Aliens play big roles in movies, and more often than not they arrive on Earth with less than friendly intentions. Sometimes they come with all guns blazing à la Independence Day, and at other times prefer subtle methods of infiltration as in John Carpenter's cult classic They Live. In most cases their first order of business is to rid the world of humans. Here is a short list of superb invasion films that have graced cinema screens, and gave audiences nightmares in the process.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)
Weird, spore-like extraterrestrials land in San Francisco and begin replicating people. One morning Elizabeth Driscoll (Brooke Adams) wakes up and notices her boyfriend Geoffrey Howell (Art Hindle) isn't behaving like himself. He's emotionless, numb, and not quite human. Elizabeth follows Geoffrey around and sees him meeting unfamiliar people who are just as blank and lifeless as him. They are also exchanging big packages wrapped in brown paper. This frightens her a lot, so she calls a friend in the local health department, Matthew Bennell (Donald Sutherland). It isn't long before the two of them realize that something really sinister is happening.
As the invasion gets into high gear, Matthew tries to warn municipal government agencies. The individuals at those offices listen patiently but the problem is they're no longer human, and the city's population is being 'changed' at a fearsome speed. Matthew and Elizabeth know they must escape, but where can they go? Who would believe their story? The alien invaders clone human victims while they're asleep, and Matthew and Elizabeth can't stay awake forever. The end of this film suggests it's too late for humanity to save the Earth.
The Thing (1982)
This film is great at creating an enveloping sense of dread and paranoia. In the barren interior of Antarctica, Norwegian scientists accidentally revive a parasitic alien which had been buried in the ice for thousands of years. The creature kills them, and soon an American team receives the unwelcome guest at their base. The alien can mimic anyone flawlessly, and it's impossible for the men to trust each other.
This is still a classic, with elements of science fiction and horror. There are a handful of very unlucky humans who are stranded in the middle of a freezing and unpopulated continent. The only company they have is a malevolent alien determined to kill all of them and infect the rest of the world. The scientists have nowhere to run, and they can't call for help. The atmosphere of terror builds up quickly and doesn't let go.
V (1983)
They arrive in huge ships, and are initially friendly. Who would have thought aliens would look exactly like humans? These ones do, at least on the outside. In exchange for raw materials that the 'visitors' don't have on their planet, they guarantee friendship and cooperation. But, these aliens are hiding something.
Underneath their human disguises they're a race of reptilian monsters who want to strip the Earth of resources. They want water, and not just a few gallons. They want all of it. They also want food and guess where that will come from? The human race, perhaps? The aliens use an emblem eerily reminiscent of the Nazi swastika. The portrayal of human interaction with the visitors bears a resemblance to the events of World War II, with some people choosing to collaborate with the invaders and others opting to join resistance movements.
Predator (1987)
To this alien, Earth is one big game park and there are plenty of trophies to acquire. Arnold Schwarzenegger is commanding a team of commandos who are on a resue mission in Central America. The Predator, slient and almost invisible, observes from a distance and then uses its advanced technology to stalk and kill each of them.
This wasn't a movie with a full scale invasion, but more Predators show up on Earth later on in the franchise. The commandos are so full of bravado but their confidence disappears awfully fast when confronted with alien weaponry. Pretty soon Arnold is the only one left and he's running out of ammunition. In any case, bullets don't help much. Predator didn't get positive reviews in 1987 but has since become a favorite for science fiction fans.
Scott Hayden - Since joining Suite101 in early 2007, I've contributed articles about travel, history and health. My speciality is writing about workplace ...
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