Just as Steve McQueen oozes cool, the Blob oozes terror in Irvin Yeaworth’s independent little feature. The Blob (1958) was initially released as the second feature in a double billing with I Married a Monster from Outer Space, but due to its popularity, was moved to the opening slot later in its theatrical run. This seems to be an omen for what was to come; the shoestring budget 50s B-movie has become a cult classic highly regarded by both genre enthusiasts and cinephiles alike. Now, over sixty years later, The Blob remains a huge influence on genre cinema.
Why did audiences love The Blob so much? Why did it completely overshadow its co-feature, which fared much better critically? Why do we still see the effects of Yeaworth’s work mirrored in our cinema today?
Well, for one thing, The Blob was completely different than the other genre films being produced at that time. Movies like Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) and The Mummy (1959) and the Universal Monster flicks of the 1930s centered around adults — scientists, doctors, etc. These protagonists were stuffy grown men and women, and didn’t reflect the teens that were going to the movies. Teenagers…
