Body Snatchers (1993)

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General		Extras
Category	Science Fiction	None
Rating
Year Of Production	1993
Running Time	83:34
RSDL / Flipper	No/No	Cast & Crew
Start Up	Menu
Region Coding	4	Directed By	Abel Ferrara
Studio Distributor	Warner Home Video	Starring	Gabrielle Anwar Billy Wirth Terry Kinney Forest Whitaker
Case	Amaray-Transparent
RPI	$14.90	Music	Jon Delia

Video		Audio
Pan & Scan/Full Frame	None	English Dolby Digital 2.0
Widescreen Aspect Ratio	2.35:1
16x9 Enhancement
Video Format	576i (PAL)
Original Aspect Ratio	2.35:1	Miscellaneous
Jacket Pictures	No
Subtitles	None	Smoking	Yes
		Annoying Product Placement	No
		Action In or After Credits	Yes

    This modern version relocates the pod menace to a military base. A young father, Terry Kinney. who works for the Environmental Protection Agency arrives at the base with his young family in tow in order to conduct ecological tests. His eldest daughter, Gabrielle Anwar, discovers that the residents of the base are displaying some abnormal behaviour. The eventual discovery of the pod invasion forces Anwar, with the help of a heroic helicopter pilot played by Billy Wirth, to stage one last battle to remain human.

    The film is directed efficiently by exploitation B movie stalwart Abel Ferrara. Ferrara excellently combines the story's paranoia and mistrust elements and thankfully gives them equal consideration as well as providing first rate action scenes. The entire cast provide solid performances and the make-up effects by Star Trek prosthetics guru Thomas Burman are first rate. The screenplay by Stuart Gordon and Dennis Paoli of Re-animator fame is a class act and revels in the subject's B movie roots. Although the film never scales the heights of the 1978 version, it remains a quality science fiction entry and should be relished by fans of the two previous versions.

Video

   The DVD cover indicates that Body Snatchers is presented in an aspect ratio of 1:85:1, but thankfully this is incorrect and we are given a superb 2:35:1 16x9 anamorphic version.

    Sharpness levels are spot on with only one noticeable aliasing problem located at the 6:57 mark. Thankfully, it is of a miniscule duration and does not distract in the slightest. Shadow detail is solid with excellent depth and solid black levels. There were no grain or low level noise problems.

    Colours were natural and there were no bleeding issues. It must be said that Director of Photography Bojan Bazelli's use of available light sources was exceptional, and thankfully the print shows this to best effect.

    There was little to no interference from film or video artefacts.

Video Ratings Summary

Sharpness
Shadow Detail
Colour
Grain/Pixelization
Film-To-Video Artefacts
Film Artefacts
Overall

Audio

    The film has a solitary English Dolby Digital 2.0 surround-encoded track.

    Dialogue is very clear and I did not detect any obvious audio sync problems.

    The film's score by Joe Delia fits the film like a glove and adds an excellent atmosphere to the on-screen activity.

    Surround channel usage was surprisingly solid. The soundtrack possesses many fine examples of directional sound manipulation.

    The subwoofer supports the audio track very nicely indeed.

Audio Ratings Summary

Dialogue
Audio Sync
Clicks/Pops/Dropouts
Surround Channel Use
Subwoofer
Overall

    All versions of this DVD are currently essentially the same.

    Body Snatchers is a first rate moderately budgeted science fiction movie. The audio and video presentation are excellent, but the film is sadly lacking a solitary extra. Considering the retail price of this film is under thirteen dollars, Warner Home Video should be publicly congratulated for such a fine presentation.

Video
Audio
Extras
Plot
Overall