“It creeps, and leaps, and glides and slides...” The Blob (1958)
Original poster art
After a bit of a hiatus, we are back with our final gooey installment of this series featuring the most recognizable of amorphous monsters, The Blob! While the globby beasties we previously covered emerged from subterranean depths, were summoned by comets and ancient prophesies, and came about as a result of radioactive fallout, this monster is straight-up extraterrestrial. It is an insatiable alien organism with an appetite for humans seemingly plucked from a Norman Rockwell painting.
But before we dive in, we need to talk about the song that runs over the opening credits. This is a light, bubbly theme reminiscent of a commercial jingle and features sax, light percussion, and some silly vocals. The catchy (it’s true) song sets a tone that is downright discordant for a sci-fi/horror film. If you have never seen the film or heard the song I suggest having a listen to the hammiest monster movie theme of all time. Scroll down for the video.
With that in mind, let’s get oozing—and don’t blame us if you begin to crave toast with raspberry jam or cake with raspberry filling by the end of this post.
A boy, a girl, and a blob
Our story takes place on a beautiful summer evening in small-town Pennsylvania where we meet teen Steve Andrews, played by a young—but not teenage young (he was 28 at the time)—Steve McQueen. Though a tad mischievous, Steve is a decent and responsible guy who looks out for his friends and loved ones. His girlfriend Jane Martin (Aneta Corsaut) is thoughtful, soft spoken, and keeps Steve on his toes in her own quiet way.
On this fateful night, the two are in the middle of a heart-to-heart conversation in Steve’s convertible when they spot a meteorite streaking through the night sky and crashing behind a hill in the distance. While looking for the crash site, they encounter an elderly man moaning in pain with a translucent gel-like substance engulfing his hand. Steve and Jane decide to bring him to Dr. Hallen, a local small-town physician (Stephen Chase), who is perplexed by the bizarre growth his new patient’s arm.
The teens leave the old man in the care of “the doc” and head back into the hills to do some sleuthing of their own. They don’t get far before running their into friends, Tony (Robert Fields), “Mooch” (James Bonnet), and Al (Tony Franke). The gang engages in some playful ribbing and a backwards drag race until their run-in with Lt. Dave, a kind and patient local Sheriff who lets the teens go with a warning. Steve’s friends eventually depart and make their way to a local theater for a “Spook Show” screening.
Meanwhile Dr. Hallen and his nurse, fearing their patient has been targeted by some kind of aggressive parasitic organism, consider amputation. Alas, it’s too late as the creature has already absorbed the old man and has grown to the size of a large raspberry-red beachball pulsing and rolling along with purpose. Dr. Hallen and the nurse attempt to fight off the blob but only succeed in becoming its next victims.
With no sign of the doctor and with his home office in shambles, the police, particularly Sgt. Jim Bert (John Bensen), suspect teen pranks. Of course, most of the grown-ups are dismissive of Steve’s talk of a monster. Lt. Dave decides it would be best if the teens and their parents went home for the night and reconvene in the morning to sort it all out. Sensing the growing threat, Steve and Jane sneak out later on to find evidence of the blob, which continues to grow as it consumes more townsfolk. the young couple barely avoid the same fate by hiding out in a freezing meat locker, where the blob recoils at the cold.
The kids are alright
Steve and Jane ultimately track down Tony, Mooch, and Al, imploring them to help warn the town of the danger. While initially (and understandably) skeptical of their friends’ claim—no actual evidence is provided—they are won over by Steve’s earnestness. The boys, along with their respective girlfriends, go door-to-door to warn the ever-clueless adults. Their entreaties are laughed off, compelling Steve and the gang to draw out the locals by honking the horns of every car at their disposal. With a large crowd gathered, Steve attempts to make his case. Just as he is struggling to win them over, there is a big commotion over at the Spook Show.
