Original Ending


Does anyone know if the 76 minute version (without the "happy ending" framing device) is available on DVD or VHS? Any information would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

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No, Sylvie...Kevin McCarthy himself has told me that he's NEVER seen a version without the studio-added prologue/epilogue. I'd seen rumors for YEARS that there was one, but if there is, it's never been done thru a studio. As for someone doing it on their own, I guess they can literally fade out during Kevin's screaming of "They're Here...They're Here"... but as he has a voice-over narration at the beginning tying in the hospital sequence, they'd have a hard time cleaning THAT up, without leaving a hole at the end.

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Damn! I went here hoping Trampyre knew of an unedited version. It was supposed to end with "Youre Next!" and a close up of McCarthy's hesterical face. Scenes were cut out also.

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If you click on "alternate versions" on the left side of the Body Snatchers IMDB page, if gives the following information...

"Originally released at 80 minutes; reissued in 1979 at 76 minutes, deleting the studio-imposed prologue and epilogue starring Whit Bissel and Richard Deacon."

Is this an urban myth, or a hoax, or ...?

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I just now spotted wallerworld's response and was shocked. What? Is there a 1979 version that has the unedited nightmare ending?

Where is it?

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It's the re-make with Don Sutherland.

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Nonsense it's the remake.

"Originally released at 80 minutes; reissued in 1979 at 76 minutes, deleting the studio-imposed prologue and epilogue starring Whit Bissel and Richard Deacon."

Is this an urban myth, or a hoax, or ...?

Not a myth at all. Back in the mid-late 70's I saw the movie theatrically at The New Mayfield Repertory Cinema in Cleveland, and the print they showed was most definitely the ORIGINAL "unhappy" ending without all the added footage with Whit Bissell and Richard Deacon, and the additional narration. The New Mayfield clearly showed the original 76 min. theatrical version. I find it quite astonishing in this digital/HD day and age of restoring movies that both versions haven't gotten a Blu-ray release. The one from Olive Films looks great but is sadly lacking any extras at all, and is the 80 min. version with the additional footage.

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The one from Olive Films looks great but is sadly lacking any extras at all

The movie has had numerous releases on DVD.

The Artisan Home Entertainment release from 2000 has the footage from an episode of "Family Film Festival". If you grew up in the eighties in Southern California, you know about this. It showed classic movies on the weekends.

From time to time the host would have one of the actors on, interviewing them about the film showing.

For this, they had Kevin McCarthy. I want to say 1984 or '85.

It's short, since they had limited time in between the commercials and showing the movie.

My problem is they don't say where the footage is from.

I know since I saw it when it first aired.

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Why do you think no one has the 76 minute version anymore at all? Some film experts say it was never released except in 1956 previews.

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From a film review (for people who don't know about ending):

"As a crazed prophet of doom, he points directly into the camera, desperately trying to warn others and the audience:

Look, you fools. You're in danger. Can't you see? They're after you. They're after all of us. Our wives, our children, everyone. They're here already. YOU'RE NEXT!

END OF ORIGINAL FILM "-


None of the hospital scenes were in the original version.

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The first time I saw the film was a PBS airing in 1988, with the "unhappy ending" intact. Now I wonder who was responsible for airing that version and where it came from. Sadly, I doubt an official revised version is available, or will become available. It would be nice to have a DVD with both cuts.

Rish Outfield

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Funny, I didn't spot RishOut's posting until now. Okay RishOut, how was it, how did it feel to view the film with the ending as it originaly was viewed before the studio got to it?
What effect did it have on you?

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When was the 80 minute version released to TV or video?

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Who's review was this? Where can I find it?

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It would be a better ending imo

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Couldn't belive it sylvienj, but it does read:

"Originally released at 80 minutes; reissued in 1979 at 76 minutes, deleting the studio-imposed prologue and epilogue starring Whit Bissel and Richard Deacon.

Five cuts were made by the British censors on its initial release, mainly references to Burke and Hare, the original bodysnatchers. This cut print has been the only one available in the UK until 1998, when a complete widescreen version appeared on the budget video label 4-Front."

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Would this supposed cut of the film without the prologue/epilogue also delete the narration by Miles? If it left it in they'd have a HUGE plothole to explain.

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After some research I've come to the unfortunate conclusion that the unedited version released in 1979 was never released to video. Maybe it was released to theaters and television only? Hopefully someday this will be available on DVD or at least VHS.

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Just thought of something about the slapped on happy ending that might make the people feel better who didn't want it.

All the people in the hospital who listened to Miles were pod people. That guy only pretended to make a phone call to get help. This was so Miles could go back into his hospital room. "You have had a stressful time. Take this to make you feel better." the nurse says.

