Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
Science Fiction, Horror, Thriller • 1h 20m
Overview
A small-town doctor learns that the population of his community is being replaced by emotionless alien duplicates.
Director: Don Siegel
Cast: Kevin McCarthy, Dana Wynter, King Donovan, Larry Gates, Kenneth Patterson, Virginia Christine, Jean Willes, Ralph Dumke, Guy Way, Bobby Clark, Beatrice Maude, Whit Bissell, Richard Deacon, Robert Osterloh, Guy Rennie, Eileen Stevens, Jean Andren, Everett Glass, Sam Peckinpah, Dabbs Greer, Marie Selland, Harry J. Vejar, J. Pat O'Malley, Frank Hagney
Director: Orson Welles
MoC 4K Blu-ray and Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray are similar
Director: Orson Welles
MoC 4K Blu-ray and Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray are similar
Director: Robert Wise
Disney 4K Blu-ray, see caps https://slow.pics/c/hE3HUCdj
Disney 4K Atmos is great, a reference quality track. It's a very slight remix (music seems to be from a better source), but it's completely seamless and faithful to the original, better fidelity than anything since the 1994 30th Anniversary Edition LaserDisc.
All DVDs (and 2010 Blu-ray) sound far worse than the 4K Blu-ray/LaserDisc and have various missing sound cues.
Director: Robert Wise
Disney 4K Blu-ray, see caps https://slow.pics/c/hE3HUCdj
Disney 4K Atmos is great, a reference quality track. It's a very slight remix (music seems to be from a better source), but it's completely seamless and faithful to the original, better fidelity than anything since the 1994 30th Anniversary Edition LaserDisc.
All DVDs (and 2010 Blu-ray) sound far worse than the 4K Blu-ray/LaserDisc and have various missing sound cues.
Director: André de Toth
2D version: Warner Archive Blu-ray
3D version: Warner Archive 3D Blu-ray
2D version: Warner Archive Blu-ray
3D version: Warner Archive 3D Blu-ray
Director: André de Toth
2D version: Warner Archive Blu-ray
3D version: Warner Archive 3D Blu-ray
2D version: Warner Archive Blu-ray
3D version: Warner Archive 3D Blu-ray
Director: Sidney Lumet
2026 Criterion 4K Blu-ray
2011 Criterion Blu-ray is the best. Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray has heavily filtered audio
Director: Sidney Lumet
2026 Criterion 4K Blu-ray
2011 Criterion Blu-ray is the best. Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray has heavily filtered audio
Director: John McTiernan
Director: John McTiernan
Director: John Ford
Director: John Ford
1991 Warner Bros LaserDisc (for original mono track)
1996 Warner Bros 25th Anniversary LaserDisc has isolated music and effects track (incorrectly labeled "music minus vocals") not present on any other release
1991 Warner Bros LaserDisc (for original mono track)
1996 Warner Bros 25th Anniversary LaserDisc has isolated music and effects track (incorrectly labeled "music minus vocals") not present on any other release
Director: Alfred E. Green
Director: Alfred E. Green
Director: John Waters
Director: John Waters
Director: Don Siegel
Warner Archive Blu-ray 4K restoration from Original Camera Negative
Director: Don Siegel
Warner Archive Blu-ray 4K restoration from Original Camera Negative
Director: Don Siegel
WB 4K Blu-ray despite extreme frozen grain in moments, overzealous HDR brightness in outdoor sequences, color timing shifts in some shots
Original Mono Mix: 1990's LaserDisc stereo remix folded back to mono, original VHS and Beta Hifi, WB 4K Blu-ray mono
Director: Don Siegel
WB 4K Blu-ray despite extreme frozen grain in moments, overzealous HDR brightness in outdoor sequences, color timing shifts in some shots
Original Mono Mix: 1990's LaserDisc stereo remix folded back to mono, original VHS and Beta Hifi, WB 4K Blu-ray mono
Director: Don Siegel
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray's source is provided by Paramount has had DNR applied which affects the inherently soft looking film pretty strongly for at least a third of the running time
Director: Don Siegel
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray's source is provided by Paramount has had DNR applied which affects the inherently soft looking film pretty strongly for at least a third of the running time
Director: Don Siegel
Director: Don Siegel
Director: Jean Renoir
The Criterion 4K Blu-ray has marginally better detail and grain structure than ESC 4K Blu-ray
The ESC France 4K Blu-ray is an SDR grade erroneously presented in HDR, but if your player can force the HDR into SDR it looks very good.
