As silly as this sounds, I'd still like to know what people have to say over the matter of the original and and it's three remakes. Who likes which the most? I'm gonna say this one, the original.
You can not see through The Tunnel Of Doom.
The original is great (and more culturally relevant) but in my opinion the 1978 version improves on it in pretty much every way:
-It's creepier because of the bizarre behavior of some of the pod people, like the swinging priest and the man behind the door glass. It's like some of them can't quite get the hang of acting like normal humans. And of course there's the point and shriek thing.
-It's also creepier thanks to the audio/visual effects. That may sound superficial but its true. The images of the pod people being born and the noises they make are freaky.
-I like the big city setting better. It makes the story feel bigger and more apocalyptic, and it's also more visually appealing.
-The "rules" of the pod biology are made more clear. Also made more clear is Becky/Elizabeth's final pod replacement scene. The original gave the impression that she resurrected in the same body, whether that was the intention or not.
-No framing scenes or intrusive narration, so we don't know if Bennell is going to survive the ordeal or not.
-The characters are generally quirkier and more interesting, making a greater contrast between them and their pod clones. You also have more time to get to know and like them, which makes their fates seem all the more horrific.
-Fantastic ending, even if it's depressing and horrific as f#ck.
It's been several years since I've seen the other two remakes. I remember liking the 1993 version (though not as much as 1978) and not being very impressed with the 2007 movie. So yeah, Invasion of the Body Snatchers '78 is my definitive version.
edit - I just read the book and it too is inferior to the '78 movie.
Best - 1978
Second Best - 1993
Third Best - 1956
Unwatchable projectile vomit of a film that is in no way even worthy to be considered as a "version" of the Body Snatchers brand [hence I object to the thread title citing 4 versions when really there are only 3 versions] - 2007
"Science creates fictions to explain facts" - Gilman
I think the '56 original and 70's remake are the best versions of this particular story. They both astutely nail the zeitgeist of the eras they were made in.
I've been chasing grace/ But grace ain't easy to find