10 Great Monster Movies You May Have Missed

A magnificent two-for-one entry here, as we're recommending both the original 1956 version and its equally excellent 1978 remake. Both adaptations of The Invasion Of The Body Snatches are closely based on the classic book of the same name by American author Jack Finney, who also wrote two exceptional time-travel novels, Time Again (1970) and From Time To Time (1995); the former of which was also loosely adapted for film (Somewhere In Time, 1980).

The chilling premise behind Body Snatchers is that folks are slowly becoming convinced that their nearest and dearest have been replaced by doppelgängers – almost perfect replicas whose behaviour is somehow 'off.' Doctors initially assume this is some kind of mass mania caused by stress. In reality, sinister aliens are slowly taking over the Earth, killing us off one by one and taking the place of their victims.

Both versions come with impeccable credentials. The 1956 film is directed by Don Siegel (Edge Of Eternity, Dirty Harry, Escape From Alcatraz) and produced by Walter Wanger, whose credits include an astonishing number of big features across the '30s, '40s and '50s. The 1978 take features a star line-up of Donald Sutherland, Brooke Adams, Veronica Cartwright, Jeff Goldblum and Leonard Nemoy. Direction is by the brilliant Philip Kaufman, who also brought us The Right Stuff, The Wanderers and Henry & June.

Look out for decidedly different takes on the pivotal 'dog incident.'