NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: 88 Films Blu-ray (May 2024): 88 Films have transferred Gerry Levy's The Body Stealers to Blu-ray. It is cited as being from a "Brand New FULLY UNCUT 2K Remaster from the Original Camera Negative featuring never before released sequences". It's on a dual-layered disc with a max'ed out bitrate. The 1080P is quite appealing - colors look authentic, there is depth and contrast is strong. The source appears to have been in great shape although the low budget effects can look cheesy. There are segments of stock footage of parachuting. It is clean and overall pleasing. 

NOTE: We have added 60 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, 88 Films use a linear PCM dual-mono track (24-bit) in the original English language. The Body Stealers has sci-fi-related audio and jet planes that are modestly effective and authentically flat. The score was by Reg Tilsley (Horror Hospital), sounding a bit funky but suits the film's charismatic campy-ness. 88 Films offer optional English (SDH) subtitles on their Region 'B' Blu-ray.

The 88 Films Blu-ray offers two commentaries. The first is by film critics David Flint (author of Sheer Filth!: Bizarre Cinema, Weird Literature, Strange Music, Extreme Art) and Allan Bryce (Die Laughing: The Dark Side Guide to Comedy Horror.) It's fun and light with some decent information; the alt-titles. The second commentary is an older one by actor Patrick Allen ('Bob Megan' in The Body Stealers), moderated by John Hamilton (author of X-Cert: The British Independent Horror Film: 1951-1970.) Bob states that he has never seen the film in full - only in bits and pieces, talks about working with George Sanders and Maurice Evans, his own theater and radio work due to, he credits, to his voice, that he was born in Africa - Nyasaland (now Malawi) - where his father was a tobacco farmer plus there is much more. I enjoyed it. Bob passed in 2006 at age 79. The Making of The Body Stealers runs 42-minutes and has input from Dixon Adams (Mystery Submarine), Pamela Conway ('Lorna' in The Body Stealers), Boom operator Rowland Fowles, editor Howard Lanning, Michael Culver (Lt. Bailes), Arthur Wicks (standby props), assistant editor Marion Curren, Angela Sellar and Sally Faulkner ('Joanna'.) They share their experiences with making the film, working with director Gerry Levy and much more. Invasion of The Body Stealers is an 11-minute introduction by Jon Dear. A Career Man has Will Fowler on George Sanders and The Body Stealers running over 20-minutes discussing the British actor and singer whose career spanned over 40 years and his participation in the film. Lastly is a theatrical trailer and the package has a reversible sleeve featuring new artwork by Sean Longmore and original poster.

Gerry Levy's The Body Stealers was a product of Tigon British Film Productions. Tigon had a relatively small output (producing films from 1967-73) with modest budgets but are best remembered for its horror films, directly competing for audiences of the day with well established studios. They eventually drifted into distributing, mostly, sexploitation films. The Body Stealers is typical of their output with a title enticing audiences to expect a clone of Invasion of the Body Snatchers. It certainly is not that but I enjoyed it nonetheless although it is all a poor cousin to competing Hammer and Amicus. I think there is a place for this kitschy low budget sci-fi cinema. Keep your expectation in-check - 88 Films Blu-ray is at the high-standard; solid a/v, two commentaries, a lengthy 'Making of', great artwork and more. I'm very pleased that they are bringing plenty of Tigon's golden age of British cinema output to Blu-ray and 4K UHD. Bravo!

Gary Tooze