The Blob

Synopsis: A young couple, Steve Andrews (Steve McQueen) and Jane (Aneta Corsault) witness a meteor crashing down to earth whilst "parked" under the stars. It lands in an old man's back yard and when he investigates his arm is covered by a strange blob. Soon it engulfs his entire body and is growing bigger and bigger by the minute threatening to engulf the whole town.

A classic 50s sci-fi movie, The Blob is the wonderfully kitsch slice of monster mayhem that introduced the world to Steve McQueen, or vice versa. He gives an enthusiastic performance that shows glimpses of the talent that will later make him one of the world's most famous movie stars. The acting is in need of work but those blue eyes shine with star quality.

The fun to be had in this film is waiting for the next attack by the titular Blob, a pink ball of jelly that squirms and slurps its way around town. In one classic scene the Blob terrorizes the local cinema showing "Daughter of Horror", also known as "Dementia". The Blob oozes out of the projection booth as the horrified audience run for their lives trampling on whoever gets in their way. In another, the giant jelly attacks a couple of mechanics, one of who is working underneath a car unaware that the quivering mass is menacingly advancing.

The film has a fantastic theme tune "Beware the Blob", credited to the Five Blobs but actually sung by Bernie Knee and written by the inimitable pairing of Hal David and Burt Bacharach. (In another piece of musical trivia, The Blob is the film that in Grease Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta watched at their local drive-in.

Its always a delight to watch a 50s sci-fi film that has dated so gloriously: when Steve drags his friends out of a cinema they complain "You made us waste our 80c, so what gives?" Those were the days! It's a mark of how enjoyable this film is when the 80s remake may well have shown us the advancement in special effects but lacked all of the charm that the original has, no matter how haphazard are the acting and jelly FX on display.

DVD Extras: The suitably garish packaging kicks things off with a selection of amazing trivia about the film. Producer Jack Harris joins film historian Bruce Eder for a running commentary and director Irvin. S. Yeaworth Jr goes solo on his own track. An hilarious trailer and a image gallery of memorabilia, poster and stills rounds things off. Available from MRA Entertainment.

 

 

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