This monster needs to chill
As unsuspecting horror fans enjoy the flickering images of the spook show, the blob oozes into the projection room through a grate and consumes the unfortunate projectionist before making its way into the theater for a BIG midnight snack. We are then treated to one of the film’s most recognizable sequences as theater goers spill out of the doors in all directions in sheer panic. It becomes clear that the blob has claimed several victims as it has grown to the size of a house!
Meanwhile, Steve, Jane, and her little brother Danny are trapped in a diner that the blob has enveloped. It looks to be curtains for our heroes as Dave, concerned parents, and others look on in horror and desperation. Just then, recalling the blob’s reaction at the freezing cold of the grocery store meat locker, Steve has a eureka moment. The rest is for you to uncover.
My two cents
One could make a pretty strong case that The Blob is not the strongest film in this series; several of the performances are a bit stiff and the climactic big blob scenes towards the end of the film lack the kind of scale and depth that effective miniature work and composite shots might have achieved. That said I feel like any technical limitations on the filmmaking side are at least somewhat offset by the film’s abundance of charm. The characters are mostly a very likable bunch and the way in which kids, their parents, the fire department, and police (we love Lt. Dave!) all mobilize against the extraterrestrial threat is downright quaint—if a little corny. But, we at Concentric Cinema love some cheese, so it’s all good. Of course, this comes in a rather homogenized package that is very much a product of its time.
Steve McQueen delivers this performance right at the cusp of his breakout period. He clearly gives it his all, though I get the sense he wasn’t quite sure how to play a teen (he was already in his late 20s). Soon enough, however, McQueen would enter his career-defining decades of the 1960s and 1970s, when he would demonstrate his versatility several times over. He could play tough and vulnerable characters, heroes and antiheroes, all the while exuding a super cool persona on and off screen. Sadly, McQueen passed away at the young age of 50 from complications associated with mesothelioma. Some of my favorite McQueen films include Bullitt (1968), The Great Escape (1963), The Sand Pebbles (1966), The Getaway (1972), Junior Bonner (1972), and The Towering Inferno.
I also enjoyed Aneta Corsaut as the somewhat demure Jane. While the script requires her to gasp, swoon, and even faint in classic “woman in distress” style, Corsaut also gives Jane opportunities to stand up for herself and even deliver a few zingers to some of the male cast. I love Earl Rowe as the forbearing Lt. Dave, a warm and fuzzy performance that is quite unexpected given his role and the story’s circumstances. While the actors who play Steve’s friends are not the most dynamic players, they do bring just the right amount of teen energy and can-do attitudes.
I already pointed out the limitations in the “big blob” scenes, but I will say that I really enjoyed the close-up shots of the modestly-sized creature sliding over windows, through vents, and under doors. I give the filmmakers credit for finding a way to show us the monster entering tight entryways, unlike in X The Unknown where the monster’s amorphous movements into seemingly inaccessible spaces is only suggested. Our last post delved into this sci-fi entry from Hammer.
The creature was brought to life using a combination of silicone, red vegetable dye, and a barrage balloon (Yes, I had to look it up too). According to this Wikipedia entry a barrage balloon is “a type of airborne barrage, a large uncrewed tethered balloon used to defend ground targets against aircraft attack, by raising aloft steel cables which pose a severe risk of collision with hostile aircraft, making the attacker's approach difficult and hazardous.” Who knew?! The effects department also employed a bit of animation in a few shots, including one where the authorities attempt to electrocute and/or burn the monster with a severed power line.
Turns out amorphous monsters were not the only trend of late 1950s sci-fi cinema; there was a series of “teens vs. monsters” movies whereby a group of conscientious youngsters decide to meet the moment. In these films, teenagers would rally together with or sometimes without the help of the authorities to help thwart a threat posed by giant monsters or hostile aliens. Titles that fit this profile include Invasion of the Saucer Men (1957), Earth vs The Spider (1958), The Blob (1958), and The Giant Gila Monster (1959).
U.S. and international lobby cards.
