The Blob franchise consists of American science fiction monster-horror films, including the Steve McQueen-led original, its campy comedic sequel, and its remake. Based on an original story by Irving H. Millgate, the plot centers around the invasion of Earth by an amoeboidal alien from outer space that emerges from a meteorite and feasts on anything that it comes into contact with. The story of each installment includes the resistance of the planet's inhabitants, and their attempts to thwart the monster's advances.
| The Blob | |
|---|---|
 Official logo, as released originally in 1958. | |
| Based on | Original story by Irving H. Millgate |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
Release date | 1958-present |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $12,338,776 (3 films) |
| Box office | ~$19,350,000 (3 films) |
The 1958 original film was met initially with mixed critical reception,[1] but was a financial successes at the box office, making a large return for the studio despite its B-movie micro-sized production budget.[2] Becoming more popular than the top-billed film in its debut double feature release, The Blob (1958) has been deemed a horror classic of U.S. cinema, by modern day critics who cite its influence over contemporary films.[3][4]
Its 1972 sequel was likewise met with mixed reception from critics, and ultimately lost money at the box office.[5][6] In the years since, criticisms regarded the change of genre, its comedy style, and the inclusion of hippie plotlines calling it a "relic" of its time;[7][6] while the cast and their performance were stated as being notable.[8][9]
The 1988 remake was also met with mixed reviews from critics,[10] while being deemed a box office bomb upon its release.[11][12] Despite these early reactions, the film has gained a following of fans, and is often regarded as one of the greatest remakes in the history of horror films, earning its classification as a cult classic by modern film critics; some even consider it better than the original.[13][14][15]
As of 2015, a reboot film was said to have been in development.[16]
Films
edit| Film | U.S. release date |
Director | Screenwriters | Story by | Producer(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Blob | September 12, 1958 | Irvin Yeaworth | Kay Linaker & Theodore Simonson | Jack H. Harris | |
| Beware! The Blob | June 21, 1972 | Larry Hagman | Anthony Harris & Jack Woods | Jack H. Harris and Richard Clair | |
| The Blob | August 5, 1988 | Chuck Russell | Chuck Russell & Frank Darabont | Irving H. Millgate | Jack H. Harris and Elliott Kastner |
| Untitled film | TBA | David Bruckner | David Bruckner and Carey W. Hayes & Chad Hayes |
Carey W. Hayes & Chad Hayes | David S. Goyer and Keith Levine |
The Blob (1958)
editThe Blob, directed by Irvin Yeaworth, written by Kay Linaker and Theodore Simonson, and starring Steve McQueen and Aneta Corsaut, follows a carnivorous amoeboidal alien that crashes to Earth from outer space inside a meteorite, landing near the small communities of Phoenixville and Downingtown, Pennsylvania, which envelops living beings, growing larger, redder in color, and more aggressive as it moves along.
Beware! The Blob (1972)
editBeware! The Blob, directed by Larry Hagman, written by Anthony Harris and Jack Woods III from a story by Jack H. Harris and Richard Clair, and starring Robert Walker and Gwynne Gilford, follows the titular blob fifteen years on from the events of the previous film, as it is unfrozen by an oblivious pipeline engineer, and teenagers must face off against it as it consumes more and more people.
The Blob (1988)
editThe Blob, a remake of the 1958 film directed by Chuck Russell, co-written by Russell with Frank Darabont, and starring Kevin Dillon and Shawnee Smith, follows an acidic, amoeba-like organism that crashes down to Earth in a military satellite, landing near the small community of Arborville, California, and devouring and dissolving anything in its path as it grows.
