The Blob (film series)

The Blob
Official logo, as released originally in 1958.
Based onOriginal story
by Irving H. Millgate
Distributed byParamount Pictures
Release date
1958-present
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$12,338,776
(3 films)
Box office~$19,350,000
(3 films)

The Blob franchise consists of American science fiction monster-horror films, including the Steve McQueen-led original, its campy comedic sequel, and its remake. Based on an original story by Irving H. Millgate, the plot centers around the invasion of Earth by an amoeboidal alien from outer space that emerges from a meteorite and feasts on anything that it comes into contact with. The story of each installment includes the resistance of the planet's inhabitants, and their attempts to thwart the monster's advances.

The 1958 original film was met initially with mixed critical reception,[1] but was a financial successes at the box office, making a large return for the studio despite its B-movie micro-sized production budget.[2] Becoming more popular than the top-billed film in its debut double feature release, The Blob (1958) has been deemed a horror classic of U.S. cinema, by modern day critics who cite its influence over contemporary films.[3][4]

Its 1972 sequel was likewise met with mixed reception from critics, and ultimately lost money at the box office.[5][6] In the years since, criticisms regarded the change of genre, its comedy style, and the inclusion of hippie plotlines calling it a "relic" of its time;[7][6] while the cast and their performance were stated as being notable.[8][9]

The 1988 remake was also met with mixed reviews from critics,[10] while being deemed a box office bomb upon its release.[11][12] Despite these early reactions, the film has gained a following of fans, and is often regarded as one of the greatest remakes in the history of horror films, earning its classification as a cult classic by modern film critics; some even consider it better than the original.[13][14][15]

As of 2015, a reboot film was said to have been in development.[16]

  1. ^ Variety Staff (December 31, 1958). "The Blob". Variety. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Weaver was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Ramirez, Sonia (October 20, 2020). "Catch the 1958 classic 'The Blob' at Houston's 1940 Air Terminal Museum drive-in". Chron. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  4. ^ Lenz, Sam (October 26, 2019). "'The Blob' (1958) — A Film Ahead of Its Time". The Sam Lenz Medium. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference Beware.Budget_CC was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ a b Holston, Kim R. & Tom Winchester (1997). Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Film Sequels, Series and Remakes: An Illustrated Filmography. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company. ISBN 978-0-7864-0155-0.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference Beware!_RT was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Brooks, Mike (October 27, 2016). "Beware! The Blob (1972) – Review". Manapop. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  9. ^ Midnite Reviews staff (October 28, 2017). "Beware! The Blob (1972)". Midnite Reviews. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  10. ^ Variety Staff (December 31, 1987). "The Blob (1988)". Variety. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference 1988_TN was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ "AFI Catalog of Feature Films - The First 100 YEARS 1893–1993: The Blob (1988)". AFI Catalog. American Film Institute. 2019. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  13. ^ Lambie, Ryan (April 30, 2018). "Why The Blob (1988) Is One of the Best Horror Remakes Ever". Den of Geek. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  14. ^ Navarro, Meagan (August 5, 2018). "It Fell From the Sky: One of Horror's Best Remakes, 'The Blob' Turns 30!". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  15. ^ Brehmer, Nate (January 19, 2022). "How The Blob Remake Outdid the Original!". Wicked Horror. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  16. ^ Cite error: The named reference Future_DoG was invoked but never defined (see the help page).