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Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 10, age appropriate for kids over 11; suggested age 11.
  • Is it any good?

    2.0
  • Common Sense says

    Talky, tame original sci-fi study in paranoia.

Why We Rated This on for Ages 11 and Up

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    Even the alien pod people are pretty well behaved, conquering without overt violence.
  • Violence:

    Some scuffling, and discreet stabbings with hypodermic needles. A brief shot of an alien clone impaled with a pitchfork.
  • Sex:

    Not an issue.
  • Language:

    Not an issue.
  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Social drinking and cigarette smoking. The main character, trying to warn of an alien attack, is accused of being drunk.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)

Parents need to know that there are multiple versions and remakes of this movie on video, of which this original edition is the tamest. Others amped up the action, nudity/sexual content, and disturbing visuals considerably. This one might have received even a G rating under the early MPAA.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about the "message" in the film, which is often described as a warning against 1950s conformity and "McCarthyism." Do you think this is what the movie is trying to convey? Or is it more of an allegory about communist infiltration -- the complete opposite? Or is it likely the filmmakers didn't intend any deep message, and critics have just read their own interpretations into a groundbreaking creature-feature? If kids have seen the many different versions (and imitations) of Invasion of the Body Snatchers you can ask them which they liked best, and why, and perhaps turn them onto the original Jack Finney novel.

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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Parent Reviewer
    Lives in California
    I rate this title on for age 8 and give it 3.0

    zombie night with the family ;)

    1955 scary is not scary for kids in 2009 -- my 8 yr old says "it's cool and i liked it. it wasn't scary" - though i had to explain a bit more of the action- and my 10 yr old (who picked it out off the dvd shelf ) liked it even more. since they've seen so many 'zombie' stories on kids cartoons, i was able to call it 'the first zombie movie' so it had some context in their world.

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