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The Story: An intergalactic pile of red jelly comes to Earth for a munching spree, and it's up to hero Steve McQueen to save the day.

One of the most well known of the 1950s teens vs. monsters movies, The Blob inspires almost as many opinions as there are viewers to express them. In this corner; the laugh-at-good-bad-movie crowd, chortling at the low-budget effects, sometimes corny performances and stereotypical story. In the next corner are those who argue that this is actually a very good and unfairly criticized sci-fi horror flick - hey, folks, they argue, there are good effects here as well (the Blob munching an old man-s arm is creepy and believable, for instance) and a few fairly tense moments! In the other two corners are those who dismiss it outright and those who couldn't care less and are engrossed in Terms of Endearment or Kramer Vs. Kramer.

We can safely ignore the third and fourth corners as we watch The Blob with fresh eyes and realize that the other two both have their points. Yes, this is a well-made movie for its time and genre and yes, there is a lot of cheese here as well - some delicious, some with a bit of green fur growing around the edges. Since you-ve already seen it or else have already decided you can't be bothered, we won't spend much time on a full dissection here. Let's just stun this sucker a bit, poke and prod a little and let it stumble away, OK?

Young Steve (Steve McQueen in his first starring role) sees a meteor crash, goes to check it out, finds a glowing red Blob (surprise!) engulfing an old man's arm (in an admittedly tense and well-constructed and acted scene), and in typical late 1950's fashion, goes on a futile mission to convince the town's grown-ups that they are in danger. Of course, no one will believe him (He looks like Elvis! Those crazy kids have certainly reached the ultimate in rebellion!) and Steve has to gather up other misunderstood wild youth to save the town from the ever-growing Blob. And so on.

I've skipped lots of details and left out most of the characters, but what else do you need to know about the plot? Can I tell you anything that could possibly surprise you once you realize that this is simply a "rebel with a cause" teen flick crossed with a well-made "growing monster from space2 B movie? Don't you expect the kids to be acted by adults, some with dangerously receding hairlines? Don't you expect the special effects to be a mix of throwaway dime store props with a few surprising moments of realism? And would you be surprised at all to find out that the kids manage to convince the grownups that they are really okay after all, or that only a few minor characters get Blobbed and all is neatly tied up in the end? Of course that's more or less what you expect, and that's what you get. Verdict? A fun and forgettable evening's entertainment, a "take the brain off the hook and pop some corn" flick after a hard day's work or a harder day's fishing. This move works well on many levels. It's a good insight into the early days of sci-fi/horror, coming from a time when the cold war was still hot, amidst the atomic age. When we were begining to really question "what is out there in the vast universe?". Some films got it right, some didn't. This falls into the "Got it right" category. Though i doubt if aliens do exist, they are big-ass lumps of carnivorous jelly. (Why do all aliens in B-movies have to be deadly?) The whole, fear of outsiders, which was rife in the public's mind due to the "evil" communists, which is most apparent in Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

A few unexpected things before I go; The energetic opening theme song, accompanying an amusing blob cartoon. The tune was composed by none other than a young Burt Bacharach, by the way. A few unexpectedly shocking Blobbings, one of which may even make you flinch a bit. Unremarkable but very professional camerawork, editing and music. The only backwards drag race I recall ever seeing. And most surprising of all, some quite effective and nearly believable performances, highlighted of course by that of the nowhere near teenaged Mr McQueen.

In summation, The Blob is the kind of movie that, if done wrong, can be annoyingly forgettable. If done right, it's enjoyably forgettable. "The Blob" gets it right. It attempts be nothing more (and is nothing less) than a fun, goofy, charming monster meets teen movie. You'll remember it until you forget it. That's a promise.