On the surface, both movies unleash gloppy chaos as humans become snack food for undulating masses of mess-one a more family-friendly rallying cry of communal values, the other a violent highlight reel of 80s midnighter gore and national mistrust. In 1988’s version, Russell and Darabont honor the unstoppable intentions of a slimy invasion while also injecting an unsubtle biological warfare subplot about chemical experimentation gone unpredictably awry. In the 1950s version, this leads to teenagers who warn their neighbors about the interstellar goop dissolving townsfolk with no more explanation than lousy galactic fortune. Both films “infect” a woodland hermit with some amorphous organism that suctions onto the old man’s hand after he discovers a sizzling space rock. Yeaworth Jr.’s The Blob is extrapolated by remix writers Chuck Russell and Frank Darabont. The simplicity of a small town under siege by a meteor monster in Irvin S. Dare I say Russell’s remake will become one of my go-to 80s horror recommendations as this Cold War influenced time capsule explodes with outta-this-world horror conceptualization that never relents nor fails to entertain? Both iterations were blind spots until I finished my homework for this entry, which constitutes an appreciation in period horror on both accounts (watching from the distant future in 2021)-and both hold status tremendously. There’s something so quintessentially retro about Gaky-graphic death scenes, government conspiracies, and biker bad-boy Kevin Dillon revving his engine over ravines. It’s often forgotten when discussing 80s genre standouts, which is frankly unfair. It’s the longstanding comparison between “Old School” and “New School,” as Russell’s The Blob adapts not only to mechanical mechanisms but sticky-filthy political commentary. I mean, how can you not watch John Carpenter’s The Thing and drool over an upgraded representation of Yeaworth Jr.’s cranberry-sauce-lookin’ devourer? It’s more to highlight the most digestible logic behind horror remakes-Father Time’s ticking clock. That’s not a jab at the 50s iteration with crimson jello engulfing diners, for clarity. Yeaworth Jr.’s 1958 The Blob and Chuck Russell’s 1988 revamp benefit from thirty years worth of Hollywood advancements between the two cosmic creature features. When putting any remake’s “justification” on trial, there’s no cleaner defense than decades between releases. The good, the bad, the unnecessary – Matt’s recounting them all. We all complain about Hollywood’s lack of originality whenever studios announce new remakes, reboots, and reimaginings, but the reality? Far more positive examples of refurbished classics and updated legacies exist than you’re willing to remember (or admit). Welcome to Revenge of the Remakes, where columnist Matt Donato takes us on a journey through the world of horror remakes.
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