The Blob - Criterion Collection

Starring:Steve McQueen, Aneta Corsaut, Earl Rowe, Olin Howland, Alden 'Stephen' Chase, John Benson, George Karas, Lee Paton, Elbert Smith, Hugh Graham (II), Vincent Barbi, Audrey Metcalf, Jasper Deeter, Tom Ogden, Elinor Hammer, Pamela Curran, Ralph Roseman, Charlie Overdorff, David Metcalf, Josh Randolph
Director: Russell S. Doughten Jr., Irvin S. Yeaworth Jr.
Studio: Criterion
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com essential video
What would the average sensible American do if he encountered a pulsing ball of protoplasm from outer space? That's right: he'd poke it with a stick. Thus begins the endearingly earnest and silly tale of The Blob. Young Steve McQueen takes on his first leading role as, um, Steve, a spunky teenager with plenty of heart. Steve sees the blob kill the local doc, but darn it, none of the town's adults will believe him! Yup, it's up to the teens to save the day! Steve and his trusty girlfriend Jane break their curfews(!) and head off into the night to find the Blob and warn the town. The Blob is a completely enjoyable watch from start to finish, offering the triple pleasures of 1950s morals, gee-whiz acting, and a whole lotta extras running around and screaming. The special effects, though primitive, certainly get the job done, and it is still a treat to watch the Blob ooze its way to its next meal. You may notice that the theme song is surprisingly bouncy for a horror flick ("Beware of the Blob! It creeps, and leaps, and glides and slides across the floor"). It was written by Hal David and a fresh young composer by the name of Burt Bacharach. --Ali Davis
Description
"Beware of the Blob!" One of the great cult classics, The Blob melds '50s schlock sci-fi and teen delinquency pics even as it transcends these genres with strong performances and ingenious special effects. Made outside of Hollywood by a maverick film distributor, a crew experienced in religious and educational shorts, and a collection of theatrical talent from Philadelphia and New York, The Blob helped launch the careers of superstud Steve McQueen and composer Burt Bacharach.

The Blob - Criterion Collection
Average customer rating:

Absorbing Performance

As the song goes: "Beware of the Blob - it creeps and leaps and glides and slides..."

The Blob: 5 stars for the movie, 1 star for Criterion.

The best way to watch this iconic film

Good Movie

The Blob - Criterion Collection
Starring: Steve McQueen , Aneta Corsaut , Earl Rowe , Olin Howland , and Alden 'Stephen' Chase
Director: Russell S. Doughten Jr. , and Irvin S. Yeaworth Jr.
Manufacturer: Criterion
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00004W3HE
Release Date: 2000-11-14

Amazon.com essential video

What would the average sensible American do if he encountered a pulsing ball of protoplasm from outer space? That's right: he'd poke it with a stick. Thus begins the endearingly earnest and silly tale of The Blob. Young Steve McQueen takes on his first leading role as, um, Steve, a spunky teenager with plenty of heart. Steve sees the blob kill the local doc, but darn it, none of the town's adults will believe him! Yup, it's up to the teens to save the day! Steve and his trusty girlfriend Jane break their curfews(!) and head off into the night to find the Blob and warn the town. The Blob is a completely enjoyable watch from start to finish, offering the triple pleasures of 1950s morals, gee-whiz acting, and a whole lotta extras running around and screaming. The special effects, though primitive, certainly get the job done, and it is still a treat to watch the Blob ooze its way to its next meal. You may notice that the theme song is surprisingly bouncy for a horror flick ("Beware of the Blob! It creeps, and leaps, and glides and slides across the floor"). It was written by Hal David and a fresh young composer by the name of Burt Bacharach. --Ali Davis

Description

"Beware of the Blob!" One of the great cult classics, The Blob melds '50s schlock sci-fi and teen delinquency pics even as it transcends these genres with strong performances and ingenious special effects. Made outside of Hollywood by a maverick film distributor, a crew experienced in religious and educational shorts, and a collection of theatrical talent from Philadelphia and New York, The Blob helped launch the careers of superstud Steve McQueen and composer Burt Bacharach.

Customer Reviews:

Absorbing Performance.......2007-01-10

While Steve McQueen and the other human actors seem to be honing their acting skills, the Blob itself gives an absorbing performance. In addition to the monster's performance, the story is what makes this 1958 production an essential addition to any collection of science fiction movies. Like The Invasion of the Body Snatchers before it, The Blob deals with the idea of dormant alien life drifting through space, just waiting for a chance encounter with an unsuspecting planet. Hey, it could happen. It may have already happened.

As the song goes: "Beware of the Blob - it creeps and leaps and glides and slides...".......2007-01-02

In 1958, Paramount Pictures released THE BLOB, a modest sci-fi cinematic effort showcasing a struggling, up-and-coming actor named Steve McQueen in his first feature film starring role. THE BLOB - about a primal life form from outer space which comes to earth and begins to indiscriminately devour human flesh - made a killing at the box office and generated a 1972 sequel and a 1988 remake, as well as a Halloween parody by THE SIMPSONS. This movie is also known for its tongue-in-cheek theme song ("Beware of the Blob"), co-written by a pre-famous Burt Bacharach, which went on to become a top 40 hit.