Future
editIn August 2009, it was announced that a reboot of the franchise was in development, with Rob Zombie serving as writer, director, and producer. The filmmaker stated that his adaptation would be different from the original, with a darker tone; stating that his "intention is not to have a big red blobby thing", and that it's "the first thing [he] want[ed] to change". The production was intended to be R-rated, with Zombie stating that it would primarily be a science fiction movie with horror elements. Richard Saperstein, Brian Witten, Jack H. Harris, Judith Parker Harris, and Andy Gould were announced as additional producers on the project. At that time the project was announced to a joint-venture production between The Genre Co., Dimension Films, and Worldwide Entertainment Corporation. Principal photography was scheduled to commence in spring of 2010, with a budget of $30 million total.[17][18][19] Zombie later stepped down from the position however, citing creative differences and due to multiple delays.[20] Carey W. Hayes and Chad Hayes wrote the next draft of the script during this time.[21]
In January 2015, the project re-entered development with Simon West signed on as director. Richard Saperstein and Brian Witten were to serve as producers, while producer of the original film, Jack H. Harris would serve as executive producer. The project would utilize CGI special effects to portray the titular monster. Principal photography was tentatively scheduled for that summer. Goldcrest Films, Taewon Entertainment, and A-List Corporation were intended to serve as the production studios, while Goldcrest was intended to distribute the project.[22] West classified the film as a science fiction monster movie featuring alien invasion which would explore the extra terrestrial in greater detail, stating that it would be similar to Alien and Predator.[16] By May 2021, following various degrees of development hell, the project was delayed once more with producers citing the COVID-19 pandemic as one of the reasons. Despite this, the producers filed a lawsuit stating that the coronavirus extends their contract deadline to continue retaining the film rights.[23]
By January 2024, West had stepped down from his role as director, following a resolution to the rights dispute. David Bruckner was hired to write and direct, with David S. Goyer and Keith Levine attached as producers and Judith Harris (the rights holder and widowed-wife of franchise producer) serving as executive producer. The project will be a joint-venture production between Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group, and Phantom Four Films.[24]
Main cast and characters
edit| Character | Original series | Remake | |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Blob | Beware! The Blob | The Blob | |
| 1958 | 1972 | 1988 | |
| The Blob | Appears | ||
| Steven "Steve" Andrews | Steven McQueen | ||
| Jane Martin | Aneta Corsaut | ||
| Lt. Dave Barton | Earl Rowe | ||
| Barney | Olin Howland | ||
| Sgt. Jim Bert | John Benson | ||
| Officer Ritchie | George Karas | ||
| Henry Martin | Elbert Smith | ||
| Mr. Andrews | Hugh Graham | ||
| Elizabeth Martin | Audrey Metcalf | ||
| Bobby Hartford | Robert Walker | ||
| Leslie | Carol Lynley | ||
| Chester Hargis | Godfrey Cambridge | ||
| Lisa Clark | Gwynne Gilford | ||
| Edward Fazio | Richard Stahl | ||
| Sheriff Jones | Richard Webb | ||
| Mariane Hargis | Marlene Clark | ||
| Joe | Gerrit Graham | ||
| Deputy Kelly Javis | J. J. Johnston | ||
| Brian Flagg | Kevin Dillon | ||
| Megan "Meg" Penny | Shawnee Smith | ||
| Paul Taylor | Donovan Leitch | ||
| Sheriff Herb Gelller | Jeffrey DeMunn | ||
| Deputy Bill Briggs | Paul McCrane | ||
| Tom Penny | Art LaFleur | ||
| Jennings | Robert Axelrod | ||
| Dr. Christopher Meddows | Joe Seneca | ||
| Revernd Meeker | Del Close | ||
| Fran Hewitt | Candy Clark | ||
Additional crew and production details
edit| Film | Crew/Detail | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Composer(s) | Cinematographer | Editor(s) | Production companies |
Distributing company |
Running time | ||
| The Blob (1958) |
Ralph Carmichael & Burt Bacharach | Thomas E. Spalding | Alfred Hillmann | Tonylyn Productions Inc., Valley Forge Films, Fairview Productions |
Paramount Pictures | 1hr 26mins | |
| Beware! The Blob | Mort Garson | Al Ham | Tony de Zarraga | Jack H. Harris Enterprises Inc. | 1hr 31mins | ||
| The Blob (1988) |
Michael Hoenig & J. Peter Robinson | Mark Irwin | Tod Feuerman & Terry Stokes | Tri-Star Pictures, Palisades California Inc. |
TriStar Pictures | 1hr 35 mins | |
| Untitled film | TBA | TBA | TBA | Warner Bros. Pictures, Phantom Four Films |
Warner Bros. Motion Pictures Group[broken anchor] | TBA | |
Reception
editBox office and financial performance
edit| Film | Box office gross | Box office ranking | Worldwide total home video sales |
Worldwide total net income |
Budget | Worldwide total gross income/loss |
Ref. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North America | Other territories | Worldwide | All time North America |
All time worldwide | ||||||
| The Blob (1958) | $4,000,000 | — | $4,000,000 | information not available | information not available | information not available | >$4,000,000 | $110,000 | >$3,890,000 | [2][21][25] |
