The Blob

Director(s) - Irvin S. Yeaworth Jr. (The Flaming Teenager, Dinosaurs!) and Russell S. Doughten Jr. (Face in the Mirror, The Hostage)
Starring - Steve McQueen (Bullitt, The Great Escape), Aneta Corsaut (The Andy Griffith Show, Blazing Saddles), and Earl Rowe (Naked City, Kojak)
Release Date - 1958
Genre - Horror/Sci-Fi
Tagline - "Indescribable...indestructible!  Nothing can stop it!"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     I remember going to my grandmothers as a kid and watching a bunch of horror and sci-fi flicks.  Some I would rent while others I would catch on the Sci-Fi Channel before the name change.  She loved sci-fi films and most of my time with her was in front of the television watching the stuff.  I remember when I was in elementary school I watched the 1988 remake of The Blob.  I can't remember if we had rented the tape or it was television but I remember watching it and telling her that I really liked it.  She shrugged her shoulders and said the original was better.  Sometime later we were able to see it and I loved it.  Both were great for different reasons but these two movies always stood out to me.  Scream Factory recently released The Blob remake on blu and I wanted to revisit the original before I tossed in the remake so I ordered the Criterion release of the origianl to check out. 

     The film follows two teenagers who are out on a date when they spot something falling to Earth.  They rush out into the woods to find it when they come across an old hermit with something on his hand.  They rush him to the town doctor and he begins treating it while the young couple goes back to where they found him in hopes of finding clues that will lead to what happened.  While they are gone the thing on the hermit's hand begins to grow and consumes the old man before moving on to the doctor and his nurse.  Before long the blob is growing in size and starts taking over the town inch by inch.  It's up to the young couple and the police to stop it but what can stop a gelatinous blob that seems impervious to man-made weapons? 

     The Blob is a classic.  Sure, it looks cheap and the acting is far from perfect but you can't deny how much fun it is.  The acting in this one is what I like to call drive-in gold.  The cast does a decent enough job but they do ham it up a lot.  Some of the scenes are extremely awkward to watch while others are unintentionally funny.  Personally, the acting is one of the many reasons I love this one so much.  The story for this one works on several many levels.  A giant red blob eating people and devouring buildings was easy to adapt using miniatures and a array of practical effects without breaking the bank.  The film does feel dry at times but the action is fairly consistent throughout.  The simple story works well with the film's low budget and the cheesy acting helps move it along.  Finally, those wanting blood and gore wont find it here. However, if you are a fan of mid-century visual effects and camera tricks then you are in the right place.  The miniatures, practical effects, and so forth may look cheesy but it works with everything else going on.  Overall, The Blob is one I recommend all horror and sci-fi fans should check out.  I know not many of you out there have not seen it but if you are on the fence about checking it out I highly suggest you do.  It's worth the time.