The Body Stealers

Not a great movie low budget somewhat dated however have seen a lot worse e.g. The Avengers movie. Patrick Allen is business like in the lead. Passable if not particularly memorable film.

The tale of paratroopers who disappear, literally, into thin air, this film is an odd watch forty years later. It's primary interest lies more in what it says about the time, than the film itself.

Released in 1969 three influences loom large.The year that Man first landed on the moon it reflects a fascination with, and fear of, what might lie in outer space. Militarily we were also in the midst of the Cold War when anything unexplained, and potentially evil, automatically raised the question of Communist involvement. And finally James Bond was the dominant screen character, and his shadow falls long here in more senses than one.

Veteran, square jawed character Patrck Allen, bulldozes his way through the role of an expert,Bob Megan, called in to solve the awkward problem of disappearing parachutists. One extraordinary scene speaks volumes for the Bond "character" and perceptions of women at the time. Megan chances upon a scantily clad beauty enjoying enjoying a solitary moment taking in the evening and then makes advances on her which vacillate between sexual assault and rape. No sooner is he introduced to a shapely scientist in a pencil skirt than she too is subjected to his clumsy male machismo which in the 21st century looks appalling.Of course both women come back for more. When he IS offered sex on a plate by the blousey, but ageing, hotel owner he rebuffs her to reinforce yet another sexual stereotype, the ageing temptress who can't get it because she has had it.

The Bond theme is further explored by the presence of Sean Connery's brother Neil, as Megans sidekick John Radford, in one of only two screen performances. Bearing a strong resemblance to Sean, his acting talents are strait jacketed by a preposterous script.

A dreadful ending combines the worst of "Dr Who" and "The Champions", suggesting that a 30 minute running time, rather than three times that, would have suited all concerned somewhat better. A hopeless film, but a fascinating sixties curiosity.

In my reassessment process for my early movies watched in the past, I found at Youtube a fine print of The Body Stealers totally restored no subtitles at all, this weak minor Sci-Fi bring the weird plot about missing in air twelve NATO paratroopers thru red-beam without explanation, suspecting about foreign countries on even Alien snatchers, due it they call the hard smoking Bob Megan (Patrick Allen) with that big chin to check out what's going on under orders of Gen. Armstrong (George Sanders), by this task he requires 25.000 pounds as reward, due it a top secret state matter.

As womanizer playboy Bob starts looking on landing field finding a clue a piece of parachute high level of radioactive, according the gorgeous scientist Julie Slade (Hilary Heath), the lab is leading by the old Dr. Matthews (Maurice Evans), the case is faraway to be solved, however Bob used to be walking by night at beach where he meets an eye-candy Lorna (Pamela Conway) whom starting woo her at first meeting, later his friend Jim Radford (Neil Connery) takes many photos over them at beach, however in revealing the girl didn't appear on photos just Bob, letting him know all about, after a pre schedule parachute jumping to check out what really happen during that, he received a bright red beam on the body, out of the blue Jim was found death on the base, but at night Bob has a meeting with Lorna at beach many blanc spaces must be fulfilled.

In the conclusion of the weirdo story the viewers will be baffled over so far-fetched reason of Aliens get those paratroopers, worst how Bob settles this matter, aside a superb casting the lame storyline falls apart the whole thing, some stock footage is used in the movie, a lousy FX is another low point, also a massive beauty girls on the picture improves hardly, on political cabinet, on lab, on field have many young girls driven for male audience, anyway let it see easily to less demanding.

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First watch: 1985 / How many: 2 / Source: TV-Youtube / Rating: 5.

A few minutes of well-shot footage of parachute jumps and aerobatic flying seem the real impetus for this British science fiction picture. When there are no bodies hurtling towards the ground or planes shooting past each other, what's left is a bad script with far too many scenes of men in suits talking in offices and not nearly enough science or action. Since it was made for a family audience, there isn't even much in the way of female flesh.

Patrick Allen and his improbably large chin take the lead. His character, a NATO troubleshooter, is big on the sub-James Bond womanising and tough posturing. Yet for all his smooth lines and fetching cardigans, he does curiously little to actually solve the mystery of disappearing military parachutists. Plot development consists of supporting characters waving a Geiger counter over a few things while Allen chases the girls.

George Sanders is normally a reliable figure (see the far superior Psychomania, for instance), but he is wasted here as a personality-deficient general. Hilary Dwyer has the requisite qualities for a female star, being very pretty and a great screamer. Lorna Wilde is quite fetching as a mysterious blonde, but the rest of the cast do little.

This is a competently-made film from people who understood the limitations of their budget, limitations which mean rare special effects and few action sequences. The real problem is an absence of ideas or any ambition beyond filling the screen for 90 minutes. Once all the aerial footage has been used up, what is left is a very unoriginal story with little imagination or characterisation and lots of dialogue of a "The minister isn't going to like this" type. Nonetheless, Reg Tilsley's jazz score deserves a mention, ratcheting the tension even when the most mundane action is unfolding on screen.

It's hard to recommend this film when there are so many better British exploitation films from the era; it lacks even any Austin Powers-ish campness and shows nothing of 1960s Britain. As an attempt at family-friendly science fiction from Tigon, a studio better known for its sexually-frank horror, it's a slight curio of film history. For entertainment, you're better off jumping out of a plane, or even watching an in-flight movie.

An investigator is called in to look into a strange scenario where parachutists seem to be disappearing mid-air during military training exercises. Their bodies do turn up later, but are infected with large doses of radiation. A mysterious and beautiful woman who cannot be photographed seems to be connected to the bizarre case.

This bit of low-budget British sci-fi was improbably made by the production company Tigon, who have become rightfully famous for their impressive 17th century set horror films Witchfinder General (1968) and Blood on Satan's Claw (1971). The Body Stealers is quite a bit away from those both in terms of genre and overall quality. It is a pretty obviously cheap production all round, which is hardly surprising to be fair but it is really a quite limited feature in all departments. The story does have some potential in the early stages but it doesn't really pan out too excitingly and the resolution wasn't all that good. It has something to do with aliens, but it would only be fair to say that it is bargain basement extra-terrestrial activity we have here. I would still say this is pretty watchable, however, and does have a certain British 60's charm to it. Despite the lacking nature of the screen-play, it was an okay watch. Also, look out for a rare acting performance from Neil Connery (Sean's brother) as one of the military types - you can see the resemblance from some angles. Another notable presence was Hilary Dwyer who made a very good impression in the earlier aforementioned Tigon classic Witchfinder General (1968) - she was not as memorable here but it was still nice to see her all the same.