The Blob - Criterion Collection

Amazon.com essential video

What would the average sensible American do if he encountered a pulsing ball of protoplasm from outer space? That's right: he'd poke it with a stick. Thus begins the endearingly earnest and silly tale of The Blob. Young Steve McQueen takes on his first leading role as, um, Steve, a spunky teenager with plenty of heart. Steve sees the blob kill the local doc, but darn it, none of the town's adults will believe him! Yup, it's up to the teens to save the day! Steve and his trusty girlfriend Jane break their curfews(!) and head off into the night to find the Blob and warn the town. The Blob is a completely enjoyable watch from start to finish, offering the triple pleasures of 1950s morals, gee-whiz acting, and a whole lotta extras running around and screaming. The special effects, though primitive, certainly get the job done, and it is still a treat to watch the Blob ooze its way to its next meal. You may notice that the theme song is surprisingly bouncy for a horror flick ("Beware of the Blob! It creeps, and leaps, and glides and slides across the floor"). It was written by Hal David and a fresh young composer by the name of Burt Bacharach. --Ali Davis

Description

"Beware of the Blob!" One of the great cult classics, The Blob melds '50s schlock sci-fi and teen delinquency pics even as it transcends these genres with strong performances and ingenious special effects. Made outside of Hollywood by a maverick film distributor, a crew experienced in religious and educational shorts, and a collection of theatrical talent from Philadelphia and New York, The Blob helped launch the careers of superstud Steve McQueen and composer Burt Bacharach.

Customer Reviews:

Oozing out of my boyhood memory comes the BLOB!.......2007-07-18

Well, oozing out of my boyhood memory comes the rememberance of this old film. Boy how it use to give me nightmares back in the early 1960's whenever I saw it. Compared to the 1988 remake, this is very toned down in terms of the horror element. Suspense wise, this film carries well, if you've never seen it. Careful though, kids 8 or under might get the same nightmares I got as a boy having not forgotten my own childhood.

The film was made by a group of people who never made a motion picture film before and they did a pretty good job with the whole thing. This was the first film to launch Steve McQueen's career as an actor and the opening song was the first commercial song written by the famed Burt Bacharach, whose career greatly took off after writing the opening theme song. The actors were hardly paid anything for this work. Word of mouth however and the opening theme song helped sell this picture at the box office into the horror classic it became.

Most camera shots were one time takes for the most part and yet the whole thing comes together quite well in the editing room. The lighting, location and set work is very well done. The blob, being nothing more than colored red silicon, made in a bucket, that pulsates on a rubber balloon, is a very convincing performer as the star of the film. The color quality of this Criterion Collection is just crisp as all can be. The whole thing looks like the day it was first released: Astounding quality.

Obviously, you can't take this premise of the Blob seriously. Jack Harris, in his audio commentary, looks back laughing; saying he can't believe they made this film. However, the scene pacing has a unique ambiance of "creepiness" to it. You just never know when the blob will appear and have a human being as a meal, if you've never seen the movie before. There is no real gore element in this film like there was in the 1988 remake. Its the pacing of the film and suspense formula that makes it "fun" to watch, if you can call having a feeling of total sick uneasiness, as you watch this film "fun"? I suppose you'd get the same feeling having a good round with the 72 hour flu bug in your life, but it all works. It worked even more when I was a boy seeing it for the first time.

The idea that something, which can consume organic flesh; can't be burned up, is a bit contrived however. Flesh has the chemical structure of CHNO, the same structure as plastic. Man learned to make plastic back in the 1940's by studying the chemical structure of organic flesh. Both burn when exposed to high fire or heat; regardless. So why the blob responds to cold, but not fire or electricity, which destroys flesh, makes no scientific sense in terms of God's Universe and its laws as we know it. However this thing comes from outer space and anything is possible if it comes from outer space, right? How the blob converts organic flesh into a meaty, gooey, crawling intelligence is something I think only the film makers can explain, not a scientist. (chuckling) In short, in terms of scientific law with what is known about life on this planet; you can't freeze something without also being able to burn it, but you learn they can't burn or electricute this thing, only adding to the suspense value toward the end, begging the questions; "How will they destroy it?". But that is what makes the thing so campy.

