One of the most chilling scenes in the 1962 film “The Manchurian Candidate” is a reoccurring nightmare Capt. Bennett Marco cannot escape.

Marco, played by Frank Sinatra, is captured with his platoon by Communists during the Korean War, and they are hypnotized. To show their complete dedication, an enemy doctor orders one of Marco’s men, Raymond Shaw, to strangle one of his comrades, then shoot another in the head. No one even flinches.

As the plot unfolds, conspiracies to the upper reaches of our government are exposed, and Marco must save Shaw before the hypnotism makes him do something even worse.

This film was considered to be a political dynamite when first released. It was a scathing critique on the communist scare drummed up by Sen. Joseph McCarthy, and “The Manchurian Candidate” argued “red paranoia” was actually worse for freedom than communism itself.

The most stunning performance comes from Angela Lansbury (“Murder, She Wrote”) as Shaw’s power-hungry mother. A cold and cunning character, it is shocking not only to see this sweet-natured actress in the role, but to see she is really good.

Although the new surround sound audio track sounds great, the video transfer leaves something to be desired. The picture is clear, but the black colors look faded, especially when they take over the frame. But for a movie more than 40 years old, you won’t find a better look anywhere.

While the idea of communism might be a bit dated for today’s audience — thus explaining changes in the 2004 remake — “The Manchurian Candidate” remains a powerful and often terrifying look into the power of paranoia.

— Keith DuCharme