Invasion of the Body Snatchers

Philip Kaufman’s 1978 science-fiction horror film is an unsettling remake of the classic original, relocated to a socially and politically tense San Francisco. As people begin transforming into eerie, emotionless versions of themselves, a small group—including Elizabeth and her coworker and confidant Ben—struggles to understand and resist a terrifying threat tied to conformity, authority, corporatization, and institutional betrayal. Their developing romance brings tenderness and added heartbreak to the film’s nightmarish vision, heightened by disturbing visual details, a sparse soundtrack, elaborate effects, and disorienting camerawork.

When: November 7, 2026

Showtime: 11:30 p.m.

Venue: Harvard Film Archive

Tickets: Price not available

Director: Philip Kaufman

Cast: Donald Sutherland, Brooke Adams, and Jeff Goldblum

Run time: 115 minutes

Format: 35mm film, color

Country and year: United States, 1978

Series: Visions of a City, Or A Weekend in San Francisco

Print source: Harvard Film Archive