Shocktober 2024: The Blob (Chuck Russell, 1988)

A small town in rural California is threatened when a strange organism crash lands in the area and proceeds to blob itself all over the town and its residents. It’s up to local burnout Brian (a mulleted Kevin Dillon) to save the day.

I am 70 % certain that I’ve seen this 1988 remake of the 1958 classic before, but I have little memory of it. Also, I might be remembering the original — which, it could be argued, has only attained its status because of the presence of a young Steve McQueen and the overt symbolism of the blob standing in for communism (much like the original Invasion of the Body Snatchers two years earlier). What the blob ’88 represents is more opaque, the movie is more interested in commenting on government overreach and healthy distrust in institutions — not surprising given that this is the era when Ronald Reagan said that the nine most terrifying words in the English language are ‘I’m from the government and I’m here to help’. Furthermore the movie seems to take place in some weird mix of the 50s and the 80s, but let’s chalk that up to boomer nostalgia.

The barebones plot, which wastes no time at all, makes it feel like a Larry Cohen movie. There’s something gleeful about the blob’s attacks that also reminds me of Cohen, and even Troma at times. The blob looks like pink bubblegum, doesn’t have a conscience or strategy, pulls no punches, and doesn’t spare anyone in particular — which confuses and delights all of us who ‘know’ how this genre movie is supposed to play out; the presumed ‘hero jock’ is among the first to get it, people we’ve gotten to know die offscreen, etc. True chaotic evil, in a good way.

This is the third Shocktober entry this year to feature a hand-down-a-garbage-disposal scene — I find them terrifying every time. Comedy nerds will be delighted to know that improv guru Del Close has a small part as the local reverend. Dr. Runtime approved (95 mins).