There are many alien invasions in cinema. They belong to a genre in itself that has continuously reinvented the representation of “little green men” on the screen, starting with The Day the Earth Stood Still ET In this long list, Invasion of the Defilers stands alone.
Paranoia is everywhere
There are no spaceships, scary creatures or scenes of mass destruction. Adapted from the novel of the same name by Jack Finn, this story is based on the invisible. Invaders take over the human body while keeping the same envelope. So how can we prevent an invasion that is invisible to the naked eye?
Following the iconic first adaptation in 1956, director Philip Kaufman offers a unique take on this science fiction classic. It is inspired by a society that has changed radically, immersed in a climate of distrust after the Watergate scandal and the end of the Vietnam War. The filmmaker uses the flaws of America at the time to maintain the atmosphere of his film.
A young Jeff Goldblum in Invasion of the Destroyers.
Like many works of the seventies, Invasion of the Defilers It takes the form of a conspiracy thriller. What if this invasion was orchestrated by the government? Full of such doubts, how and who can we trust?
Philip Kaufman’s film warns of the evolution of an increasingly apathetic world. In Invasion of the Defilers, the alien-replaced humans are devoid of all emotion and become veritable blank slates, like AIs ahead of their time.
Anthology scenes
One of the great weapons of film is sound. The “cocoons” – which allow invaders to reproduce exact copies – have a distinct sonic identity. To create it, designer Ben Burt recorded his pregnant wife’s belly to record the unborn baby’s heartbeat. The result is amazing
With a constant tension that suffocates the audience, the feature film offers great moments of cinema – for example, this terrifying scene where the character played by Donald Sutherland is awakened from sleep by his double and powerful images – you are not ready to forget the dog in human form and the nightmarish final shot.
Invasion of the Defilers Available on Prime Video.
Source: Allocine
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
