THE BLOB (1958) – Episode 123 – Decades of Horror: The Classic Era

“Beware of The Blob; it creeps; and leaps and glides and slides; across the floor; right through the door; and all around the wall; a splotch, a blotch; be careful of The Blob. *pop…pop…pop* Beware of The Blob!” Actually, these lyrics could be the film’s synopsis. Join this episode’s Grue-Crew – Whitney Collazo, Chad Hunt, Daphne Monary-Ernsdorff, and Jeff Mohr – as they discuss the film that spawned what The Black Saint called the scariest creature ever, The Blob (1958). 

Decades of Horror: The Classic Era
Episode 123 – The Blob (1958)

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ANNOUNCEMENT
Decades of Horror The Classic Era is partnering with THE CLASSIC SCI-FI MOVIE CHANNEL, THE CLASSIC HORROR MOVIE CHANNEL, and WICKED HORROR TV CHANNEL
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An alien lifeform consumes everything in its path as it grows and grows.

IMDb

 

• Directors: Irvin S. Yeaworth Jr.; Russell S. Doughten Jr. (uncredited)
• Writers: Theodore Simonson & Kay Linaker (screenplay); Irvine H. Millgate (original idea)
• Produced by: Jack H. Harris (producer), Russell S. Doughten Jr. (associate producer) (as Russell Doughten)
• Theme song: “THE BLOB”
  • Written by: Burt Bacharach & Mack David
  • Performed by: The Five Blobs, arranged by and all vocals by Bernie Knee
• Special Effects by: Bart Sloane
• Selected Cast:
  • Steve McQueen (credited as Steven McQueen) as Steve Andrews
  • Aneta Corseaut as Jane Martin
  • Olin Howlin as Barney, the Old Man
  • Earl Rowe as Lt. Dave Barton
  • John Benson as Sgt. Jim Bert
  • George Karas as Officer Ritchie
  • Stephen Chase as Dr. T. Hallen
  • Lee Payton as Kate, the nurse
  • Hugh Graham as Mr. Andrews
  • Elbert Smith as Henry Martin
  • Audrey Metcalf as Elizabeth Martin
  • Vince Barbi as George, cafe owner
  • Jasper Deeter as Civil defense volunteer
  • Tom Ogden as Fire Chief
  • Elinor Hammer as Mrs. Porter
  • Ralph Roseman as Blob victim working on car
  • David Metcalf as Drunk at door
  • The teenagers
    • Robert Fields as Tony Gressette
    • James Bonnett as “Mooch” Miller
    • Tony Franke as Al (as Anthony Franke)
    • Molly Ann Bourne
    • Diane Tabben

The Blob is Whitney’s choice. It was recommended to her by her great grandmother after she had enjoyed “Flubber” (The Absent-Minded Professor, 1961) as a youngster. As misplaced as that comparison was, she was glued to this movie as a kid with the theater scene, in particular, sticking with her. Now she sees The Blob as a silly and fun classic with a really different kind of creature.

Chad also calls The Blob a classic with a very different kind of monster. Even though Steve McQueen looks nothing like a teenager, he loves this fun flick. A relative, this time an auntie, also turned Daphne on to The Blob and she’s thankful for her introduction to this cool part of B-movie history. She also points out some of the film’s legacy as she is reminded of later movies in the old-man-and-the-dog scene in Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988) and “The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verrill” segment in Creep Show (1982). All of the scenes with the blob scared the crap out of Jeff as a child and have always stuck with him. Now he notices the abundance of exposition but still has a great time watching The Blob, a movie he sees as Rebel Without a Cause (1955) combined with a very unique SF creature feature.

Suffice it to say, The Blob never gets old for the Classic Era Grue-Crew. If you feel the same way about this classic, at the time of this writing, The Blob is available to stream on HBOmax, The Criterion Channel, Crackle w/ads, and Plex w/ads. In terms of physical media, it is still available as a Blu-ray from Criterion.

Be sure to check out these other “Blob” focused Decades of horror episodes:

• Beware! The Blob (1972) — Episode 63 — Decades Of Horror 1970s
• The Blob (1988) – Episode 126 – Decades Of Horror 1980s

Gruesome Magazine’s Decades of Horror: The Classic Era records a new episode every two weeks. Up next in their very flexible schedule is one chosen by Chad: The Mask of Fu Manchu (1932), starring Boris Karloff and Myrna Loy in a pre-code film seen now as decidedly politically incorrect. This one should make for a fun discussion!

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To each of you from each of us, “Thank you so much for listening!”