The Blob continues to exhibit its staying power in the 65+ years since its release. This hungry and hostile glob of raspberry jam continues to hold its place among often-cited classics of mid-century science fiction cinema such as The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951), Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954), Forbidden Planet (1956), and The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957). While The Blob has its shortcomings it is also a vintage b movie through and through, beloved by generations of fans. Case in point: “Blobfest,” which is held annually in Phoenixville, PA where some of the film was shot, including the chaotic evacuation sequence outside the Colonial Theatre. The three-day summer festival features various musical performances, a street fair with horror/sci-fi themed vendors, lots of colorful costumes, screenings of the film, a dance, and reenactment of the scene outside the Colonial Theatre. Mark your calendars for next year’s event, which is slated for July 10-12, 2026. Visit the Blobfest landing page to learn more!
The producer of The Blob was Jack Harris, a familiar name to aficionados of b movies of the late 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. Harris produced, purchased, and/or marketed several sci-fi/horror films including 4D Man (1959), Dinosaurus (1960), Master of Horror (1965), Equinox (1970), Schlock (1973), and Eyes of Laura Mars (1978). He was also executive producer for the cult sci-fi comedy and student film-turned feature Dark Star (1974). Apparently, young filmmakers John Carpenter and Dan O’Bannon did not exactly get along with Harris, which is a story for another day. We covered Dark Star as part of our Cinematic Semicentennial Series. If you haven’t yet, go check it out!
Did you know
Director Irvin S. “Shorty” Yeaworth Jr. was a Christian filmmaker who also designed theme park pavilions. Read more about him in this Los Angeles Time piece published after his passing in 2004.
Steve McQueen was offered a choice of an upfront salary of $3,000 or 10% of the film’s gross. He chose the former, which netted him far less money in the long run as the film was a hit grossing $12 million (equivalent to nearly $100 million today). Take home message: don’t bet against the blob!
The Midnight Spook show attended by Tony, Mooch, Al and company cost 80 cents, less than a $1.00 for a double feature—can you imagine?!
Actor Olin Howland plays the “old man” who first encounters the meteor and the small blob. Howland may be most familiar to monster kids for his one very memorable scene as the good-natured if often inebriated Jensen in Them!, which we featured earlier this year. Howland had over 200 acting credits in a career that spanned back to the silent era.
The film’s sequel, 1972’s Beware! The Blob, is a mess of a movie featuring a brighter red amorphous monster, some mind-boggling awkward dialogue, and a string of victims that includes a cute little kitten (THE NERVE!). That said, this film was on regular rotation back in the day.
The Blob was remade 30 years later in 1988. This version features a scarier monster, nice practical effects, and some visceral kills.
According to a Wikipedia post, the light, campy theme song which opens with movie was written by Burt Bacharach and Mack David and even became a nationwide hit in the United States, peaking at #33 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart that fall.
How did I watch?
Blu-ray Criterion
Cast (abridged)
Steve McQueen – Steve Andrews
Aneta Corsaut – Jane Martin
Earl Rowe – Lt. Dave
Olin Howland – Old Man
Stephen Chase – Dr. T. Hallen
John Benson – Sgt. Jim Bert
George Karas – Officer Ritchie
Lee Payton – Kate
Elbert Smith – Henry Martin
Robert Fields – Tony Gressette
James Bonnet – ‘Mooch’ Miller
Al – Tony Franke
Crew (abridged)
Director – Irvin Yeaworth Jr
Screenwriters – Theodore Simonson, Kay Linaker
Cinematographer – Thomas E. Spalding
Art Directors – Bill Jersey, Karl Karlson
Special Effects Director – Bart Sloane
Composer – Ralph Carmichael
Producer – Jack H. Harris
Production Company: Tonylyn Productions, Inc.
Running Time: 1h 22m
Recommendations based on The Blob
X The Unknown (1956)
Invasion of the Saucer Men (1957)
Earth vs. The Spider (1958)
The Blob (1988 remake)
Supplements-
The Blob: “It Creeps and Leaps” (Kim Newman essay, Criterion)
Blobs, Demons, and Dark Stars: Remembering Jack H. Harris (Criterion)