The plot: Teenagers Steve Andrews (McQueen) and Jane Martin (Aneta Corsaut) are out on a date when they glimpse a falling star and attempt to pinpoint its location. Meanwhile, an elderly man comes upon the fallen meteor and pokes at it with a stick (never a sound move in first alien contacting), only to have the meteor break open and the semi-sentient, jelly-like substance within climb up and cling to his hand. The frantic numbnut runs around and is almost struck by Steve's car. Steve and Jane take the man to the hospital, where the jelly blob on the infected victim begins to grow further, eventually consuming its host. It then begins to treat the medical staff like a buffet; the blob inevitably gets out and begins snacking on every human in its path, ever growing larger and larger.

The townspeople are blissfully unaware of the goings-on, despite Steve's desperate attempts to warn them, until a blob assault in a movie theater finally clues in everyone. The town, naturally, falls into a panicked state as the frenzied citizenry mill around and the police strive to ineffectively battle the monstrosity. Finally, it's up to Steve to figure out how to vanquish the blob monster. Unfortunately, he figures it out before the annoying kid actor is eaten.

Absolutely, THE BLOB had its own share of shlock, but, within the confines of its B movie status and irregardless of the cheeky theme song, the cast and crew strived to tell a gripping sci-fi/horror story. The cheesy special effects don't hold up at all to modern day standards (the blob was created initially using a weather balloon and later with tinted silicone gel), and the blob, in today's age, certainly isn't about to realistically intimidate anyone, but there's still an element of nostalgic fun in watching the blob go oozing about its business and scaring the bejesus out of the film characters. The actors made the tale as credible as possible by playing it straight and serious. Kudos go to 27 year old Steve McQueen for convincingly playing a 19 year old. Apparently, McQueen wasn't well liked on the set (he was a prima donna and was in constant argument with the director), but he ended up turning in a charismatic leading man performance. He, evidently, was good enough here that it got him the lead in the television series WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE.

THE BLOB, with its display of 1950s sensibilities so different from today's mores and values, is a time capsule film in which the audience could hearken back to a more innocent time. Back then, as predominantly portrayed in cinematic films, even the delinquents end up being kinda square and wholesome. Put side by side with today's standards, it looks pretty unrealistic today. Anyway, THE BLOB is worth investing about 80 minutes of your time. It tells a decent monster attack story, the special effects are so hokey they're fun, the song is bubbly, and McQueen is very good. But that kid is still annoying.

The Blob: 5 stars for the movie, 1 star for Criterion........2006-12-17

First of all, I want to say that 1958's The Blob is a landmark picture and a fantastically fun sci-fi/horror film. Steve McQueen is perfect in it, and it's quite possibly the best sci-fi cheese to come out of the 50s.

HOWEVER, I'm fed up with the Criterion Collection. What this company seems to intend to do is snatch up the rights to many, many great movies, "class" them up with minimal special features, and sell them at obscene prices. This edition of The Blob has ONE DISC, and the only special features are two commentaries. And we have to cough up $40 to have it.

There are no other options; If you want to own this masterpiece, you have to be able to fork up forty dollars to do so.

Criterion is trying to target great films that should be enjoyed by everyone to a wealthy group of people.

The best way to watch this iconic film.......2006-07-20

As with other Criterion releases, this DVD gets right to the point. No annoying "coming soon" or other cross promotions.

This transfer is clear, but by this point, the film could do with a bit of restoration or at least color balancing. This is a limitation of the original film stock, not of the transfer.

I have watch the film both with and without the commentaries. The commentaries add quite a bit of behind the scenes information and allowed me to enjoy the film on a different level.

If you are a fan of Steve McQueen or of 1950's SF movies, then this is an essential movie. It is one of McQueen's breakthrough roles and one of the better "invasion" SF movies. Granted it was made on a shoe string budget, but it has more realistic characters than just about any other SF movie of its era.

Good Movie.......2006-03-13

I went ahead and ordered the Criterion version of this dvd based on other reviewers who said it was a high quality transfer, etc..

Yes it was good. I liked it.

I don't have anything to compare it to as far as a cheeper dvd so I can't comment on whether the colors are better, etc..

Highly recommended.

Recommended further viewing:

The Manster
The Thing (from another world)
The Four Skulls Of Jonathan Drake
Horror Hotel
The Flesh Eaters
The Indestructible Man
The Brain That Wouldn't Die
Not Of This Earth (original)
The Incredible Shrinking Man
IT (The Terror From Beyond Space)
Invasion Of The Saucer Men
The Fly / The Return Of The Fly / The Curse Of The Fly

Jeff Marzano

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