Directed by Chuck Russell [Other horror films: A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987), Bless the Child (2000)]
Often considered one of the better remakes of the 1980’s, I’d only seen The Blob once before, edited on Chiller, prior to seeing it again. It certainly holds up better than what I remember, and all-in-all, it’s an enjoyable film.
There’s a little unpacking I have to do first, though. The original Blob, from 1958, is one of my favorite horror films. It’s a movie I grew up on, and I’ve watched my VHS copy so many times, I’m surprised the tape’s not frayed. When I first saw the remake, edited as it was, I went in with the idea nothing could match up to the original, given how much I loved it, and with that frame of mind going in, it didn’t. I didn’t hate the film when I first saw it, but I didn’t think it was particularly good, either.
I now see that The Blob is a good movie, though the 1958 version is still my go-to.
The effects in the film are probably the best of the 1980’s, and there’s a lot of gruesome body melting here, all of which is appreciated. I preferred the simpler look of the Blob from the original, but this is still okay. The multitude of deaths in the film, many of which are rather violent, certainly make the film even more memorable. Also, the conclusion as a whole, though somewhat expected, was still a lot of fun.
Shawnee Smith (best known, perhaps, as her role of Amanda from the Saw films) does solidly here as a kick-ass cheerleader. Kevin Dillon (who is a guy I’ve never heard of before) also did great job in his anti-authority teen role. Perhaps most disappointing here is Jeffrey DeMunn, who is an actor I really like, having appeared in Storm of the Century, The Green Mile, and The Mist. He’s great here, make no mistake, but I feel they could have done a lot more with him than they did. Lastly, both Joe Seneca (who played an utterly detestable character) and Art LaFleur stood out positively also.
Overall, I think The Blob is a good film, and a very enjoyable piece of 80’s horror. It doesn’t quite capture the magic of the original, but it’s an enjoyable film all the same, and though I don’t agree, I can certainly see why many prefer it to the original 50’s classic.
8/10
This was covered on a Fight Evil podcast. If interested, listen to Chucky (@ChuckyFE) and I discuss this one below.
Jiggy's Horror Corner 
6 thoughts on “The Blob (1988)”