Invasion of the body snatchers

It is often said that films reflect the time they were made. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) came from the era of McCarthyism. Other contextual issues at the time were paranoia and fear of others.

The film opens in a state of panic which reflects the ongoing threat of McCarthyism.This scene is also non-linear and establishes the dystopian theme of the sci-fi genre. Dystopian meaning a society that is frightening.

Miles arrives in the small town of Santa Mira, a fictional town which is allegorical for every small town in the USA.This also represents how McCarthyism was a problem all over the america. The american status quo is also established in this scene, anyone who doesn't fit the status quo will be seen as  a threat or an 'other'. The films protagonist, Dr Miles Bennell immediately notices a change however the threat isn't visible. Suggesting that the threat is ideological and showing us there has been a shift in society.

Miles has appointments with patients Jimmy and Wilma. they are immediately positioned as an 'other'. However they are ignored because they are a minority. Although this allowed the threat to grow because Wilma and Jimmy where positioned as others.During that time minority groups such as homosexuals or people of a different race were often ignored and positioned as a threat to society. Implying that the threat of homosexuality or a different race was psychological or ideological.

Miles's friend Jack finds a replica of himself in his house.The threat has been discovered as aliens which is a convention of sci-fi. Miles, Becky, Jack and his wife all become paranoid because they don't know who they can trust.They contact the police who dismiss them, Dr Miles agrees with them.Although he is a doctor he still listens to and believes authority because they have power and influence over people. Joeseph McCarthy used authority figures because he knew people tend to follow authority. Even if they didn't agree with the authorities they did this so they were not viewed as an 'other'.

Becky's cousin Wilma goes inside and closes the shop to make a phone call.This shows the consequences of paranoia.Now those closest to us are against us.This also relates to how anyone who didn't fit the status quo was labelled as a threat.There is an indication that the pod people are now the majority and Miles is the minority, he is now the threat. From this point on in the film he is marginalised further and further to the point that he is on his own.

Miles and Becky are in the doctors office and are peering out the window when they see that people are willingly taking pods and volunteering there families to join the aliens. This was done to show how people thought it was better to be silent about complaints and be safe rather than telling the truth. they do this out of fear for what will happen if they don't conform. Authority can scare people into conforming.

Becky and Miles adapt, they change themselves to blend in.They act like they are pod people and don't show emotion to avoid suspicion. In the times of McCarthyism, assimilation was common among societies so they were not viewed as an other or a threat to society. Many didn't agree but felt it was safer to go along with it rather than being blacklisted.