Director: Jean Renoir
The Criterion 4K Blu-ray has marginally better detail and grain structure than ESC 4K Blu-ray
The ESC France 4K Blu-ray is an SDR grade erroneously presented in HDR, but if your player can force the HDR into SDR it looks very good.
Director: John Waters
Director: John Waters
2025 Sony 4K Blu-ray
2025 Sony 4K Blu-ray
2025 Sony 4K Blu-ray
2025 Sony 4K Blu-ray
Director: David Lynch
Criterion 4K Blu-ray or Germany Plaion 4K Blu-ray - subtle difference in encoding to the Criterion in encoding, trading blows in different shots, with Plaion taking a slight edge with less highlight blocking
1993 MGM LaserDisc/2000 Region 1 MGM DVD
Criterion's 2.0 sounds muffled due to noise reduction and EQ.
Plaion's 2.0 lacks bass and has a very bright EQ, more resembling the 5.1 remix. Plaion’s 2.0 doesn't have any filtering unlike the Criterion, see https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?p=23831289&postcount=110
Director: David Lynch
Criterion 4K Blu-ray or Germany Plaion 4K Blu-ray - subtle difference in encoding to the Criterion in encoding, trading blows in different shots, with Plaion taking a slight edge with less highlight blocking
1993 MGM LaserDisc/2000 Region 1 MGM DVD
Criterion's 2.0 sounds muffled due to noise reduction and EQ.
Plaion's 2.0 lacks bass and has a very bright EQ, more resembling the 5.1 remix. Plaion’s 2.0 doesn't have any filtering unlike the Criterion, see https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?p=23831289&postcount=110
Director: David Lynch
Criterion 4K Blu-ray is closer to the original DVDs than the 2015 Criterion release, not sure about whether the StudioCanal 4K is like the Criterion 4K/original DVD
Criterion 4K Blu-ray has FEL Dolby Vision, StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray has MEL
Director: David Lynch
Criterion 4K Blu-ray is closer to the original DVDs than the 2015 Criterion release, not sure about whether the StudioCanal 4K is like the Criterion 4K/original DVD
Criterion 4K Blu-ray has FEL Dolby Vision, StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray has MEL
Director: Ridley Scott
Capelight 4K Blu-ray has better encode than Criterion 4K Blu-ray
Director: Ridley Scott
Capelight 4K Blu-ray has better encode than Criterion 4K Blu-ray
Director: Jean Vigo
Director: Jean Vigo
Director: Chen Kaige
Director: Chen Kaige
Director: Charlie Chaplin
1936 version: Image Entertainment DVD
1954 version: Criterion Blu-ray
Cut info: https://www.nitrateville.com/viewtopic.php?t=31209
1936 version: Image Entertainment DVD
Director: Charlie Chaplin
1936 version: Image Entertainment DVD
1954 version: Criterion Blu-ray
Cut info: https://www.nitrateville.com/viewtopic.php?t=31209
1936 version: Image Entertainment DVD
Edit History
6/2/2026
DVDBeaver
From
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film12/4K_UHD_review_02/invasion_of_the_body_snatchers_4K_UHD.htm
To
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film12/4K_UHD_review_02/invasion_of_the_body_snatchers_4K_UHD.htm, http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDReviews24/invasion_of_the_body_snatchers_blu-ray.htm
From
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film12/4K_UHD_review_02/invasion_of_the_body_snatchers_4K_UHD.htm
To
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film12/4K_UHD_review_02/invasion_of_the_body_snatchers_4K_UHD.htm, http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDReviews24/invasion_of_the_body_snatchers_blu-ray.htm
5/17/2026
Best Video Release
From
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray or 2018 Olive Films/BFI or 2012 Olive Films/Sinister Films Italy Blu-ray, all three are not ideal.
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray has frozen grain, sharpening, lots of debris, and handles lesser materials. The supposed non-Superscope version is false advertising. It merely reveals more picture information.
To
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray or 2018 Olive Films/BFI or 2012 Olive Films/Italy Sinister Films Blu-ray, all three are not ideal.
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray has frozen grain, sharpening, lots of debris, and handles lesser materials. The supposed non-Superscope version is false advertising. It merely reveals more picture information.
From
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray or 2018 Olive Films/BFI or 2012 Olive Films/Sinister Films Italy Blu-ray, all three are not ideal.
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray has frozen grain, sharpening, lots of debris, and handles lesser materials. The supposed non-Superscope version is false advertising. It merely reveals more picture information.
To
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray or 2018 Olive Films/BFI or 2012 Olive Films/Italy Sinister Films Blu-ray, all three are not ideal.
