NOTE: The below Blu-ray and 4K UHD captures were taken directly from the respective discs.

ADDITION: Kino 4K UHD (November 2021): Kino are releasing Philip Kaufman's "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" to 4K UHD (Dolby Vision.) Both the included second disc Blu-ray and the 4K UHD are described as "Newly Restored UHD SDR Master from a 4K Scan of the Original Camera Negative – Approved & Color Graded by Director Philip Kaufman." As Christopher Vogler states in one of the extras; "Invasion of the Body Snatchers is one of the darkest color films I've ever seen" and the new 3840 X 2160 transfer supports that. The late night outdoor sequences are very dark but the contrast layering picks up everything with impressive detail. Colors gains a new boldness that are balanced better on the 4K UHD than even Kino's included Blu-ray - see sample below.  These rich colors suit the film's darker intensities. I know some will complain about revisionist alterations, but I have the feeling this bolder look is fully intended and the 4K exports it gloriously. The bitrate is about 2.5 X that of the Blu-rays and the grain is fine and consistent. This look wonderful - e4asily the best I have seen this masterful science-fiction gem. 

It is likely that the monitor you are seeing this review is not an HDR-compatible display (High Dynamic Range) or Dolby Vision, where each pixel can be assigned with a wider and notably granular range of color and light. Our capture software if simulating the HDR (in a uniform manner) for standard monitors. This should make it easier for us to review more 4K UHD titles in the future and give you a decent idea of its attributes on your system. So our captures may not support the exact same colors (coolness of skin tones, brighter or darker hues etc.) as the 4K system at your home. But the framing, detail, grain texture support etc. are, generally, not effected by this simulation representation.

NOTE: 60 more more full resolution (3840 X 2160) 4K UHD captures, in lossless PNG format, for Patrons are available HERE

We have reviewed the following 4K UHD packages to date: The Hills Have Eyes (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Servant (software uniformly simulated HDR), Anatomy of a Murder (software uniformly simulated HDR), Taxi Driver  (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Wolf Man (1941) (software uniformly simulated HDR), Frankenstein (1931) (software uniformly simulated HDR),  Deep Red (software uniformly simulated HDR),  Misery (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Silence of the Lambs (software uniformly simulated HDR), John Carpenter's "The Thing" (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Cat' o'Nine Tails (software uniformly simulated HDR),  The Bird With the Crystal Plumage (software uniformly simulated HDR),  Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (software uniformly simulated HDR), Perdita Durango (software uniformly simulated HDR),  Django (software uniformly simulated HDR),  Fanny Lye Deliver'd (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, (NO HDR applied to disc),  Rollerball (software uniformly simulated HDR),  Chernobyl  (software uniformly simulated HDR), Daughters of Darkness (software uniformly simulated HDR), Vigilante (software uniformly simulated HDR), Tremors (software uniformly simulated HDR), Cinema Paradiso (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Bourne Legacy (software uniformly simulated HDR), Full Metal Jacket (software uniformly simulated HDR),  Psycho (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Birds (software uniformly simulated HDR), Rear Window (software uniformly simulated HDR), Vertigo (software uniformly simulated HDR),  Spartacus (software uniformly simulated HDR), Jaws (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Invisible Man, (software uniformly simulated HDR), Steven Spielberg's War of the Worlds (software uniformly simulated HDR), Lucio Fulci's 1979 Zombie  (software uniformly simulated HDR),, 2004's Van Helsing (software uniformly simulated HDR),  The Shallows (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Bridge on the River Kwai (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Deer Hunter (software uniformly simulated HDR),  The Elephant Man (software uniformly simulated HDR), A Quiet Place (software uniformly simulated HDR), Easy Rider (software uniformly simulated HDR), Suspiria (software uniformly simulated HDR), Pan's Labyrinth (software uniformly simulated HDR),  The Wizard of Oz, (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Shining, (software uniformly simulated HDR), Batman Returns (software uniformly simulated HDR), Don't Look Now (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Man Who Killed Killed and then The Bigfoot  (software uniformly simulated HDR),,  Bram Stoker's Dracula (software uniformly simulated HDR), Lucy (software uniformly simulated HDR), They Live (software uniformly simulated HDR), Shutter Island (software uniformly simulated HDR),  The Matrix (software uniformly simulated HDR), Alien (software uniformly simulated HDR), Toy Story (software uniformly simulated HDR),  A Few Good Men (software uniformly simulated HDR),  2001: A Space Odyssey (HDR caps udated), Schindler's List (simulated HDR), The Neon Demon (No HDR), Dawn of the Dead (No HDR), Saving Private Ryan (simulated HDR and 'raw' captures), Suspiria (No HDR), The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (No HDR), The Big Lebowski, and I Am Legend (simulated and 'raw' HDR captures).