| Beware! The Blob | $90,833 | — | $90,833 | information not available | information not available | $130,777 | $221,610 | ~$240,000 | ~ -$18,390 | [5][26][27] |
| The Blob (1988) | $8,247,943 | — | $8,247,943 | #5,410 | #7,515 | information not available | >$8,247,943 | $19,000,000 | > -$11,000,000 | [21][11] |
| Totals | $12,338,776 | $0 | $12,338,776 | x̄ #1,803 | x̄ #2,505 | >$130,777 | >$12,469,553 | ~$19,350,000 | ~ -$6,880,447 | |
Critical and public response
edit| Film | Rotten Tomatoes |
|---|---|
| The Blob (1958) | 66% (32 reviews)[28] |
| Beware! The Blob | N/A (2 reviews)[7] |
| The Blob (1988) | 60% (25 reviews) [29] |
In other media
editOther films
editThe titular monster from another planet also featured in various other films, namely a number of 3D-styled animated monster-family comedies. Dreamworks Animation movie, Monsters vs. Aliens (2009) includes characters inspired by various '50s "creature" films,[30] while the Sony Pictures Animation Hotel Transylvania franchise, includes incarnations of various Universal Classic Monsters in addition to monsters from other franchises and studios.[31]
| Film | U.S. release date |
Director(s) | Screenwriters | Story by | Producer(s) | Production studios |
Distributing studio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monsters vs. Aliens | March 27, 2009 | Rob Letterman & Conrad Vernon | Maya Forbes & Wallace Wolodarsky and Rob Letterman and Jonathan Aibel & Glenn Berger |
Rob Letterman & Conrad Vernon | Lisa Stewart | DreamWorks Animation | Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks Distribution LLC |
| Hotel Transylvania | September 28, 2012 | Genndy Tartakovsky | Peter Baynham & Robert Smigel | Todd Durham and Dan Hageman & Kevin Hageman |
Michelle Murdocca | Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, Happy Madison Productions |
Sony Pictures Releasing, Columbia Pictures |
| Hotel Transylvania 2 | September 25, 2015 | Robert Smigel & Adam Sandler | Michelle Murdocca | Columbia Pictures, LStar Capital, Sony Pictures Animation, MRC, Happy Madison Productions, Sony Pictures Digital, Sony Pictures Imageworks | |||
| Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation | June 13, 2018 | Genndy Tartakovsky & Michael McCullers | Michelle Murdocca | Sony Pictures Animation, MRC, Happy Madison Productions, Rough Craft Korea | |||
| Hotel Transylvania: Transformania | January 14, 2022 | Jennifer Kluska & Derek Drymon | Genndy Tartakovsky | Alice Dewey Goldstone | Columbia Pictures, MRC, Sony Pictures Animation |
Amazon Prime Video | |
Events
editSince 1999, a yearly event called Blobfest has been held in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania at the Colonial Theatre as scenes for the film were filmed there, as well as surrounding cities and at the theater. The events celebrate the town's portrayal and appearance in The Blob films, and include: 1950s live music, skit performances, cosplaying by attendees encouraged to dress as characters from the films as well as in the style of the time period, food and drink vendors, souvenir memorabilia, and a reenactment of the "run out" scene featured in the film.[32][33][34]
Legacy
editAnalysis
editIn 1997, film historians named Kim R. Holston and Tom Winchester were quoted as noting that The Blob (1958) was a "very famous piece of pop culture is a model of a decent movie on a small budget".[6]
Additionally, the film is recognized by American Film Institute in the following lists:
- 2001: AFI's 100 Years...100 Thrills – Nominated[35]
- 2003: AFI's 100 Years...100 Heroes & Villains - The 50 Greatest Heros & 50 Greatest Villains: "The Blob" – #30 Nominated Villain[36]
Influence
editIn computing, a Binary large object or "blob" is classified as a collection of binary data stored as a single file. These "blobs" typically consist of images, audio, other multimedia objects, or a combination of these items. Additionally, sometimes executable code is stored as a "blob". Binary large objects originally were originally non-descript large accumulations of data invented by Jim Starkey at the Digital Equipment Corporation. Starkey later described their function jokingly as "the thing that ate Cincinnati, Cleveland, or whatever...[from] the 1958 Steve McQueen movie", acknowledging that their term refers to The Blob.[37]
References
edit- ^ Variety Staff (December 31, 1958). "The Blob". Variety. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
- ^ a b Weaver, Tom (2002). "Interview with Russ Doughten, pg. 91". Science Fiction Confidential: Interviews with 23 Monster Stars and Filmmakers. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company. ISBN 978-0-78641-175-7.
- ^ Ramirez, Sonia (October 20, 2020). "Catch the 1958 classic 'The Blob' at Houston's 1940 Air Terminal Museum drive-in". Chron. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
- ^ Lenz, Sam (October 26, 2019). "'The Blob' (1958) — A Film Ahead of Its Time". The Sam Lenz Medium. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
- ^ a b Lezmi, Joshua (September 9, 2022). "16+ Must-See Campy Horror Movies". Creepy Catalog. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
The 1988 remake was released 30 years after the original and had a budget approximately 80 times greater than its predecessor [Beware! The Blob].
