7.5 | / 10 |
Users | 3.5 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Remake of the 1958 horror sci-fi about a deadly blob—which is the spawn of a secret government germ warfare project—that consumes everyone in its path. Teenagers try in vain to warn the townsfolk, who refuse to take them seriously, while government agents try to cover up the evidence and confine the creature...
Starring: Kevin Dillon, Shawnee Smith, Donovan Leitch Jr., Jeffrey DeMunn, Candy ClarkHorror | 100% |
Sci-Fi | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
Music: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English SDH
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Franklin Delano Roosevelt once famously intoned that the only thing to be feared was “fear itself,” and co-writer and director Chuck Russell mentions that something akin to that formulation sparked his interest in rebooting the 1958 horror film The Blob. The late fifties iteration of a big, slimy bunch of goop overpowering an initially disbelieving town has been taken for years as yet another allegory about incipient Communism mucking up our celebrated Capitalist works. But Russell in the engaging commentary included on this Blu-ray makes the perhaps obvious case that a “villain” as amorphous as The Blob really shouldn’t have too literal an analog, and might instead be better “enjoyed” (if that’s the right word) as a more inchoate symbol of Man’s fear of the unknown. Despite that inventive rethinking of the original film’s premise, Russell’s 1988 reboot doesn’t shy from subtext, in this case a perhaps late Reagan Era distrust of government and its sometimes shady doin’s. If this version doesn’t quite have the old school charm of the original, it’s an often inventive remake that features some good performances, appealingly gruesome special effects and a rather dark but effective sense of humor.
The Blob is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Twilight Time with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1. Culled from the Tri-Star catalog, this may have been sourced from a somewhat older master. While detail is quite appealing (if that's the right word, considering the sometimes gruesome circumstances), things look fairly soft quite a bit of the time, especially in the many darker sequences. Expectedly, really brightly lit moments pop quite authentically, with excellent detail and fine detail (see screenshot 1). While the effects work is decently impressive, the Blu- ray's increased resolution reveals things like matte lines (see screenshot 17). Colors are well saturated and nicely vivid, with The Blob's almost fluorescent pink-orange color extremely memorable. Grain is evident throughout the presentation and is fairly heavy in some of the optical effects shots, as should be expected. Elements are in generally superior condition, with little real damage to report.
The Blob's lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix is a lot of fun, with some oopy, goopy sound effects as The Blob slimes its way through the quaint California town where the film takes place. There are some great sound effects when various people meet their demise, with a couple of great highlights in two scenes involving the diner and, much later, the Reverend who, 1953 War of the Worlds style, thinks he can reason with the irrational. While the mix here is often intentionally busy, there's good spatial separation and directionality, and dialogue is never lost in the hubbub. Fidelity is excellent and dynamic range is extremely wide. There are no problems with damage, dropouts or any other issues on this track.
As is recounted in the commentary included on this Blu-ray, the eighties saw several rather imaginative reboots of older horror films, including The Fly and The Thing. The Blob may not have the innate (lo-fi) charm of the 1958 original, but it's a relatively smart reimagining of the premise, filled with some fun special effects and decent performances by its younger cast members. This Blu-ray boasts generally very solid technical merits and comes Recommended.
Collector's Edition
1988
Collector's Edition
1988
Collector's Edition + 2 Posters + Slipcover
1988
1988
Director's Cut
1986
1958
1986
1988
1958
1953
2019
Warner Archive Collection
1951
Standard Edition
1953
2013
1964
1959
Roger Corman's Cult Classics
1978
1957
2013
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2000
2001
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2006
2013