General overview
This sequence follows a cross-fade prolepsis and is accompanied by a short non-diegetic narration from Dr. Bennell giving exposition to the audience. A tracking shot is used as Dr. Bennell and Becky enter the barbecue area. We see a four shot of each character playing their own stereotypical role. Becky and Teddy serving drinks to the men and Dr. Bennell helping Jack with the more ‘dangerous’ job of lighting the barbecue. We see Dr. Bennell enter the greenhouse, from a low angle canted shot which usually indicates something is amiss. Just as he is about to leave, Dr. Bennell notices the bubbling oozing entities growing in the greenhouse. Visceral reactions are provoked by the sticky slimy sounds of the pod. Dr. Bennell calls jack and the others in and a four shot of all the characters can be seen. We see the pods again as bodies begin to emerge and pop. Close-up reaction shots of each characters are used and through the use of exposition, many of the questions we as an audience are asking, are answered. For example, it is explained that each pod is growing an emotionless double of the characters. The two couples split as Jack and Teddy watch over the pods, clutching onto the large gardening fork as an improvised weapon. Meanwhile Dr. Bennell and Becky enter the house as Dr. Bennell uses his doctorate connections to try and contact doctors from different towns, as they try to see it he events have also occurred elsewhere, this is unsuccessful. By the use of parallel editing, the camera cuts to Teddy and Jack who hovers the fork over each bubbling copy, and then at us. We cut back to the panicking Dr. Bennell and Becky who are struggling to get answers. We see as they exit the house back into the garden and Dr. Bennell informs the others of his plans to stay, and tells them to leave the town as soon as possible. Becky announces that she refuses to leave Dr. Bennell’s side, so the other couple flee. The remaining couple re-enter the greenhouse. Dr. Bennell hovers the fork over the Becky look-alike double, as he goes i for the kill. A series of shot-reverse-shots play out as we see the obvious anguish on Dr. Bennell’s face as he struggles to fork the Becky double. Instead, he forks his own pod-copy. Becky runs to answer the phone again, and we find out through the operator on the phone that doctors from the neighbouring town are still unavailable. A cut to Dr. Bennell plays as he repeatedly forks the body before fleeing with Becky. We and the characters realise that there is no help. A visible cross-fade transition plays out indicating a prolepsis into the next sequence.
Cinematography
Reaction shots are used frequently in this section of the film. For example, as Dr. Bennell and Becky enter the greenhouse we see a close-up shot of each characters reaction to the newly discovered growing pods.
Tracking shots of Dr. Bennell are used as he enters the ‘barbecue area’ of the garden, this simply reinforces his importance to the audience and reminds us that he is definitely the main focus character of the film.
Low-angle canted shot looking up at DB from the inside of the greenhouse - this is used to show something is amiss (not quite right)
As Dr. Bennell calls Jack into the greenhouse a perfectly composed four shot of him, Jack, Becky and Teddy plays out. This allows the audience to see their reactions all at once.
As they all enter and seamlessly position themselves perfectly to fill the frame, the camera cuts between them with separate reaction shots of each character, cutting from the pod, to Dr. Bennell, to the pod again, to Becky etc. This allows the audience to see each characters reaction of horror and confusion as well as allowing themselves time to react. These reaction shots are filmed at a canted angle to further highlight their confusion and terror.
Reaction shots are also used to subconsciously indicate to the audience how they should feel about the situation presented to them. In this section of the film we see Jack and Teddy’s horror and distress stricken faces as the slime encrusted cadavers emerge from the bubbling pod-like entity. This subtly manipulates the audience into mirroring their reactions.
Mise-en-scène
As the slime encrusted cadavers emerge, their movements are very awkward and unsettling, this causes the audience to feel repulsed with horror.
During a closeup shot of Becky answering the phone, she is heavily ‘made up’ with her makeup and hair done. The catchlights which create a glimmer in her eyes are used to emphasise her vulnerability and helplessness to the situation, she looks as though she has lost all hope.
The improvised weaponry of everyday objects, such as the fork in the greenhouse, makes the film feel more real and believable as it would be quite unusual for the characters to pull out a made up weapon out of nowhere. This is also a typical convention of the science-fiction invasion sub-genre.
Sound
The director (Don Siegel) cleverly pairs each prolepsis transition with a small narration from Dr. Bennell. This helps the audience almost see into Dr. Bennell’s minds and hear his opinions/feeling of the events which have just played out. Further driving our understanding of the story.
The visible oozing and bubbling coming from the pod-like entities are also accompanied by diegetic slimy sticky sounds. This forces a visceral reaction from the audience as the sounds are uncomfortable and unpleasant. The fact that Dr. Bennell is unaware of this also adds to the suspense and leaves the audience on edge.
As Dr. Bennell is moving to exit the greenhouse, his attention is drawn back as uncomfortable popping sounds of the oozing organic entity are heard. This provokes the audience to feel repulsed and disgusted, whihc is reinforced by the reaction shot of Dr. Bennells horror stricken face. This scene is accompanied by the non-diegetic composed score, which works as an emotion track and highlights its significance while giving an added shock effect.
The non-diegetic composed score also tells us as an audience how to feel. When we see a close up of the slime encrusted cadaver that has emerged from one of the pods, a dramatic non-diegetic score plays out, which reinforces the audiences repulsion and terror.
Exposition is also used in this section of the film to further drive our understanding. This can be heard during the scene inside the house where Becky asks Dr. Bennell questions about the pods. Here, she is used as a voice for the audience by asking the questions we are all thinking. Additionally, Dr. Bennell answers her questions with a series of plausible explanations. By not giving us a straight answer, the audience is left on edge.
Editing
This sequence opens immediately through a visible cross-fade transition into Dr. Bennell’s driveway, which indicates to the audience that a prolepsis has taken place. Further driving their understanding.
As Dr. Bennell and Becky enter the house and split apart from Jack and Teddy, parallel editing is used. The usage of this type of editing allows the audience to understand that the two sequences are taking place at the same time. For instance, after the scene of Dr. Bennell and Becky on the phone to the operator plays out, the camera cuts to Jack and Teddy who are in the greenhouse cautiously watching over the pods, the use of parallel editing allows the audience to connect the two scenes and recognise that the they are happening simultaneously. This also allows the film to play out in a linear narrative.
Science-fiction tropes
The science-fiction invasion sub-genre surprisingly always contains a theme of invasion. This convention can quite obviously be seen in this section of the film where the start of the invasion plays out, and the aliens are beginning to infiltrate earth.
The ‘American dream’-like setting can also be seen in this section of the film. For instance the scene opens with a pleasant/domestic situation of two everyday couples enjoying a barbecue together. This convention is used a lot as it creates a cozy-catastrophe, where we see the characters ‘safe place’ being infiltrated by the slimy cadavers, this creates more emotion from the audience when things begin to go wrong.
The reaction shots of each characters shock to the events heavily portray themes of disbelief which is a typical convention of the invasion sub-genre.
Themes of ‘invisible enemy’ are also portrayed in this section of the film, as the slimy pods have been growing right under Dr. Bennell’s nose.
In this sequence, Becky heavily portrays the princess character type, this is shown when she announces to Dr. Bennell that she does not want to leave his side, reinforcing the damsel in distress convention. The princess character type is portrayed again near end of the sequence as she speaks to the operator on the phone. In this scene she is shot close-up in the rule of thirds to keep her centrally framed, she is also filmed in shallow focus to fully focus the audiences attention on her.