Taking it, he falls alsleep and becomes a pod person. The invaders win.



Also just because the guy who makes the phone call belives the story in the end, do you think others will? Or will they say, "Youv'e went back to your alcoholic ways, doc. Were taking away your license."

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"Taking it, he falls alsleep and becomes a pod person. The invaders win. "

I LIKE IT!

Ya can't trust anybody.

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Is it just me or does it seem like a lot of politicians are saying Nook-ya-lure lately?

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"Taking it, he falls alsleep and becomes a pod person. The invaders win. "

THAT would've made a better ending. OR, better yet, get the DVD, skip past the "begining" and turn it off after Kevi n McCarty yells "YOUR NEXT!"

That would make an awesome cut.

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Did you do that with the DVD? Bet it felt great. You said "skip the beginning" Yeah, that crap should go. It ruined the movie from the beginning because it lets us know that Kevin McCarthy survived and a little of how it turned out. Wouldn't it be much beter if no warning whatsoevr of how the movie ended or what was to come next was deleted?

The people who first saw this movie before the studio tacked on the ending and beginning had a lot of fun and were stunned speechless at the end of the film. The studio didn't like the audience being stunned speechless and hurt a film that would be much better left as it was.

Kevin McCarthy said: "Hitchock would have given his eyeteeth to film it with its original ending."

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7641,have you seen this shorter version yourself? When? Where? Why didn't any one keep it or still have it today? If some of us have seen it, why doesn't it exist anymore?

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What bothers me about the tagged-on ending is the urgency to "Call the FBI!" Didn't the doctor try that earlier in the film without success?

OTOH, one might interpret the dialog precisely as intended, ie, the call will be utterly futile. But if the purpose was to provide an uplifting, more positive ending, then why introduce this ambiguity?

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This ending was repeated often on TV before the 1978 remake was released. As I recall, that is when the theatrical version surfaced with the new beginning, ending, narration. By this time most stations had stopped showing Invasion of the Body Snatchers and the 80 minute version was released on video. But when did you see this shorter version? I've been looking for it too, no doubt it was only on a 16mm reel of film and released to TV instead of theaters. No one has explained exactly who finally wanted the 80 minute version made after preview screenings. While one preview reflected the chilling effect most people get, another one was rumored to make people laugh in the wrong places.

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I know people who have seen the "original" version, but I have not. I believe it must exist.

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I saw the "original" version many years ago at a special screening at the MOMA in Los Angeles with both Don Siegel and Kevin McCarthy in attendance. The narration is gone and the film ends in a freeze frame on McCarthy's face screaming "You're Next!"

I had seen the film several times before with the studio ending. The original version is MUCH MUCH better not only because of the high impact ending but because the comforting, needless narration (as with BLADE RUNNER)is absent making the story way more compelling since for one thing it's happening to the characters in the moment. Everything is heightened including the suspense and especially the relationship between McCarthy and the Dana Wynter characters.

It is vital that this version be released on DVD.

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I don't know you (I think), but I did see this version, once, about 30 years ago, at a long-defunct bar in East Hollywood that had occasional "movie nights." It was a 16mm print, but at least it was projected in Superscope.

I was completely shocked and delighted, as I'd heard of it, but assumed it no longer existed. If wonder if it still does.


Poe! You are...avenged!

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When I saw it on TV years ago, I could have sworn it ended with him on the highway screaming, but when I rented it recently, it ended in the hospital. I had no idea there were two different cuts. The highway ending is far superior.

"I didn't major in math, I majored in miracles." -- Mike Huckabee, February 9th, 2008

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Just re-saw this film. I was waiting for the ending I remembered from (TOO MANY) years ago. I didn't see it. The first time I saw it, he was on the highway screaming. That's it. No "shrinks" to SAVE THE WORLD. I must admit I was pleasantly surprised at this new ending. At least we didn't all have to "conform" and can live our lives as we please in this very free country.........etc.

In reality, the original ending stuck in my mind so many years. The new ending makes this a much more "forgettable" film. If you like NOIR (which this has lots of), the "clean" ending is for the birds. Forget it. Just stop your tape early. And pretend you didn't see the beginning in the hospital. Or...just pretend the beginning was merely an halluncination of the good doctor.

And I go for the "Communistic subtleties in this film" opinion. And very Anti-McCarthyism. How the censors ever let a SCREAMING MCCARTHY through their system is beyond me. Absolutely brilliant!!!! Any relation between Kevin and Jack??? :^)

In MY color version, the seed pods would be painted BRIGHT RED. No doubt.

Great flick. One of the best.

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Jack? No, that was Jack the Kennedy. It was Joe McCarthy.
Sorry for the misrembrance.

