8mm Forum: The Blob

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Posted by James N. Savage 3 (Member # 83) on August 07, 2009, 07:49 AM:

I remember in the late 60's, when I was around 5 years old, seeing the commercial for "The Blob". It was going to be shown on television (not sure if it was the very first showing). The commercial didn't show much, but somehow scared the mess out of me [Eek!]

. Sadly, I wasnt allowed to watch it (it was deemed "too scary"). I did catch it a few years later on CHILLER THEATER, and I loved it.

Around 1974, I bought the Ken digest to show on my recently accuired GAF silent super 8 projector, and it got LOTS of showings!

"The BLOB" , 200 foot digest, silent, black and white.
A KEN Films release.

A little of the original credits are shown (no Paramount logo). Then, the digest begins towards the end of the movie, when Steve McQueen and his girlfriend get trapped in the meat locker of the grocery store. As the blob tries to squeeze under the door, we see that it doesn't like cold temperatures. The two escape.

Then, the best part- Our friend the blob makes his way into the projection booth of a local cinema, where many troubled teens are watching the midnight horror show ("Daughter of Horror", to be specific). We see the poor projectionist die in the line of duty, as the blob covers him (I hope he was not a friend of one of you theater projectionists out their [Wink]

). Then, we see the blob sqeeze out of the projection booth windows, like toothpaste, onto the unsuspecting crowd. Everyone flees the theater.

Then, we see Helen Crump's little brother try to shoot the blob with his cap gun. Her and Steve grab him and they run into the little diner, which is then covered by the blob (funny FX on this part).

They are trapped with the two employees of the diner, then Steve remembers that the blob doesn't like cold, so he telephones the sheriff and they send a posse of teenagers around town to gather up fire extinguishers. The blob is frozen and our heroes escape.

The blob is then shipped to the North Pole. We see it dropped, then "The End" appears, and turns into a big question mark!

************************

Not a bad digest at all. I missed some of the neat scenes from the first half of the movie, but for a 10 minute digest, it made sense to start late in the movie. Oh, how I whish a 400 foot color/sound digest could have been made for this. Its a neat movie, and has that 50's feel to it, while being superior to most of the horror movies back then. I think a longer digest would have sold well. Still it was great to have back then, and at least there's no fading!

James.

P.S.- I don't have the box anymore, so if anyone wants to add one to the thread, I'd appreciate it!

Posted by Douglas Meltzer (Member # 28) on August 07, 2009, 03:01 PM:

James,

Great review! Your print has original credits? Mine is from Republic Pictures (before Ken took over their catalog) and the title card looks like it was drawn by hand!

Doug

Posted by Jean-Marc Toussaint (Member # 270) on August 07, 2009, 07:07 PM:

Sweet, I love that cover art. Great review, James.

"Son of the Blob" was recently offered for purchase to me on 35 but it was badly faded and smelt like a salad bar gone really bad... Shame.

Posted by Marshall Crist (Member # 1312) on August 08, 2009, 12:40 AM:

I had the Ken version. The title card was "fake" and the Steven McQueen credit was from the actual movie, with a tiny little psychedlic curly-Q starting to happen at the end.

Posted by James N. Savage 3 (Member # 83) on August 08, 2009, 06:24 AM:

Thanks guys.

Marshall-

I never realized that "The Blob" portion of the credits was fake. Thats really wierd. What threw me off, was that I could see the "winding" animation starting behind Steve McQueen's name, so I figured the whole opening scene was the original.

Thanks for the scan and screen shot Doug!!

James.

Posted by Kevin Wardle (Member # 1680) on August 08, 2009, 08:32 AM:

That's great guys, can we had more Ken reviews please? [Big Grin]

Best Kevin.

Posted by Marshall Crist (Member # 1312) on May 07, 2010, 01:56 AM:

Kevin, any requests?

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