Also, how the blob can dissolve flesh, but has a heck of a time getting through a door or thin glass pane window is beyond me. It can go under a door however. You'd think all that massive weight, made out of dissolved human bodies, would have no trouble getting through anything. What a line backer this thing would make on a football field! No one would mess with it! (lol) Can't imagine what it would look like in a football uniform, unless it was consumming opposing team members while wearing their uniforms along the way, but maybe that will be in the next remake, since its been 20 years since the 1988 remake was done.

Just think what can be done with computer graphics these days, if this premise was approached again? Could be an even worse gross out than the 1988 remake. They no doubt could show us a whole young man dissolve on screen while watching the blob ooze through every orifice of the young man's body as it strips the body down like an onion one layer at a time right before our eyes! We no doubt could even watch it moving through the man's GItract as the flesh is stripped away on screen. Ich! I think that is what many were hoping more for with the 1988 remake.

You can certainly see this potential with computer generated graphics viewing the movie "Hollow Man" starring Kevin Bacon; where the gorilla that appears and disappears off the operating table, as the "invisibility serum" takes hold, disappears one layered system at a time with its body. Just add on the blob to that special effect and you've got the effect, while making the whole thing look way too real.

Also, since the blob can dissolve flesh, which has the chemical structure of CHNO, why can't it dissolve wood, which has a similar CHNO formulation at the molecular level, especially when it comes in contact with the old diner's structure at the end of the movie? This at least was addressed in the 1988 remake when the first young guy gets it. Oh God, I'm being too sensible aren't I?

Well, the fact is, when you are a little boy, being scared to death by this film, you don't think of such things and there in lies the charm of this old horror classic in my view. I say all of this so you don't take this film too seriously, but simply have fun with its suspense value, which is very well done and for that reason alone deserves 5 stars.

Suspense wise with the story, you also can't help but feel the helplessness of the young teenage kids trying to warn the town, while no one listens; as more and more people become blob fodder, not to mention the feeling of helplessness the authorities have toward the end, when the blob traps the stars in a small diner, ready to disolve them for dinner, with no one knowing how to stop it. Makes you wonder whose the dinner and whose the diner in the end? (lol) It also makes you wonder if they had that gag in mind with the final sequence of the movie, which wasn't mentioned in the commentaries. Oh well.

Anyway, the two commentaries are only all too excellent that come with this collection. One audio has Jack Harris & Bruce Eder on it. Both men are extremely articulate in their command of the English language and reveal much about the movie, as well as horror film genre in general back when the movie was made. Both have magnificent voices as you listen to them talk about all of this. The way they present their knowledge should be a standard used by everyone who does a DVD commentary in my opinion: Very informative and very enjoyable. The second audio commentary done by Director Irvin S. Yeoworth Jr. and actor Robert Fields is equally well done and worth listening to, as you watch this old horror film from the 50's.

Bonapotit!

Clever psychological tricks keep the blob alive in your nightmares.......2007-07-17

The Blob is one of the great scifi horror classics of the 50's, and in color too. I saw this in the theaters when I was about 5, and was so scared, I had to hide under the seats. That may seem laughable now, but imagine this... You go to a theater to watch a horror movie. In that movie the cast is in a theater watching a horror movie when the blob attacks the theater. The director uses these clever psychological tactics to magnify the horror without being too graphic.

Absorbing Performance.......2007-01-10

While Steve McQueen and the other human actors seem to be honing their acting skills, the Blob itself gives an absorbing performance. In addition to the monster's performance, the story is what makes this 1958 production an essential addition to any collection of science fiction movies. Like The Invasion of the Body Snatchers before it, The Blob deals with the idea of dormant alien life drifting through space, just waiting for a chance encounter with an unsuspecting planet. Hey, it could happen. It may have already happened.