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray has frozen grain, sharpening, lots of debris, and handles lesser materials. The supposed non-Superscope version is false advertising. It merely reveals more picture information.
5/12/2026
Best English-Friendly Release
From
Pick your poison between Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray or 2018 Olive Films/BFI or 2012 Olive Films/Italy Sinister Films Blu-ray
To
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray or 2018 Olive Films/BFI or 2012 Olive Films/Italy Sinister Films Blu-ray, all three are not ideal.
From
Pick your poison between Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray or 2018 Olive Films/BFI or 2012 Olive Films/Italy Sinister Films Blu-ray
To
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray or 2018 Olive Films/BFI or 2012 Olive Films/Italy Sinister Films Blu-ray, all three are not ideal.
Best Video Release
From
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray is of a new very flawed Paramount "restoration". This 4K restoration has frozen grain, sharpening and handles lesser materials oddly. The supposed non-Superscope version is false advertising. It merely reveals more picture information and lots of debris. Pick your poison between Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray or 2018 Olive Films/BFI or 2012 Olive Films/Italy Sinister Films Blu-ray. The only video master that looks as good as it can for the respective format is the Criterion Collection CAV LaserDisc due to a lack of image processing.
To
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray or 2018 Olive Films/BFI or 2012 Olive Films/Sinister Films Italy Blu-ray, all three are not ideal.
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray has frozen grain, sharpening, lots of debris, and handles lesser materials. The supposed non-Superscope version is false advertising. It merely reveals more picture information.
From
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray is of a new very flawed Paramount "restoration". This 4K restoration has frozen grain, sharpening and handles lesser materials oddly. The supposed non-Superscope version is false advertising. It merely reveals more picture information and lots of debris. Pick your poison between Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray or 2018 Olive Films/BFI or 2012 Olive Films/Italy Sinister Films Blu-ray. The only video master that looks as good as it can for the respective format is the Criterion Collection CAV LaserDisc due to a lack of image processing.
To
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray or 2018 Olive Films/BFI or 2012 Olive Films/Sinister Films Italy Blu-ray, all three are not ideal.
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray has frozen grain, sharpening, lots of debris, and handles lesser materials. The supposed non-Superscope version is false advertising. It merely reveals more picture information.
Best Audio Release
blah-ray
Added
https://blah-ray.blogspot.com/2023/11/invasion-of-body-snatchers-1956.html
Added
https://blah-ray.blogspot.com/2023/11/invasion-of-body-snatchers-1956.html
12/24/2025
Best Video Release
From
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray is of a new very flawed Paramount "restoration". This 4K restoration has frozen grain, sharpening and handles lesser materials oddly. The supposed non-Superscope version is false advertising. Italian merely reveals more picture information and lots of debris. Pick your poison between Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray or 2018 Olive Films/BFI or 2012 Olive Films/Italian Sinister Films Blu-ray. The only video master that looks as good as Italian can for the respective format is the Criterion Collection CAV LaserDisc due to a lack of image processing.
To
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray is of a new very flawed Paramount "restoration". This 4K restoration has frozen grain, sharpening and handles lesser materials oddly. The supposed non-Superscope version is false advertising. It merely reveals more picture information and lots of debris. Pick your poison between Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray or 2018 Olive Films/BFI or 2012 Olive Films/Italy Sinister Films Blu-ray. The only video master that looks as good as it can for the respective format is the Criterion Collection CAV LaserDisc due to a lack of image processing.
From
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray is of a new very flawed Paramount "restoration". This 4K restoration has frozen grain, sharpening and handles lesser materials oddly. The supposed non-Superscope version is false advertising. Italian merely reveals more picture information and lots of debris. Pick your poison between Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray or 2018 Olive Films/BFI or 2012 Olive Films/Italian Sinister Films Blu-ray. The only video master that looks as good as Italian can for the respective format is the Criterion Collection CAV LaserDisc due to a lack of image processing.
To
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray is of a new very flawed Paramount "restoration". This 4K restoration has frozen grain, sharpening and handles lesser materials oddly. The supposed non-Superscope version is false advertising. It merely reveals more picture information and lots of debris. Pick your poison between Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray or 2018 Olive Films/BFI or 2012 Olive Films/Italy Sinister Films Blu-ray. The only video master that looks as good as it can for the respective format is the Criterion Collection CAV LaserDisc due to a lack of image processing.
