MovieChat Forums > Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) Discussion > How does the conversion process work?

How does the conversion process work?

posted 14 years ago by Readyman45
5 replies | jump to latest

The dopplegangers are grown in pods, syphoning their target's memories until the mark falls asleep. Something unspecified happens to the true person's body, then the Pod Person takes their place. However, around the end of the film Original Becky falls asleep for the tiniest moment, then wakes up as Pod Person Becky, no pods or switcheroo required!

[–] gregvallot 13 years ago

Yeah I just watched it and didn't get that part either.

Maybe while Becky was asleep for 5 minutes, her pod doppelganger drained her memories and personality and then arrived and took her place? Pretty lame explanation I know, but what else is there.

Seems like they should have thought that through more.

[–] BitterAsHell 13 years ago

I came to this board specifically to ask the same question, because I think the script contradicts itself.

The writers would have done better to skip the whole business with the pods, and just have the people transform as a result of the virus entering their bodies, minus a second-body scenario(as in the 2007 re-make, and maybe in the 1978 re-make, which I don't remember that well). But I guess sci-fi audiences in the 1950s liked having a "creature" element in the plot.

[–] abajasds 13 years ago

My guess, is that she switched because her body was already being formed, and even though she woke up, the process was canceled, but that quick few seconds, or minutes of sleep just completed her. In a nutshell, your already dead when the process begins.

In the 1993 movie, the main girl character in that movie duplicate was about 50% into the process and was able to talk, but was distoyed. Different scenarios for two different time periods I suppose.

My job is to inform, not persuade- Dan Rather

[–] Cult_of_Kibner 9 years ago

The writers would have done better to skip the whole business with the pods, and just have the people transform as a result of the virus entering their bodies, minus a second-body scenario(as in the 2007 re-make, and maybe in the 1978 re-make, which I don't remember that well).

Well I'm sure glad they didn't because the unique biology of the aliens is a big part of the appeal for me. It's more horrific too since the original person is DEAD and gone rather than just possessed, so there's no chance of getting them back. And the 1978 version did use the duplicate body gimmick, which was a good decision because otherwise we'd be denied that great pod birth scene and the man-faced dog. It just wouldn't be nearly as creepy. Ditto for the '93 version.

That being said, the scene in question should definitely have been handled less confusingly.

[–] Hollywoodshack 9 years ago

In the book the pods entered the body through the air whenever someone falls asleep. The film shows leaders unloading them, not all of them were ready for each person at once.