Phillip Kaufman’s classic 1978 sci-fi horror Invasion of the Body Snatchers celebrates its 45th anniversary next month. It will receive a limited edition Blu-ray early in 2024 from Arrow Video to mark the occasion.
The Blu-ray includes a plethora of extras, including a panel conversation with esteemed genre critic Kim Newman, Kill List director Ben Wheatley, and Satan’s Slaves’ Norman J. Warren.
The movie is the second adaptation of the seminal sci-fi novel The Body Snatchers by Jack Finney after Don Siegel’s 1956 version. It stars Donald Sutherland (Don’t Look Now), Veronica Cartwright (Alien), Jeff Goldblum (The Fly), Brooke Adams (Days of Heaven), and Leonard Nimoy (Star Trek).
Matthew Bennell notices that several of his friends are complaining that their close relatives are in some way different. When questioned later they themselves seem changed, as they deny everything or make lame excuses. As the invaders increase in number they become more open and Bennell, who has by now witnessed an attempted “replacement”, realises that he and his friends must escape or suffer the same fate. But who can he trust to help him and who has already been snatched?
Invasion of the Body Snatchers Limited Edition Blu-ray Contents
- High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation
- Original uncompressed stereo 2.0 and 5.1 DTS HD Master Audio sound
- Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- Audio commentary with director Philip Kaufman
- Discussing the Pod, a panel conversation about Invasion of the Body Snatchers and invasion cinema featuring critic Kim Newman and filmmakers Ben Wheatley (Kill List) and Norman J. Warren (Satan’s Slave)
- Writing the Pod, an interview with Jack Seabrook, author of Stealing Through Time: On the Writings of Jack Finney about Finney’s original novel The Body Snatchers
- Re-Visitors from Outer Space: Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Pod, a documentary on the making of the film featuring Philip Kaufman, Donald Sutherland, writer W.D. Richter and more
- The Man Behind the Scream: The Sound Effects Pod, a look at the film’s pioneering sound effects
- The Invasion Will Be Televised: The Cinematography Pod, cinematographer Michael Chapman (Taxi Driver, Raging Bull) discusses the look of and influences on the visual style of the film
- Practical Magic: The Special Effects Pod, a look at the creation of the special effects from the opening space sequence
- Original theatrical trailer
- Double-sided fold-out poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Tony Stella
- Six postcard-sized artcards
- Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring writing on the film by David Cairns and Charles Freund, and archival interviews with director Philip Kaufman and writer W.D. Richter
- Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Tony Stella
The Invasion of the Body Snatchers Limited Edition Blu-ray will be released on February 12, 2024.