10 Hidden Meanings Behind Famous Horror Movies

Although its cast and crew have denied there was any intentional political commentary involved in its making, over analysis is in the eye of the beholder and it isn’t too hard to come up with deeper meanings after a viewing of Invasion of the Body Snatchers. In fact, whatever your political persuasion there’s a befitting subtext in Don Siegel’s paranoid sci-fi horror.

For the lefties, the tale of a small California town taken over by alien invaders who replace its human populace with clones devoid of individuality and emotion is a warning against the conformist politics enforced during the McCarthy era. For the more right leaning, the movie doesn’t disappoint as an allegory for the red peril of Communism and the loss of autonomy it would entail should its cold clutches take hold in America. But both interpretations seem to agree that loss of personal agency, whether the cause of Communist brainwashing or McCarthy induced conformity, is truly terrifying.

A remake starring Donald Sutherland released in 1978 cleverly exchanged the original’s Cold War paranoia for a witty critique of the Me Generation that reared its head after the hippie movement died down with a soupcon of post-Watergate distrust thrown in for good measure. Though if you’re looking for deeper meaning steer clear of Oliver Hirschbiegel’s 2007 remake The Invasion which tries but lamentably fails to comment on a confused variety of topics as diverse as postmodern feminism, the Iraq War and overmedicated America.