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I just looked up a brief bio of Joe McCarthy. Strangely, he passed away on May 2, 1957, a year after this movie was released. I won't make any pod jokes here.

BUT YOU KNOW....YOU'RE NEXT!!!!!

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For those of you who have seen the version without the tacked on prologue and epilogue, did it still have the Kevin McCarthy narration? Or was the narration cut out?

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I think it had no narration. But the narration could fit without the new parts that were added.

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As I previously stated this Director's Cut had NO NARRATION and was much better for it (or without it in this case). The main point I want to make here is that this print was NOT put together for this special screening alone. So IT DOES EXSIST for anyone who has the means to provide us with a DVD.

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That's the version I remember seeing, but that was in the 60s on television. Since that time I've seen the "happy" ending on TV.

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8-year old thread I'm replying on lol.

I dislike the studio tacked on ending, but I don't think I'd say it was a happy ending seeing as the invasion still happened and nobody turned back to being human.

There would be no real way to stop the pods. The studio opening/closing would be better left off, but I don't really see it as a happy ending though.

Darling, you can't rape a townie.

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Nobody on this thread likes what the studio did to this classic. They were hoping to locate the original version before the studio tampered with the movie.




Poor Miles. He loses his sanity at the end. He was wandering around yelling like a nutcase right up into the 1978 remake.

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I agree that the ending isn't a happy one, but it is definitely less pessimistic than if it ended with Miles on the highway. The ending still leaves a lot of questions, were the doctors pod people and were they luring Miles into a false sense of security? Would the FBI really believe the doctors, and would they really close the roads because a doctor told them to?

Actually, I believe the doctors couldn't both be pod people as the scene where the two doctors are outside discussing Miles's mental state would be pointless if they were both pod people. However, it might be possible that the taller doctor was a pod person as he was trying to convince the other doctor that Miles was crazy and telling him that of course there was no such thing as these pods. In this case, the patient coming in from the accident involving the lorry carrying pods created a problem for the pod person doctor.

As well, when the doctor tries to call the FBI, the phone lines could have been taken over by the pod people as they were earlier when Miles tried to make a phone call.

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I just saw this for the first time last night. The ending didn't really do it for me. What I love about science fiction is that the stories often end in tragedy, which makes a much better impact. I thought for sure they'd get him but then I could tell it was ending at a point when I didn't want it to.

But it's nice to know that this isn't the original ending. It'd be great to see the original ending eventually.

This reminds me a lot of the movie 14 Hours starring Richard Basehart

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0043560/

SPOILERS



This was a very tense, moody movie and I was sure it was going to end with Richard Basehart's character jumping but he didn't. Then I came to IMDB and found out that the ending was changed. It was originally filmed with Richard Basehart's character jumping but the ending was changed because one of the producer's daughters did the same thing.

It would be great to see the original ending to this movie too. I hate it when things like this are changed. I absolutely loved both movies but the endings ruined things a bit.


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Watched it again and there are reasons the forced tacked on ending hurts the movie. Earlier, we see that all the townspeople are called to trucks by a police officer who conducts the pods being distributed into other towns and places.
Later, at the end of the film, we see trucks taking pods out of the town to further spread the pods throughout the United States. This means the pods have already been spread throughout the country. With this in mind, how is that silly phone call at the end or "send help" going to solve anything or stop the invasion? And how do we know that the person on the end of the line is not a pod person since it has already spread?

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You've assumed more than what's there. The truck or trucks probably started to take the pods to new towns. So the "You're next!" end was best to warn viewers about who could be next. But you see, "You're next!" meant someone was next, not that the pods had taken over already.

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I may not have made myself clear. The original ending was dark, so the studio put on a "happy" ending where after Miles tells his story, someone phones and says "Get help."
The new ending isn't really happy and does nothing to deal with the invasion, since as you stated "The truck or trucks probably started to take the pods to new towns"
The movie showed that the human to pod person transformations is very rapid and an entire area can be changed in minutes. This means that from the time Miles had explained things the invasion had already spread,

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I liked the original ending best. Thanks for agreeing on that point anyway. "You're next" still implied more people were still free from the pods.

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I'm in the minority in that I have absolutely no problem with the prologue or ending as is. For
starters, it is NOT a "happy ending", as much as "hopeful" ending. And it is extremely questionable
that humanity will win. I also love the look on Whit Bissell's face when he finally believes McCarthy.
It's pretty powerful, and it gives the viewer some satisfaction after 80 minutes of tension.

As for the crybabies who want the "original" cut, all you have to do is start it a few minutes in, and
turn it off when McCarthy is screaming "You're next...."you're next...."

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