SSC Film Studies

Invasion Of The Body Snatchers and War Of The Worlds are both films produced by American film industry at different points in their society. However both reflect similar ideologies and themes. This essay will be exploring said themes.

In IOTBS, paranoia is a consistent theme, which is illustrated by the protagonist, Miles. Over the course of the film Miles keeps losing people he trusts as they are all eventually turned into "Pod people". Because of this, Miles becomes increasingly paranoid of the people around them. This is most prevalent during the final scenes of the movies, where Miles shouts into the camera "They're already here, you're next!". This shows that Miles can trust no one and is convinced that eventually everyone will be turned against him.

This theme is mirrored in War Of The Worlds. When the aliens first attack, Ray's daughter, Rachael, asks "Is it the terrorists?" showing that there was a pre-existing paranoia instilled into them before the attacks begin. This fear of terrorists is mirrored in modern society. Most notably after the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center, it is this quote that reflects this paranoia and also shows that War Of The Worlds is set in a post 9/11 society.

IOTBS also handles the theme of fearing others. This is shown throughout the film and is best explained when referring to Miles' attitudes towards the pods and how it changes throughout the film. At first, Miles does not see the pods as a huge problem as there is only a minority of them. However, as the minority becomes the majority, Miles begins to fear them (as well as become paranoid as mentioned above), as they are different than him and challenge his ideologies. This fear is best portrayed when Miles and Dana try to escape the town by pretending to be one of the pod people.

Fear of others in shown in WOTW when Ray is mistrustful of Olgivy and eventually ends up killing him. This shows that Ray is fearful of not only the aliens but also his fellow man, since all law and order has obviously been abolished at this point. Ray's mistrust of anyone but his own family shows that he has a prevalent fear of others as they may not share his ideologies.

Another theme which is presented in both films is fear of annihilation. In IOTBS this theme is shown when Miles and Dana take pills in order to keep themselves awake so that they won't become pod people. This shows that their fear of being annihilated is so prevalent that they are prepared to take drastic measures in order to ensure that their fear does not become reality.

WOTW explores this theme during the hilltop battle scene, where Ray's son, Robbie wants to go and fight the aliens as he fears the extinction of his race. He wishes to stand up to them as he believes that  it will stop his fear of being annihilated. Much like IOTBS Robbie is resorting to drastic measures to ensure that his fear does not become reality.

IOTBS has Assimilation as one of it's major themes. This is shown by the pod people, who are trying to make everyone become like them and follow their ideologies. We know this from when Miles and Dana get caught and are trying to be convinced by the pod people to join them. As well as this it is worth noting that the pod peoples only real power is assimilation. This films shows just how dangerous to individuals that can be,

WOTW has a major theme of extermination. This is shown throughout the film, but most notable when Ray says that "This isn't a war, it's an extermination". This shows that the characters are afraid of the extermination of both themselves and their family. This shows that they are fearful for their lives as the aliens are prepared to use lethal force in order to silence those who aren't like them.

However, where these two films differentiate is the endings to them. In WOTW the audience receives a  happy resolution to the narrative when Ray and Rachael find their family and are relived to see that they are all alive and the threat has been neutralized. However in IOTBS we are left with an ending which an audience would find quite unsettling as it ends with Miles screaming into the camera "They're already here, you're next!" leaving the audience to believe that they threat can't be annihilated and that all hope is gone. As well as this the film ends on the closing text of the film which reads "The end?" meaning that there may not be a resolution to the issue presented in the film.