The Blob, 1988. My Journey into Science Fiction Part 17.

Hello, and welcome back to my Journey into Science Fiction Part 17. The Blob was directed by Chuck Russell, who shared screenwriting duties with Frank Darabont. The film received mixed reviews upon its release and was deemed a failure for the studio. However, it would become a cult classic amongst fans. The Blob is a story about a meteorite that crashes into a small town in America. After it makes first contact with one of the locals, it slowly begins to absorb everything and everyone in its path. I was aware of this film and its predecessor but hadn’t watched either one of them before. I will admit, I am extremely surprised this film was released in the late eighties. I understand it has a bit of a fifties vibe going on, but the visual style of the film is so far ahead of its time. The visual and special effects are outstanding, and a great achievement to everyone involved in its production. The film reminds me of some of the great films, and TV shows I have enjoyed, Twin Peaks, Wayward Pines, and The Twilight Zone. You know when any meteor crash lands nearby, you have to poke it with a stick? I mentioned first contact earlier when describing the film, only because the homeless man reminded me of Zephram Cochrane.

Brian Flagg Kevin Dillon plays the misunderstood and rebellious delinquent teenager brilliantly and some of his one-liners made me laugh out loud. “Feels like fucking Hansel and Gretel in here, and “I should have brought some Breadcrumbs” The homeless man’s is my favourite character by far. That little dog growling at the meteor is some of the best acting in the film and he or she definitely should have won best supporting actor in my opinion. I need to mention Paul McCrane as Deputy Billy Briggs, if anything came from another planet, it’s undoubtedly that moustache. Tony Gardner worked on the special effects for the film and unexpectedly found himself in charge of a crew of thirty-three. I was expecting a lot of early computer-generated effects in this film for some reason, so I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of practical effects within the film. I think the best scene for me is in the telephone booth, as Fran Hewitt Candy Clark is trying to call Sheriff Herb Geller Jeffrey DeMunn. Fran finds herself surrounded by the Blob and the Sheriff’s face appears in the glass of the telephone booth before it implodes. I will admit that left me feeling quite claustrophobic and unsettled. You get the sense that the effects team got the chance to try something new in this film. I enjoyed watching The Blob, and it was an interesting twist, that the meteorite turns out to be manufactured by the Government. I guess this is a sign of the times and a real reflection of humanity’s lack of trust of those in power. The funny thing is, I decided to write about this film before we entered a Global Pandemic and there are so many theories about why and how we find ourselves in this situation. I appreciated the horror of the film, and the Blob itself is pretty brutal and unforgiving. 

I have recently watched the original movie because I was curious to see how these two movies compare. I have to say, the original does have its charm, but Chuck Russell’s adaptation is such a classic, and the more I think about the movie, the more I begin to appreciate it. Alternatively, I am surprised that it did so poorly at the box office. The Blob in this movie is brutal, and it features some of the best death scenes in modern horror. However, I do find that the passage of time truly tells the significance of a movie’s true quality, and I think this version will only grow in popularity in the years that come. It only took me over thirty to work that out. As much as it was deemed a disaster, studios still gave Chuck Russell a chance, and he has repaid them well.

The Blob is a well-produced and constructed movie, and you can see the quality on the screen. Compared to Rambo III which had a budget of sixty-five million, you can see that everyone involved in this movie worked hard, and delivered in every detail possible. I liked how the Blob in the first movie represented the fear of outside influences, but Chuck Russell’s version was distrust of something closer to home and a sign of things to come. I think the film is brilliant, and maybe the marketing campaign let it down a bit, or it just didn’t hit at the right time. Whatever the reason, it deserves better. Even today, I hear how the original is superior, and has more charm. No, it’s not, it’s not even a close second to the later version. My review is a bit sporadic, and I get that, but my thoughts on the film are not. This is truly a wonderful piece of cinema, and if you have watched it, I think you would agree. For those who haven’t, take a chance and you might find something worthwhile. 

 So, where to next in My Journey into Science Fiction Part 18? I noticed that the cinematography for The Blob was filmed by Mark Irwin. My craving for more David Cronenberg is at an all-time high, so I have to go to Scanners 1981, as Mark Irwin worked on that movie also. There was a novelisation of Scanners in my house growing up, and I cannot tell you how many times I would stare at that cover. I might have to purchase that again now as well.

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