As the song goes: "Beware of the Blob - it creeps and leaps and glides and slides...".......2007-01-02

In 1958, Paramount Pictures released THE BLOB, a modest sci-fi cinematic effort showcasing a struggling, up-and-coming actor named Steve McQueen in his first feature film starring role. THE BLOB - about a primal life form from outer space which comes to earth and begins to indiscriminately devour human flesh - made a killing at the box office and generated a 1972 sequel and a 1988 remake, as well as a Halloween parody by THE SIMPSONS. This movie is also known for its tongue-in-cheek theme song ("Beware of the Blob"), co-written by a pre-famous Burt Bacharach, which went on to become a top 40 hit.

The plot: Teenagers Steve Andrews (McQueen) and Jane Martin (Aneta Corsaut) are out on a date when they glimpse a falling star and attempt to pinpoint its location. Meanwhile, an elderly man comes upon the fallen meteor and pokes at it with a stick (never a sound move in first alien contacting), only to have the meteor break open and the semi-sentient, jelly-like substance within climb up and cling to his hand. The frantic numbnut runs around and is almost struck by Steve's car. Steve and Jane take the man to the hospital, where the jelly blob on the infected victim begins to grow further, eventually consuming its host. It then begins to treat the medical staff like a buffet; the blob inevitably gets out and begins snacking on every human in its path, ever growing larger and larger.

The townspeople are blissfully unaware of the goings-on, despite Steve's desperate attempts to warn them, until a blob assault in a movie theater finally clues in everyone. The town, naturally, falls into a panicked state as the frenzied citizenry mill around and the police strive to ineffectively battle the monstrosity. Finally, it's up to Steve to figure out how to vanquish the blob monster. Unfortunately, he figures it out before the annoying kid actor is eaten.

Absolutely, THE BLOB had its own share of shlock, but, within the confines of its B movie status and irregardless of the cheeky theme song, the cast and crew strived to tell a gripping sci-fi/horror story. The cheesy special effects don't hold up at all to modern day standards (the blob was created initially using a weather balloon and later with tinted silicone gel), and the blob, in today's age, certainly isn't about to realistically intimidate anyone, but there's still an element of nostalgic fun in watching the blob go oozing about its business and scaring the bejesus out of the film characters. The actors made the tale as credible as possible by playing it straight and serious. Kudos go to 27 year old Steve McQueen for convincingly playing a 19 year old. Apparently, McQueen wasn't well liked on the set (he was a prima donna and was in constant argument with the director), but he ended up turning in a charismatic leading man performance. He, evidently, was good enough here that it got him the lead in the television series WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE.

THE BLOB, with its display of 1950s sensibilities so different from today's mores and values, is a time capsule film in which the audience could hearken back to a more innocent time. Back then, as predominantly portrayed in cinematic films, even the delinquents end up being kinda square and wholesome. Put side by side with today's standards, it looks pretty unrealistic today. Anyway, THE BLOB is worth investing about 80 minutes of your time. It tells a decent monster attack story, the special effects are so hokey they're fun, the song is bubbly, and McQueen is very good. But that kid is still annoying.

The Blob: 5 stars for the movie, 1 star for Criterion........2006-12-17

First of all, I want to say that 1958's The Blob is a landmark picture and a fantastically fun sci-fi/horror film. Steve McQueen is perfect in it, and it's quite possibly the best sci-fi cheese to come out of the 50s.

HOWEVER, I'm fed up with the Criterion Collection. What this company seems to intend to do is snatch up the rights to many, many great movies, "class" them up with minimal special features, and sell them at obscene prices. This edition of The Blob has ONE DISC, and the only special features are two commentaries. And we have to cough up $40 to have it.

There are no other options; If you want to own this masterpiece, you have to be able to fork up forty dollars to do so.

Criterion is trying to target great films that should be enjoyed by everyone to a wealthy group of people.

Average customer rating:

This movie is just gross.............so buy it.
Prepare to be totally grossed out!
Good remake
I think... you pissed it off!
Gory!

The Blob
Starring: Shawnee Smith , and Donovan Leitch
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
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ASIN: B00005N5RM
Release Date: 2001-09-11

Customer Reviews:

This movie is just gross.............so buy it........2007-08-02

If your looking for a no-holdem horror movie from the 80's that just gross, this is your movie, good horror.

