Stars:
Gerold Mohr, Peggie Castle, and Dan O’Herlihy
Writer:
Robert Smith
Director:
Alfred E. Green
Feature
length: 74 minutes
Extras:
Alternate Audio Tracks Featuring Civil Defense Department Audio Recordings,
Theatrical Trailer, “Red Scare” Short Film, Conelrad: Film Encyclopedia Of
The 100 Best Atomic Films Ever Made, New Videotaped Interviews With Stars Dan
O’Herlihy, William Schallert, and Noel Neill
Languages:
English Monaural
Subtitles:
N/A
Packaging:
Keep Case
Chapter
Stops: 12
Sound:
Monaural Sound
Year
of Theatrical Release: 1952/DVD Release: 2002
Home
Video Distributor: Synapse Films
MPAA
Rating: Not Rated
Reviewer:
Mark A. Rivera
When
I received this DVD from Synapse Films to review I was tempted to make it my
special “Fourth Of July” DVD review, but my own fears of domestic terrorism
and bad karma kept me from going through with the idea. “Invasion USA” is a
pretty interesting cautionary tale because it reflects a state of consciousness
and fear that still exists today in our post September 11, 2001 America. Being
born and raised in New York City and a resident as well, I can say without
hesitation that the trauma, fear, and anxiety of that tragic event is still very
much in the air and on the minds of New Yorkers. To be blunt, I do not think
things will ever be the same and in the months that has followed I think a new
paranoia has developed across the country only the enemy is no longer some
ideologically opposite superpower with the capacity to engage America with a
direct global nuclear war. Today we face so many potential horrors with
biological, chemical, EMP, as well as nuclear weapons, but the biggest enemy of
them all is ignorance. If we are not careful everyone can find themselves in
another era of fear and paranoia where our own civil liberties and rights could
be forfeited because of our suspicion of that nameless person across the hall,
down the street, next door, or under our roof. “Invasion USA” is almost like
a blueprint for other invasion films that I feel were somehow inspired in one
way or another at the film’s use of stock footage edited together in such a
way to create the illusion of a larger production value. In particular I found
myself thinking of “Red Dawn” a lot while I was watching this movie.
The
images and stereotypes as well as the pseudo resolution that places the future
in our hands quite literally is actually one of the film’s strengths. Dan
O’Herlihy gives an impressive performance that is both creepy and haunting
because he mixes his character’s dialogue with a gentlemen’s politeness that
might make one think of those guards at the Long Island Manor where Tom
Cruise’s character masquerades to discover a bizarre ritualistic orgy as
depicted in Stanley Kubrick’s “Eyes Wide Shut.” Perhaps not so
surprisingly, the Soviet invaders in the film look more like fascists from Nazi
Germany than anything else. Personally I think it is relative since the
underlying theme is more about caution and alertness toward an impending threat.
The fact that it is Soviets and not someone else is merely a sign of the time
from which the film was produced. As it has in the past, Synapse Films takes the
initiative by taking what would normally be regarded as a cold war relic and
giving it A-List treatment.
“Synapse
Films” presents “Invasion USA” with a new restored window boxed (1.33:1)
transfer. There are some scratches and artifacts from the source prints that
could not be helped most likely because the film was probably not preserved
well, but taking that into consideration, the clarity and clean grayscale of the
black and white image is still impressive. An English Two-Channel Monaural
Soundtrack is included and appears to have been remastered too because there is
no background noise or hissing present at all. An alternate track featuring
vintage defense department recordings advising people how to survive a nuclear
attack is also included.
Now
a few weeks ago a friend e-mailed me a sobering article about the realities of
what would happen if a bomb ever went off. Well anyone in these underground
shelters described in the recording would either be killed in the general blast
anyway or suffer a lingering death complete with radiation sickness, starvation,
burns, and possible suffocation. The article stated that EMP would permanently
knockout all electrical appliances as well as batteries and cars permanently so
the odds are the warning sirens would never be heard at all in the event of a
blast. Finally contrary to images in films where stars are riding around using a
cell phone after a nuclear blast, nothing electronic would work at all. Anything
that might still be around would be permanently destroyed. No batteries, no cell
phones, no radios, and no cars. The reality is these weapons should have never
been made to begin with. So remember that the next time someone jokes about
“duck and cover!”
Exclusive
new-videotaped interviews with Stars Dan O’Herlihy, William Schallert, and
Noel Neill were conducted for this DVD release. The best speaker is O’Herlihy,
who reads a vintage review for the film on camera and then discusses his
experience working on a film that was shooting on location in the Soviet Union
entitled “Waterloo.” I wish O’Herlihy were cast in more film and
television. I still feel he has much to offer as an actor with a kind of wisdom
that only comes from age. One thing to be aware of is the volume level on these
interviews is pretty high so lower your home theater system’s sound before
playing them.
There
is a 29-minute short film entitled “Red Nightmare” that is included on the
DVD and features non other than Jack Webb as well as the 1956 theatrical
re-release trailer for “Invasion USA.” Perhaps the best of the extra
features is a DVD-Video publication of the top 100 “Atomic Films” ever made
according to the “Conelrad” web site. “Conelrad” Editor Bill Geerhart
contributes with some interesting liner notes within the insert inside the DVD
keep case. The menus are standard interactive still frames that are easy to
navigate.
Another
eye-popping DVD release from Synapse Films, “Invasion USA: Atomic Special
Edition” is available at retailers on and offline now and can also be ordered
directly from Synapse Films by visiting their website at www.synapse-films.com.
©
Copyright 2002 By Mark A. Rivera
All Rights Reserved.