#Raymond Cistheri

[adamwatchesmovies]

Body Snatchers (1993)

I meant to watch every film adaptation of Jack Finney's The Body Snatchers in release order but I messed up and saw 1993's Body Snatchers second. I made a mistake but don't feel too bad about it. In many ways, this film surpasses the original thanks to its spectacular special effects, atmosphere and chilling imagery.

Environmental Protection Agency agent Steve Malone (Terry Kinney) is moving to an Alabama military base with his family to test the effects of the military's actions on the surroundings. There, his daughter Marti (Gabrielle Anwar) notices abnormal behavior from several people. When her little brother says their mom (Meg Tilly) is a doppelganger, she believes him... but who else will?

Body Snatchers suffers from the fact that its title gives away too much, though not as much as the previous films. If you don’t know what the deal is, stop reading and go see this movie.

Barring one scene where a composite shot is rough around the edges, it all looks very convincing and boy does that make for a creepy experience. The characters are warned not to go to sleep. Once you see why, you won’t be able to close your eyes anymore. It’s a perfect example of gore used correctly. It grosses you out but mostly, it unsettles. It makes your skin crawl and makes you sweat.

Like the original picture, Body Snatchers can be a bit slow at points. You know where the plot is headed so you may grow a bit restless, at least at first. There is a turning point where Marti realizes what is happening. It sends a chill down your spine. You’re filled with the kind of panic that only comes from the absolute certainty of imminent, unavoidable defeat. Just when you think there’s a crack for our heroes to slip through, the film takes advantage of your lowered guard and comes at you full force. It pours the terror and despair down your throat. While the special effects are extremely effective, it’s the little moments that have the biggest impact. The emotional bits between Marti and the man she’s starting to fall for, Timm (Billy Wirth), make you think everything's going to be ok. It makes the scene where our heroes realize they've been led into a trap that much more devastating.

Body Snatchers doesn’t include just one shot where the true horror of the story dawns on you. There are at least 7. That’s a rarity even in the best chillers. The pacing issues may not even be there if you have not seen the previous versions (or any number of the derivatives which have come over the years) and I get the feeling that I'll like this one even more next time. (Full-screen version on DVD, July 13, 2018)

[byneddiedingo]

Gabrielle Anwar and Billy Wirth in Body Snatchers (Abel Ferrara, 1993)

Cast: Gabrielle Anwar, Terry Kinney, Meg Tilly, Billy Wirth, Reilly Murphy, Christine Elise, R. Lee Irmey, Kathleen Doyle, Forest Whitaker, G. Elvis Phillips. Screenplay: Raymond Cistheri, Larry Cohen, Stuart Gordon, Dennis Paoli, Nicholas St. John, based on a novel by Jack Finney. Cinematography: Bojan Bazelli. Production design: Peter Jamison. Film editing: Anthony Redman. Music: Joe Delia. 

Abel Ferrara's version of Jack Finney's novel The Body Snatchers is nothing if not economical. The economy extends to the title: Don Siegel's 1956 version and Philip Kaufman's 1978 one were called Invasion of the Body Snatchers; Ferrara even drops the definite article. The story, too, has been pared down. Ferrara's version sets the story on a military base in Alabama instead of the urban California of the previous films. It also shifts the focus to a teenage girl, Marti Malone (Gabrielle Anwar), who comes with her family to the base when her father (Terry Kinney) is sent there by the EPA to investigate chemical pollution. The dynamic of a rebellious adolescent in a military culture is perfect for the conflict between individualism and conformity, the theme that unites all of the versions of Finney's story. In addition to her father, Marti's dysfunctional family consists of her stepmother, Carol (Meg Tilly), whom she dislikes, and her young half-brother, Andy (Reilly Muphy), who annoys her. Andy is the first to sense that something is seriously wrong in their new home when, during an art class at day care, all the other kids produce identical finger paintings. As they hold up their paintings, the teacher murmurs approvingly at each one until she comes to a halt at Andy's, which is unique. She clearly disapproves. One by one, the fact that people are being somehow replaced by identical but emotionless beings becomes clear. Ferrara is not particularly interested in the mechanics of invasion and transformation that took up more narrative space in the previous films. We get some nicely disgusting body horror scenes, but the response of Marti to the alien takeover is what drives the plot as she teams up with a handsome young helicopter pilot named Tim (Billy Wirth) to fight off the invaders. Tim's stoic military manner keeps us unsure whether he's not already one of the pod people, an ambiguity that persists until the end of the movie. Body Snatchers is a good rethinking of material whose previous versions are now considered classics. The source material was mined again for a fourth version, The invasion (Oliver Hirschbiegel, 2007), which starred Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig but bombed with the critics.   

[raybizzle]

"Melinda" (1972) is an action-crime-drama directed by Hugh A. Robertson, who was the editor of the 1971 classic, "Shaft." This movie features Calvin Lockhart in the prime of his acting career, and his screen presence is as ever dominant. In addition, one of the most underrated actresses from the 70s, Vonetta McGee, appears in the film as Melinda. This movie was McGee's 7th film, and she had already garnered some success from films like "Blacula," "The Lost Man," and "The Great Silence." Afterward, she continued her lucrative career in several Hollywood movies with many versatile roles.

Trivia Question: Which other male actors played alongside Vonetta McGee?

"Melinda" is an excellent movie with a solid cast. The film's writer, Lonne Elder III, is also responsible for writing the prolific movie "Sounder." He also has two hard-to-find films we seek: "Ceremonies in Dark Old Men" (1975) and "Sounder, Part 2" (1976). Both films were T.V. movies. Elder also had a role in "Melinda" as Lt. Daniels.

Jerry Peters and Jerry Butler are responsible for producing the film's soundtrack. It's a good mix of funk and soul, with mostly instrumentation throughout the album. It's definitely above average, so make sure you listen to it. You will not be disappointed.

"Melinda," while not one of the most celebrated black films from the 1970s, still deserves recognition as a good film. It checks off most of the components of an ideal movie. I recommend this movie for viewing.

Director: Hugh A. Robertson Writers: Lonne Elder III (screenplay by), Raymond Cistheri (story by)

Starring Calvin Lockhart, Rosalind Cash, Vonetta McGee, Paul Stevens, Jim Kelly, Rockne Tarkington, Renny Roker, Lonne Elder, Ross Hagen, Jan Tice

Storyline Frankie J. Parker (Calvin Lockhart), a smooth-talking disk jockey, finds Melinda Lewis (Vonetta McGee) brutally murdered in his L.A. apartment. He turns detective to clear his name. Chased and attacked by junkies, dealers, and thugs, Frankie soon learns Melinda is the ex-mistress of a Chicago mobster and has evidence the gangster wants back. Enlisting the aid of a jealous ex-flame (Rosalind Cash) and a karate master from the hood (Jim Kelly, in his screen debut), Frankie sets out to track down the mob boss who framed him and avenge Melinda's death.

Available on DVD and streaming services. https://www.amazon.com/Melinda-Calvin-Lockhart/dp/B01C884XVI