The Blob

Let's take a step back, all the way to 1988. That's when they remade a classic horror movie from 1958, namely The Blob. Fun fact: Steve McQueen headlined the original Blob.

Anyway, I didn't see either version until a few years later when they used to run all the horror classics (and a few less classic movies) during the summer on TV.

So, the 1988 Blob. Essentially it's a sentient, moving pile of pink slime that eats people. It's gory and gooey, all in all pretty disgusting, precisely what you want from a cheesy horror movie. It's also pretty inconsistent with it's own rules, when it bothers to give any rules.

There are a couple of points though, that really shine through. First of all the main heroine, Meg, played very well by Shawnee Smith who went on to star in the Saw franchise. Although Meg faints the first time she sees the Blob eat someone, she goes on to really save the day. She is certainly no shrinking violet who stands around and screams until the hero comes and rescues her. To the contrary, she rescues the hero, Brian, just as much as he rescues her. A very nice balance, seldom seen.

The second point I'd like to make is the script itself. It's really well written in how it presents the small town, it's skiing resort, and the artificial blizzard cannons they need to keep the resort nice and snowy. It does all this in the first five - ten minutes of the film without you really noticing it. It absolutely does not hit you over the head with the information like a lesser film would. It goes by during the “everything is normal” phase. Blink and you'll miss it.

Finally, The Blob ties up all the loose threads. As far as I can tell, it leaves nothing hanging. Even minor side character arcs are wrapped up nicely. A very rare feature indeed.

Is it silly? Yes. Is it corny and cliched? Yes. But it's also pretty good. So ultimately if you're in the mood for a monster movie, give The Blob a chance. I can't speak to the original '58 version, I simply don't remember it well enough anymore, its been some twenty years since I saw it.

So until next time, when we might well revisit another horror classic from years gone by, have a great week!