The Blob 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

The Blob 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

"I feel like the one-legged man in an ass kicking contest."

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown January 3, 2025

The Thing may be the '80s movie that most comes to mind when discussing practical effects, but John Carpenter's beastie has some stiff competition in The Blob's pink, cosmic biomass, particularly when you watch it cooly slide over one of its victims, retract and peel away the skin just beneath its gelatinous surface, and leave a screaming human skull trembling in its place. Seconds later comes the moment when you realize that, somehow, the filmmakers pulled the shot off in-camera with practical effects, making it one of the most astonishing sequences of gore realized on film. It still holds up today, even as some of the later street battles with the creature struggle to impress. I'd even go so far as to call The Blob a movie-monster classic, often forgotten, sure, but no less impactful and effective for it. So plop down with this excellent 4K SteelBook release, spin up a triple feature (I recommend adding The Thing and The Fly to your time with The Blob), and enjoy three of the classiest practical creature features in cinematic history.

"Don't you think I know that? This isn't one of you text-book exercises, Mr. Jennings. This is an experiment in biological warfare, or hadn't you noticed? That organism is potentially the greatest breakthrough in weapons research since man split the atom. What we do here will affect the balance of world power! Of course there are lives at stake - whole nations, in fact. And that's far more important than a handful of people in this small town. And that is my cross to bear, Mr. Jennings. Now carry out your orders."

A remake of the 1958 film of the same name, The Blob (1988) stars Shawnee Smith, Kevin Dillon, Donovan Leitch, Jeffrey DeMunn, Paul McCrane, Art LaFleur, Robert Axelrod, Joe Seneca and Del Close. The story follows an acidic, amoeba-like organism that crashes down to Earth inside of a meteorite, which devours and dissolves anything in its path as it feeds and grows.

Click here to read Jeffrey Kauffman's review of the film, of which he says "writer/director Chuck Russell and co-writer Frank Darabont rather smartly toy with the audience's preconceptions, setting the viewer up for a couple of nice, and even shocking, surprises." He adds, "it's an often inventive remake that features some good performances, appealingly gruesome special effects and a rather dark but effective sense of humor."

You can also click here to read Dr. Svet Atanasov's review of the film, which he calls "something of an anomaly because it actually does quite a few things better than the original film." He goes on to explain that "Russell is a genuine film lover first and then a director, and his love and respect for the original story never leave the remake; though I think that he was also lucky to shoot it at a time when the majority of special effects artists in Hollywood were still doing beautiful work with their hands rather than with their keyboards."

The Blob 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Click here to read Dr. Stephen Larson's review of the 4K transfer of The Blob, which he awarded a perfect 5.0 score.

The Blob 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Click here to read Dr. Stephen Larson's review of The Blob's lossless audio package, which he awarded a 4.5 score.

The Blob 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The Blob's Shout Factory 4K release offers one of the most striking '80s horror SteelBooks on the market. With a wrap-around cover depicting the smalltown street battle with the creature in a comic-book-esque art style, the cover alternates glossy and matte colors to create a dazzling product designed to immediately stand out from the crowd and catch your eye. The interior is more generic, with bio-suit scientists and military men encircling the monster, with a two-disc right panel that houses the 4K disc and standard Blu-ray disc.

The release is packed with special features too, and I mean packed. Click here for a full, detailed rundown of all the extras, including three audio commentaries, documentaries and featurettes, and much more.

The Blob 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Blob SteelBook is something of a must own, and with Amazon constantly reducing its price for lightning deals and deals of the week, it's an easy one to watch and snag when the time is right. With a stunning SteelBook cover, a terrific 4K video presentation, excellent lossless audio and a massive complement of extras. Enjoy! This one comes highly, highly recommended.