- ^ a b c Holston, Kim R. & Tom Winchester (1997). Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Film Sequels, Series and Remakes: An Illustrated Filmography. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company. ISBN 978-0-7864-0155-0.
- ^ a b "Beware! The Blob". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
- ^ Brooks, Mike (October 27, 2016). "Beware! The Blob (1972) – Review". Manapop. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
- ^ Midnite Reviews staff (October 28, 2017). "Beware! The Blob (1972)". Midnite Reviews. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
- ^ Variety Staff (December 31, 1987). "The Blob (1988)". Variety. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
- ^ a b "The Blob (1988)". The Numbers. Nash Information Services, LLC. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
- ^ "AFI Catalog of Feature Films - The First 100 YEARS 1893–1993: The Blob (1988)". AFI Catalog. American Film Institute. 2019. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
- ^ Lambie, Ryan (April 30, 2018). "Why The Blob (1988) Is One of the Best Horror Remakes Ever". Den of Geek. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
- ^ Navarro, Meagan (August 5, 2018). "It Fell From the Sky: One of Horror's Best Remakes, 'The Blob' Turns 30!". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
- ^ Brehmer, Nate (January 19, 2022). "How The Blob Remake Outdid the Original!". Wicked Horror. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
- ^ a b Lambie, Ryan (March 10, 2015). "The Blob remake: "along the lines of Alien and Predator"". Den of Geek. Retrieved March 6, 2022.
- ^ Fleming, Michael (August 27, 2009). "Rob Zombie to remake 'The Blob'". Variety. Retrieved March 6, 2022.
- ^ Miska, Brad (October 5, 2009). "Horror Nights '09: Rob Zombie on 'The Blob' and making music". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved March 6, 2022.
- ^ BlabberMouth staff (August 28, 2009). "Rob Zombie to Remake 'The Blob'". BlabberMouth. Retrieved March 6, 2022.
- ^ Squires, John (December 3, 2018). "Rob Zombie Was Remaking 'The Blob' At One Point and Early Concept Art Has Now Surfaced". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved March 6, 2022.
- ^ a b c Lambie, Ryan (January 29, 2015). "The Strange History of The Blob movies". Den of Geek. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
- ^ Targalione, Nancy (January 22, 2015). "Simon West To Helm 'The Blob' Remake; Goldcrest Selling At EFM – Berlin". Deadline. Retrieved March 6, 2022.
- ^ Gardner, Eriq (May 6, 2021). "Producers Say COVID Extended Contract Deadline to Remake 'The Blob'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 6, 2022.
- ^ Gonzalez, Umberto (January 9, 2024). "David Bruckner to Write and Direct 'The Blob' Reimagining at Warner Bros. Discovery - Exclusive". The Wrap. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
- ^ "The Blob (1958)". The Numbers. Nash Information Services, LLC. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
- ^ De Foreset, Sloan (2018). "The Blob". Turner Classic Movies Must-See Sci-fi: 50 Movies That Are Out of This World. New York City, New York: Hatchette Book Group. ISBN 978-0762491520.
- ^ "Beware! The Blob (1972)". The Numbers. Nash Information Services, LLC. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
- ^ "The Blob (1958)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Retrieved June 23, 2022.
- ^ "The Blob (1988)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Retrieved June 23, 2022.
- ^ Winter, Jessica (March 26, 2009). "Monsters vs. Aliens: Has Dreamworks finally made its Pixar movie?". Slate. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
- ^ Gugliersi, Antonella (January 20, 2022). "What Hotel Transylvania's Monsters Look Like As Humans". ScreenRant. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
- ^ Brooks, Bob (July 8, 2022). "Colonial Theatre hosts 23rd 'BlobFest' in Phoenixville, Pa". 6 ABC News. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
- ^ Newall, Mike (July 9, 2022). "Blobfest returns to its 'normal' self and a Chester County town rejoices". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
- ^ Alexander, Aiden (July 7, 2022). "Blobfest 2022: The 23rd Annual Celebration of the Classic Horror Film". My Ches Co. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
- ^ American Film Institute (June 12, 2001). "AFI's 100 Years...100 Thrills Nominees: America's Most Heart-Pounding Movies" (PDF). Retrieved September 12, 2022.
- ^ American Film Institute (June 2003). "AFI's 100 Years...100 Heroes & Villains Nominees" (PDF). Retrieved September 12, 2022.
- ^ Starkey, James (October 17, 2000). "The true story of BLOBs". James Starkey email. Archived from the original on July 23, 2011. Retrieved September 12, 2022.