Associated Press

The screenplay for "The Invasion" starring Nicole Kidman is based on Jack Finney's paranoid 1955 novel "The Body Snatchers." Born in Milwaukee, Finney lived in Galesburg and attended Knox College. "The Invasion" is one of several films based on Finney's fiction.

Sci-fi classic born in Galesburg

Finney's fiction inspired numerous films

Thursday, August 23, 2007

By Bill Knight

for The Register-Mail

Finney, born in Milwaukee, lived in Galesburg and attended Knox College. He fell in love with the community so much that nostalgia for what he felt were better times permeated his writing for decades.

In fact, Finney titled a collection of his short stories "I Love Galesburg in the Springtime," and in a tidy reciprocity, Knox named its sci-fi/fantasy publication "The Third Level," after one of Finney's stories.

The new film stars Kidman and Daniel Craig in an updating of "Body Snatchers," moving from California to Washington and blending food and drinks as dangers with kids and dogs as saviors. The film features Veronica Cartwright, who co-starred in the 1978 version.

Finney

Best-selling writer Stephen King wrote, "Jack Finney has written a great deal of fiction about the idea that individuality is a good thing and that conformity can start to get pretty scary after it passes a certain point."

Although well-known for that theme in "The Body Snatchers" - a sinister tale of aliens replacing human beings with emotionless duplicates with a formula so universal that's it's been seen as an allegory for a Communist conquest, a McCarthy-era mandate for conformity, a comment on the post-Vietnam/ -Watergate culture, a military takeover and even the AIDS epidemic - Finney's best work might be his illustrated 1970 novel "Time After Time," which featured impressive details showing his knack for reporting.

"One of the greatest strengths of Jack Finney's work is his ability to describe and explore complex emotions in an admirably low-key fashion that nevertheless leaves the reader saying, 'Yes, I know exactly how that feels'," wrote another best-selling author, Dean Koontz.

Besides books, magazines and movies, TV also used Finney's writing, in "Science Fiction Theater," "Alcoa Premiere," and Steven Spielberg's "Amazing Stories." The World Fantasy Convention in 1987 awarded Finney its Life Achievement award.

Bill Knight is an award-winning journalist who teaches at Western Illinois University.

10 Films Based on Finney's Work

"Assault on a Queen" (1956)

Frank Sinatra and Tony Franciosa star in a crime film about a caper to rob the Queen Mary luxury liner. Richard Conte and Reginald Denny co-star in the film, adapted by Rod Serling.

"The Body Snatchers" (1993)

Second effort at the material is a paranoid look at the Pentagon, with kids the target of the replacement "pods." Terry Kinney stars, with Meg Tilly, Gabrielle Anwar, Lee Ermey and Forest Whitaker.

"Good Neighbor Sam" (1964)

Finney reportedly had young Jack Lemmon in mind when he wrote this book, and Lemmon starred in the comedy about a suburban ad man who poses as his neighbor's husband so she can inherit $15 million. Mistaken identity and jealousies ensue. Dorothy Provine, Romy Schneider, Mike Connors, Edward G. Robinson and Louis Nye co-star.

"Five Against the House" (1955)

Finney's first novel was made into a movie the year after publication, a thriller about a few college pals who a scheme to rob a Reno casino where they're playing. Guy Madison, Kim Novak, Brian Keith and William Conrad star.

"House of Numbers" (1957)

Jack Palance stars in this film noir suspense yarn directed by Russell Rouse, about a San Quentin inmate who devises an escape plan that gets fouled up. Barbara Lang and Harold Stone co-star.

"Invasion of the Body Snatchers" (1956)

Little-known director Don Siegel exploded into prominence in this low-budget sci-fi yarn, the first [some would say best] version of the oft-filmed story. Kevin McCarthy is a small-town doctor wooing a girl who helps him realize that people are being replaced with near-identical duplicates. Carolyn Jones and King Donovan co-star.

"Invasion of the Body Snatchers" (1978)

Filmmaker Philip Kaufman cast Donald Sutherland, Jeff Goldblum, Brooke Adams, Veronica Cartwright and Leonard Nimoy in this remake of the classic. Both Kevin McCarthy of Don Siegel from the 1956 version have cameos.

"The Love Letter" (1998)

Jennifer Jason Leigh and Campbell Scott star in this made-for-TV movie about a man who finds a century-old letter, the n impulsively replies to it, only to realize it somehow reach its destination - in the past. The peculiar correspondence continues and the letter writers fall in love. David Dukes and Estelle Parsons co-star.

"Maxie" (1985)

Glenn Close, Ruth Gordon and Mandy Patinkin star in cinema's version of Finney's novel "Marion's Wall," about a San Francisco couple whose new home is apparently haunted by the ghost of an aspiring actress who died before she made an audition that was vital for her.

"Somewhere in Time" (1980)

Written by Richard Matheson, this stars Christopher Reeve as a contemporary playwright who meets an older woman who mysteriously urges him to "come back to me." Co-starring Jane Seymour, Christopher Plummer, Teresa Wright and a bit by William H. Macy, this romance is so derivative of Finney's "Time and Again" that Reeve's character refers to a Dr. Finney as an expert on time travel and Matheson reportedly acknowledged that Finney's novels - also including a sequel, "From Time to Time" - influenced him.