I’d just like to explain once and for all that Don Siegel‘s original Invasion of the Body Snatchers (’56) was always intended as a metaphor about the blanding and uniformity of American culture in the mid ’50s. That’s the only interpretation that really works, and I really don’t want to hear any argument.
Siegel originally shot Body Snatchers within a 1.85:1 aspect ratio. (Which meant of course that once upon a time there was a 1.37 open-matte “boxy” version.) The low-budget creeper (final budget was $382,190) was shot by cinematographer Ellsworth Fredericks between 3.23.55 and 4.27.55 — 23 days. The cast and crew worked a six-day week with Sundays off.
The production went over schedule by three days “because of the night-for-night shooting that Siegel wanted.” Additional photography took place in September 1955, filming a framing story that Allied Artists had insisted upon (i.e., Kevin McCarthy warning Whit Bissell about the seed pods and insisting he’s “not crazy!”).
Producer Walter Wanger protested the use of the Superscope aspect ratio (2.00:1). Its use had been included in early plans for the film, but the first print wasn’t made until December ’55. Wanger felt that the SuperScope cropping caused the film to lose sharpness and detail. I for one would love to see the 1.85 version — probably doesn’t exist. That said, I’m more or less okay with my Bluray version.
