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In the Mouth of Madness

John Carpenter directed this film as part of his Apocalypse Trilogy that consists of The Thing, In the Mouth of Madness and Prince of Darkness. In this film, there are many references to Lovecraft and his work. When best selling author, Sutter Cane, goes missing, John Trent, an insurance investigator, has to go find him. Cane’s fictional town, Hobb’s End, becomes a reality, and Trent is subjected to mind-bending realities and characters.  

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Invasion of the Body Snatchers

I decided to write about the 1978 remake of the original 1956 version of Invasion of the Body Snatchers because of the film's commercial success and popularity. In California, when the city's inhabitants would go to sleep, unbeknownst to the victims, their bodies were being replicated and taken over by alien hosts that were devoid of emotions or personality. The film went on to collect many nominations for awards, and recognition in the industry. In 1993, the original 1956 version was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry. There's a good list of comparisons between the 1956 and 1978 versions that can be found here.

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It

Have I ever mentioned my intense fear of clowns? This little tale from Stephen King is probably to blame for some of my loathing for them with his novel, It. In 1990, a television miniseries was produced based on the book, and “Pennywise the Dancing Clown” was given a face. The fantastic actor, Tim Curry, portrayed Pennywise in brilliant, malevolence. A group of seven friends find out about “It” as kids, and return as adults to defeat the evil force. Originally it was shown in two parts on tv, and garnered high ratings. Later it was released on a double set of VHS tapes, and eventually as a double-sided DVD.

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Invaders from Mars

Another tale involving aliens taking over human bodies, Invaders from Mars was a science fiction movie released in 1953. Told from a child’s perspective, the film is about an alien invasion that occurs as witnessed by the child, David. People in the community are being abducted by the aliens, and returned with their personalities drastically changed. David must convince someone to help him, and try to thwart the alien takeover. The director, William Cameron Menzies, utilized different camera angles, creative budget-friendly special effects, and an ethereal score to create the at times surreal atmosphere in the film.