The Blob (1988)

Plot Synopsis:

When a meteor crashes near a small town, it unleashes a monster with an insatiable appetite. The only ones who know what's happening at first are three teenagers, while the monstrous blob racks up a body count as it makes its way through the town. 

Positives:

Even 37 years later, the effects surrounding the blob, as well as the effects for the kills in the movie still hold up incredibly well. Of course, it helps that they are practical. The main man behind the effects is Tony Gardner (whose work in the horror genre includes the likes of The Addams Family, Zombieland, Hocus Pocus, and the Chucky franchise starting with Seed). Naturally, it makes sense why the effects look as good as they do. It should also be noted that the movie is directed by Chuck Russell, and co-written by Russell and Frank Darabont. The two had previously worked together on A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors. Their teamwork on this film feels natural. Darabont would go on to have more of an impact on the horror genre, being the man who would later develop The Walking Dead and write and direct three Stephen King adaptations. I bring all of this up because I really enjoy a lot of the movie's characters, especially the two leads. Now, the cast helps a lot in that regard too. I mean the cast includes the likes of Kevin Dillon, Shawnee Smith (who would eventually be known for playing Amanda in the Saw franchise), and Jeffrey DeMunn (who would go to be a Frank Darabont regular). There's also some solid comedic beats throughout the movie too. In particular, there's a scene in a pharmacy where two teenagers go because one of them wants to buy condoms, and lies, saying they are for his friend because he is trying to score with a "naive girl." The payoff is that the girl is the pharmacist's daughter. Finally, I think this movie is a prime example of how to subvert expectations well. At this point, I am going into spoilers here. One of the teenagers in the pharmacy scene is built up throughout the first act as though he may be the protagonist, while the cheerleader he's going on a date with looks as though she's just going to be the standard love interest. But, by the end of the first act the good guy jock is killed, and the cheerleader and the town's bad boy end up as the movie's protagonists. The other element is that the meteor is revealed to be man-made. The titular blob is not an alien, but a government experiment gone wrong. 

Negatives:

As much as the effects around the blob look good, there are points with obvious mat paintings that don't quite hold. Nearly 40 years later, these effects are noticeable. But, that's a nit-pick in the grand scheme of things. 

Final Thoughts:

In case this review hasn't made it clear the 1988 remake of The Blob is one of my all-time favorite horror movies. It's one of those movies I saw as a kid, and has followed me into adulthood. 

My Rating:

🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸

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