THE BLOB (1988)

Directed By: Chuck Russell 
Written By: Chuck Russell & Frank Darabont 
Story By: Irvine H. Miligate 
Based On The Original Screenplay by: Kay Linkaker & Theodore Simonson 
Cinematography By: Mark Irwin 
Editor: Tod Feuerman & Teddy Stokes 

 Cast: Kevin Dillon, Shawnee Smith, Donovan Leitch, Jeffrey DeMunn, Candy Clark, Del Close, Joe Seneca, Paul McRane, Art LaFleur, Ricky Paull Goldin, Robert Axelrod, Bill Moseley, Jack Nance, Julie McCullough, Erika Eleniak

Believe it or not I find this movie nostalgic. At first it tries to set a mood of innocent small town life. Almost like it's the fifties complete with the good high school girl, he jock he teenage delinquent with the leather jacket and the motorcycle. Then they update it with plenty of gore.

The director tries to set the mood at first with innocence so that when all this disgusting gore and graphic violence happens. It totally throws you off.

It also happens because as just a monster movie this movie wouldn't exactly make it. It's hard to be afraid of jello and it's effects unless you actually see what ibis capable of and just for shock value.

The film and it's monster doesn't discriminate. It is willing to devout and melt women and children. Just like a monster movie it has to show it won't be sopped easily. We see everything thrown at it against it. Including the kitchen sink and still does 't even slow it down. It only makes the blob bigger. What can stop it? You'll have to watch it to see.

The reason I probably examine this movie so much is that I have seen it so many times. This was another movie epic channel 11 used to show all the time and I would watch it each time it came on. It was one of the first horror films I can remember watching other then the FRIDAY THE 13th's and A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET's. Even at 14 I remember this was one of the goriest and scariest movies I had ever seen and I had he need to watch it, eventually uncut on VHS.

Donovan Leitch, who plays Paul Taylor, had to have a full body cast made of himself for one of the more complicated scene where Paul underneath the blob. There were about 50 people running the unstrung Paul. However, 'Chuck Russell' did not tell Shawnee Smith it was really Donovan Leitch underneath the Blob for the first part of the scene. She believed it was going to be an unstrung person. This was so he could get more of a shock out of her. That is the take that is now seen in the movie when Meg screams out Paul's name upon discovering him.

The reason for the gore at least another one Is this film came about in a period where filmmakers at least horror ones were tired of just scares and hinting at the carnage that happened to victims. They were more interested in shocking the audience with the depths of violence and where it would go. HELLRAISER I believe set the bar so it seemed directors were trying to be like it or trying to outdo it. So it was like a challenge who could raise he bar to new heights. Which Clive barker always seemed to be able to win his only competition being he fly. Unfortunately a lot of directors traded in quality for this. At least with this film it feels more like fun or not as serious.

It's a blob how serious can you take it? this is just a glorified b-movie, but is entertaining.

I am shocked there never was a sequel considering how open ended it is and can easily be done without the original survivors. But I guess it bombed, I'm sure there are enough fans to warrant a straight to DVD sequel. Even 8mm and road house got one.

Not all of the carnage is caused by the blob. In one scene one person dies y being trampled While we see all the details. The film, co-written by Frank Darabont - who has adapted a number of Stephen King's works for the screen - contains several references to King's novel 'The Stand':

 • In the novel, a viral "superflu" is engineered by the U.S. government in a biological weapons laboratory that is accidentally unleashed, resulting in a worldwide pandemic; in the film, the blob is likewise the result of experiments in biological warfare accidentally unleashed by the government. Additionally, though the government agents know the blob's true nature, they tell the citizens of Asheville that they are dealing with a highly contagious disease.

 • Kevin Dillon plays Brian Flagg; the demonic Randall Flagg appeared in several of King's novels, making his first appearance in THE STAND.

 • The blob's first victim, the homeless man, is credited as "Can Man," a reference to the STAND character "Trash Can Man." Trash Can Man was Randall Flagg's most devoted follower; in this film, Can Man shares nearly all his scenes with Brian Flagg.

1950's type small town and this graphic massacre, Killing kids this 'twas shocking to me no one was safe A kind of downbeat ending as an epilogue to what we think is safety. Now some of the special effects are a little weak as far as green screen. It the gore is top notch Unlike some of my favorite horror films which were more about mood and discretion letting your imagination do the work of violence in scenes --Here the films which I watched as a child this film presented the worst I could imagine at that age and gloriously shoved in on the screen and in my face. The melting and deteriorating bodies, broken Spines, trampled bodies and faces. This was like a crash course in gore.

This was actually one of the more successful remakes in terms of quality and updating by the material. Even though the small town seems to act like it's the 50's when the first film was released around. Now while church Russell might not be as iconic as John carpenter and his handling of his remake of THE THING. I To an all time horror classic. Some respect is due with this film. Making an almost laughable b horror movie into a genuine one of it's time and a marvel of special effects of the time.

What I love about this I'm is that it is a remake of a campy ridiculous horror film of the 50's starring a way too old Steve McQueen as a teenager. This film pays It's proper respect while updating and tweaking it. Luckily it works to the films advantage. It not only disgusts by also creates general scares and chills. It also has impressive effects and some material that is shocking that the film actually wet that far. You would think with today's sensibilities it would seem dated, but the gore and effects still manage to impress and shock. Believe It or not I believe that film had more guts than today's mainstream horror films. It had a fearlessness and creative ideas. It is also one of the few films that is on par and Better then the film it is based on.

I definitely recommend this film as a home Library Entry.

 Grade: B