Invasion of the Body Snatchers

It is often said, “films reflect the times in which they are made”

How far is this true for Invasion of the body snatchers (1956)?

In 1950s, the time Invasion of the Body Snatchers was released; the US was in a state of panic due to it being post World War Two. There was constant fear of annihilation as people were anticipating when the next war was going to break out after living through it for six years, the constant paranoia and fear of “others” due to the fact that people were conforming to fit the status quo as they didn’t want to be seen as different. Political thoughts and people’s real sexual orientation was locked away to never been heard about just to fit in with society. Instantly in the introduction of the film, a specific threat is present and denoted within, although it is not yet visible, it is unknown. The threat is a psychological to society, communism was a political ideology that was not accepted, as you would have been seen as an ‘other’ to society and the fear of being homosexual was constant as people were coined as “sick” if they ever had them thoughts.

Within the introduction of the film miles is seen as the ‘other’ due to his extreme paranoia and hysteria of what has gone on in Santa Mira. His behaviour reflects the paranoia and fear that was apparent throughout the 50s; in theory his behaviour is shown as a mind-set that is being presented physically, it is a constant stream of thoughts. The Status Quo is established within the film as all environments and people within them are normal, they are all just conforming and going along with each other. Everything is fitting a mould, nobody different, everybody the same.

Subtly, small hints of paranoia are shown when Miles is driving in the car with Sally. She says, “She only wanted to see you!” This is presenting Miles as a highly trusted person as nobody else was to be seen. Nobody else is trusted, only Miles is as they don’t want to be seen as an other due to their mad cases that they want to report. The constant obsession of being weary of everything and can only rely on only one reliable source reflects upon the 50s. Nobody is safe around anybody.

The setting the film takes place, Santa Mira, is allegorical for all small towns in America. The place is extremely small and isolated. Everybody knows everybody there, once one outrageous thought is exposed to one person, everybody else in the town will know, making them seen as other, ruining them. This is why the fear is so strongly apparent throughout the film and the 50s; nobody can be their true authentic self. 

There are many complaints that are made to miles whilst he is gone, however they are not followed through. They are not raised, as they don’t want to be seen as others or a threat to society. If strong allegations are made such as the ones made to Miles about family members being impostored, assumptions will be made on the hysteria of the characters, showing the constant fear that anything said out of place will be looked at with dismissal and weariness. People are scared to brake out of the mould that has been formed to say the real truth.