I Want, Greased Lightnin’ and the other memorable tunes.
It’s back to school at Rydell High, 1958. Sweet-natured Sandy Olsson (Olivia Newton-John) is shocked to discover her summer crush, Danny Zuko (John Travolta) is not the same boy she met on the beach. A greaser and member of the T-Birds, he plays it off as if their romance meant nothing to him, but that sentiment won’t last.
Grease starts on the right note with an animated intro that recalls the cartoons of the ’50s (Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends comes to mind). It sets the mood and, combined with Summer Nights tells you exactly what’s in store next. John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John are perfect together, the choreography and sure-thing romance get you excited for more. There's not much depth to anything we see but that's perfectly suited to this nostalgia-fuelled, breezy love story filled with teenage drama and a lot of energy.
Much of the film’s success comes from an unexpected source: Stockard Channing as Betty Rizzo, the sarcastic, cynical leader of the Pink Ladies, the clique who adopts Sandy. This movie has many moments of cheese, but Rizzo proves the screenplay by Allan Carr is also self-aware. As the audience gets ready to make a snarky remark at the “Why has he changed?” or “How can I romance her without being embarrassed in front of my friends?” sentiment, Rizzo beats you to the punch. Either by tossing a joke into the mix or introducing genuinely important teenage issues and sentiments. Ultimately the film is still a fantasy that leaves you cheering, but that slight edge prevents you from dismissing it as an airhead. That said, there is one element of the film that is dated: Danny's friends. Their toxic masculinity hints at an unintended, darker edge. For this reason, a few key lyrics have been tweaked in later production. It's easy to see why. Such is the price for enduring for this long. Ultimately, it doesn't matter. Grease is too much fun for you to be offended.
There are many big laughs and heart-fluttering moments as director Randal Kleiser paints this picture of a time when things were simpler and every conflict could be expressed, then resolved through song and dance. The leads are splendid. The supporting cast members make even their small contributions impactful thanks to some witty lines and memorable moments. Is Grease going to convert those who don’t like musicals? I don’t think so, but for those who already like it when characters express their feelings through rhyme, music and footwork, it’s a blast. (On DVD, November 24, 2017)
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blood.
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Susan Sarandon at the Cannes Film Festival (1978)
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