The Blob (Irwin S. Yeaworth Jr., 1958, USA)

We were lucky enough to experience The Blob at the annual Blobfest in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. The anchor of the festival is the historical Colonial Theater, the theater that was famously attacked by the blob in the original film. The festival reenacts the scene of the patrons running from the theater every year. Seeing the film in such a historic theater with a connection to the film, and a packed audience was a true experience that we won't soon forget. The Blob is truly meant to be experienced with a crowd, and this crowd was very enthusiastic.

Notably, upon viewing The Blob with a crowd, it was striking how much humor is present in the film. Of course, some of the humor is ironic, such as when the government decides to send the blob to the polar ice caps, with the idea that it will be frozen forever - they of course did not anticipate the ice caps melting. But much of the humor was intentional. The film was written by Kay Linaker and Theodore Simonson. Linaker began her career as an actress in many B movies of the 1930s and 1940s. She is credited for changing the monster's name to "The Blob" - it was originally called "The Molten Meteor". 

The Blob still feels fresh today because of how the authority figures in the film respond to the teenagers warning them of what's coming. From outright denial to punishment, it is not until the end of the film that the authority figures acknowledge there is a monster in their midst. The Blob is notable for not taking itself too seriously, even though the film's finale - wherein Steve McQueen and company are trapped under the blob in the diner, awaiting death - is pretty harrowing. The Blob is a very rewatchable camp.

7/10