On their 4K UHD, Kino offer a DTS-HD Master 5.1 surround at a healthy 3355 kbps or a similar 2.0 channel stereo track (both in 24-bit). This was similar to both Arrow and Shout! Factory Blu-rays. The surround sounds has some surprising separations and supports the bass very well. The score by Denny Zeitlin (Invasion of the Body Snatchers his only film credit composure) plus the film is remembered to include Amazing Grace as performed by the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards and Richard Allison's De La Tromba Pavin. The music can be haunting right from the opening scene with the alien planet storm, creepy winds moving onward to us with electronic musical effects augmenting the audio. In the scene when Matthew Bennell (Sutherland) tries to set fire to the Pod warehouse - there is an intensity with the score supporting the destructive action. Kino add optional English (SDH) subtitle options on the Region 'A' Blu-ray and the Region FREE 4K UHD disc (see sample below.)

I don't believe this is picked up on the new 4K UHD, presumably using he same master as the MGM where this few seconds has disappeared.

There are two commentaries on the 4K UHD disc - the technical one by director Philip Kaufman plus the commentary from 2016 with author/film historian Steve Haberman found on the Shout! Factory Blu-ray. Both have value and I appreciate their inclusion on the 4K UHD disc.

Kino's 4K UHD package duplicates the extras on their second disc Blu-ray with both commentaries and from other releases with the 1/4 hour Re-Visitors from Outer Space: Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Pod documentary on the making of the film featuring Philip Kaufman, Donald Sutherland and Veronica Cartwright, writer W.D. Richter, the dozen minute featurette The Man Behind the Scream interview with Ben Burtt and sound editor Bonnie Koehler, The Invasion Will Be Televised with cinematographer Michael Chapman, the Practical Magic: The Special Effect Pod look at the creation of the special effects from the opening space sequence and a trailer. There is the delightful 10-minute interview with actress Brooke Adams entitled “Star-Crossed in The Invasion”, a 25-minute interview with actor Art Hindle and a quarter hour each with writer W.D. Richter and composer Denny Zeitlin plus some TV Spots, Radio Spots and a trailer. This 4K package has reversible art (see below) and come with an O-card slipcase.

Philip Kaufman's "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" is as rewatchable as the original. I never tire of it. It has a great many horror elements and can be quite a scary film experience with shocking transformation effects. Performances are top notch - Donald Sutherland, Brooke Adams, Jeff Goldblum, the stoic Nimoy (a bit heavy-handed) and I always thought Veronica Cartwright (yes, she was 'Cathy Brenner' in Hitchcock's The Birds!) was great in her limited appearances. Always pleasing to see the respect shown the original with brief cameos with Kevin McCarthy and Don Siegel. Look close enough and you will see cinematographer Michael Chapman as a janitor, Robert Duvall as the 'Priest on Swing' and the voice of Philip Kaufman as the 'City Official on Phone'. I am so pleased with owning the definitive home theatre version thanks to Kino's 4K UHD release. Fans will not need my endorsement to watch this impressive film in the highest resolution. Don't hesitate.

Gary Tooze