The Blob (1988)

User Rating:

5.8/10   

Director:

Chuck Russell

Writers:

Theodore Simonson (earlier screenplay) and
Kay Linaker (earlier screenplay) ...

Release Date:

5 August 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

Scream now, while there's still room to breathe.

Plot:

A strange lifeform consumes everything in its path as it grows and grows.

Plot Keywords:

Blob | Remake | Sheriff | Children | Young Boy

Awards:

6 nominations

Cast

Kevin Dillon	...	Brian Flagg
Shawnee Smith	...	Meg Penny
Donovan Leitch	...	Paul Taylor
Jeffrey DeMunn	...	Sheriff Herb Geller
Candy Clark	...	Fran Hewitt
Joe Seneca	...	Dr. Meddows
Del Close	...	Reverend Meeker
Paul McCrane	...	Deputy Bill Briggs
Sharon Spelman	...	Mrs. Penny
Beau Billingslea	...	Moss Woodley
Art LaFleur	...	Pharmacist / Mr. Penny
Ricky Paull Goldin	...	Scott Jeske
Robert Axelrod	...	Jennings
Bill Moseley	...	Soldier #2
Frank Collison	...	Hobbe

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Ultra Stereo

Certification:

Finland:K-15 (uncut DVD version) (2001) | Finland:K-16 (cut) (1989) | Finland:K-16 (cut) (1988) | USA:R (certificate #29131) | Australia:M | Canada:14A | France:-12 | Norway:18 | Singapore:M18 | UK:18 | West Germany:18 | Iceland:16

Filming Locations:

Abbeville, Louisiana, USA

Company:

Palisades California Inc.

Trivia:

Shawnee Smith ("Meg Penny") was once asked whether or not the producers remembered to heat the sewer-water she plunged into while fleeing the Blob. Chuckling, she answered, "Well, they TRIED."

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: While George (the cook) is pulled down the drain, Fran panics and drops a plate of food, which stains the door behind her. But when Brian and Meg come in through the same door, the stain is gone.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Announcer: That's a first down. Ball at a thirty five-yard line.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in When Darkness Came: The Making of 'The Mist' (2008) (V)

Soundtrack:

Feel My Love

Fun, if imperfect, monster horror

One night, just outside of a quiet and small town, a bizarre meteor crashes. A man who goes to investigate finds a weird glop that jumps on his arm and puts him into a state of frenzy. Some young people take him to the hospital and we soon see that the weird substance has eaten most of him and it is still hungry...

The result is a very entertaining monster flick with a very unusual monster - an amorphous blob. After films like Alien, Predator, The Thing, and others thinking of a good monster idea can be tough. Even John Carpenter's well crafted The Thing is a remake, but that didn't stop the film from becoming one of his best due to a good visceral interpretation of the story. The same goes for this film - a remake of an old movie with a very visceral and gory style. Featuring top-notch aesthetic and even some obviously aged, but nonetheless fun, old computer effects it is more of a thorough re-imagination like The Thing was.

However, the film falls a bit on its face when it comes to creating suspense. Many scenes with the title monster are tense and the action good and the gore first-rate, but the connective scenes between them surprisingly lack in tension. With material ripe for an eerie atmosphere it is a shame to see this horror element not fully developed in the film. The result is a fun movie, but it could have been much better. Also the mad scientist/cold war element is a bit stale by today's standards.

But, overall it is a fun little flick featuring a truly merciless monster that gobbles up just about anyone (even kids!). Horror/sci-fi fans will definitely want to check this flick out. 7/10

Rated R: violence, horror images, and profanity