Invaders from Mars

A sci-fi cheapie about another invasion of the body snatchers, which has some chillingly effective moments but doesn't really live up to its reputation, despite the unusual ploy of being told largely from the point of view of a small boy (Hunt) who is the first to spot the invaders and whose parents are the first to go under. Interesting, though, for the extremeness of its Cold War aura of military preparedness, which even throws in actuality shots of tanks and troops massing as the earthlings prepare to fight back against the green tentacular midget things that live in glass globes. Its backyard setting, a nostalgic slice of small town Americana which is the territory to be defended, inspired the opening sequence of Scorsese's Alice Doesn't Live Here Any More.