12/24/2025
Best Video Release
From
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray is of a new very flawed Paramount "restoration". This 4K restoration has frozen grain, sharpening and handles lesser materials oddly. The supposed non-Superscope version is false advertising. Italian merely reveals more picture information and lots of debris. Pick your poison between Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray or 2018 Olive Films/BFI or 2012 Olive Films/Italian Sinister Films Blu-ray. The only video master that looks as good as Italian can for the respective format is the Criterion Collection CAV LaserDisc due to a lack of Image Entertainment processing.
To
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray is of a new very flawed Paramount "restoration". This 4K restoration has frozen grain, sharpening and handles lesser materials oddly. The supposed non-Superscope version is false advertising. Italian merely reveals more picture information and lots of debris. Pick your poison between Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray or 2018 Olive Films/BFI or 2012 Olive Films/Italian Sinister Films Blu-ray. The only video master that looks as good as Italian can for the respective format is the Criterion Collection CAV LaserDisc due to a lack of image processing.
From
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray is of a new very flawed Paramount "restoration". This 4K restoration has frozen grain, sharpening and handles lesser materials oddly. The supposed non-Superscope version is false advertising. Italian merely reveals more picture information and lots of debris. Pick your poison between Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray or 2018 Olive Films/BFI or 2012 Olive Films/Italian Sinister Films Blu-ray. The only video master that looks as good as Italian can for the respective format is the Criterion Collection CAV LaserDisc due to a lack of Image Entertainment processing.
To
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray is of a new very flawed Paramount "restoration". This 4K restoration has frozen grain, sharpening and handles lesser materials oddly. The supposed non-Superscope version is false advertising. Italian merely reveals more picture information and lots of debris. Pick your poison between Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray or 2018 Olive Films/BFI or 2012 Olive Films/Italian Sinister Films Blu-ray. The only video master that looks as good as Italian can for the respective format is the Criterion Collection CAV LaserDisc due to a lack of image processing.
11/30/2025
Best Video Release
From
Kino UHD is very flawed. 4K restoration has horrible frozen grain etc. Pick your poison between Kino UHD or 2018 Olive/BFI or 2012 Olive/IT Sinister Films BD
To
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray is of a new very flawed Paramount "restoration". This 4K restoration has frozen grain, sharpening and handles lesser materials oddly. The supposed non-Superscope version is false advertising. Italian merely reveals more picture information and lots of debris. Pick your poison between Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray or 2018 Olive Films/BFI or 2012 Olive Films/Italian Sinister Films Blu-ray. The only video master that looks as good as Italian can for the respective format is the Criterion Collection CAV LaserDisc due to a lack of Image Entertainment processing.
From
Kino UHD is very flawed. 4K restoration has horrible frozen grain etc. Pick your poison between Kino UHD or 2018 Olive/BFI or 2012 Olive/IT Sinister Films BD
To
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray is of a new very flawed Paramount "restoration". This 4K restoration has frozen grain, sharpening and handles lesser materials oddly. The supposed non-Superscope version is false advertising. Italian merely reveals more picture information and lots of debris. Pick your poison between Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray or 2018 Olive Films/BFI or 2012 Olive Films/Italian Sinister Films Blu-ray. The only video master that looks as good as Italian can for the respective format is the Criterion Collection CAV LaserDisc due to a lack of Image Entertainment processing.
Best Audio Release
From
1992 Republic Pictures LaserDisc
To
1992 Republic Pictures LaserDisc PCM Mono BY FAR
From
1992 Republic Pictures LaserDisc
To
1992 Republic Pictures LaserDisc PCM Mono BY FAR
Additional Info
Added
Criterion LaserDisc has exclusive commentary. Olive Films Signature Blu-ray and BFI Blu-ray each have exclusive extras. Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray has exclusive commentary.
Added
Criterion LaserDisc has exclusive commentary. Olive Films Signature Blu-ray and BFI Blu-ray each have exclusive extras. Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray has exclusive commentary.
12/18/2024
Best Audio Release
From
To
1992 Republic Pictures LaserDisc
From
To
1992 Republic Pictures LaserDisc
12/18/2024
Best Video Release
From
Kino UHD incoming
To
Kino UHD is very flawed. 4K restoration has horrible frozen grain etc. Pick your poison between Kino UHD or 2018 Olive/BFI or 2012 Olive/IT Sinister Films BD
From
Kino UHD incoming
To
Kino UHD is very flawed. 4K restoration has horrible frozen grain etc. Pick your poison between Kino UHD or 2018 Olive/BFI or 2012 Olive/IT Sinister Films BD