Prepare to be totally grossed out!.......2007-07-16

There is nothng more terrifying than watching the young and beautiful destroyed, while being robbed of their lives. Even the concept of what this creature is and the ideas it gives the imagination of what it must feel like to have such a hideous creature, like this, traveling through every orafice of your beautiful body, while it dissolves you as you scream in horrific pain, goes without saying. I'm sure I'm not the only one who has thought these thoughts watching this film. But this is what makes for good horror.

Most scenes are a result of reverse filming, forward projection work and matt screening as well as latex modeling: Well done for the most part, but with some minor flaws in the effects and story line.

Given the paranoia of the pestulance that hit the earth, starting 1981; first with AIDS, then ebola, and many other unheard of pathogens before that time, this film, I think, best expresses the darkness, fear and death scenario of the time as our world became overwhelmed with plagues.

The death scenes in this are grizzly to say the least; with no respect given to life at all, thus adding to the suspense value. Except for some minor plot and effects flaws, I gave it four stars when it comes to addressing the subject of horror.

It's been 20 years since this remake was made. I figure we are all due for a new remake from Hollywood, using today's computer graphics any time soon. Won't that be a treat?! I suggest no one under age 15 should watch this and those who have epilepsy should skip the theatre scene with the strobing effect used; so as to avoid possible seizure from happening.

Good remake.......2007-07-12

This is a good remake that sticks mostly to the original story line but adds some good special effects.

I think... you pissed it off! .......2007-06-16

This is a great 80s horror movie, it's fun and the 95min run time flies by. Filled with good fx, comedy, and action. This movie was also in Fangoria's 101 best horror movies you've never seen book sold by Amazon. (i should get a free dvd for that plug)
So, the plot, A meteor (or is it!)crashes to earth jellylike goo busts out of so called meteor, this goo slithers through anything and attaches itself to humans devouring these humans and getting bigger and bigger. A loner rebel (Or is he!) named Brian Flagg (Almost as scary as the blob is his mullet) played by Kevin Dillon (entourage, platoon) teams up with hot cheerleader Meg Penny to lead the fight against the BLOB!
This movie also wasn't as predictable as i thought *SPOILER ALERT*, earlier in the movie a nice waitress Fran gets asked out by equally nice and fair Sheriff Herb Geller. Fran declines cause she has to work , but wait leaves a note on the check "i get out at 11" oooh i can't wait. So this is the making of something beautiful right, nope the blob squashes Fran in a telephone booth, and guess who she sees right before this squashing Sheriff Herb, does he blow a kiss goodbye? Negative he is up in the blob that is about to devour her. At least they do become one.
Even before Meg Penny goes on her date with responsible and likeable Paul. He meets her dad and her mom, he's an established character from the beginning, so he makes it right? Wrong again, blob food. I knew he was a goner when at the hospital rebel loner Brian Flagg shows his soft side to the bumb and Meg was swooning, it was all over for football player Paul Taylor at that point.
Finally the nice priest who makes teens buying condoms at the pharmacy guilty, gets attacked by goo. I know what your saying, stop it, not the priest .... No, the priest makes it but is that a good thing or a bad thing ..duh duh duh!!!
This movie was a blast. So, if you collect dvds, horror, or 80s movies this is a nice add to your collection, it had me wanting to peg my pants, wear skidz, some old air jordans, and shave some lines in my head. It's also a great remake up there with dawn of the dead (2004) and cat people(1982), i can't think of any others off the top of my head.

Gory!.......2007-05-31

I loved the original "Blob" and was kind of skeptical about this remake but was pleasantly surprised at how good it was. The special effects are awesome and(almost)rival Jon Carpenter's "The Thing".

"THE BLOB"- The 1950s Cult Classic With Steve McQueen!!!

Average customer rating:

Fun
The Blob....Good Sticky Fun!
Fun B-Movie Horror
Fun classic
"THE BLOB" IS ABOUT PEOPLE BEING KIND TO THEIR NEIGHBORS!!

"THE BLOB"- The 1950s Cult Classic With Steve McQueen!!!

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ASIN: B0009R59PU

Product Description

The Blob!!! The Original 1950s Cult Classic with Steve McQueen!!! This is a Must SEE and a MUST OWN for any Sci Fi Fan!!!

Customer Reviews:

Fun.......2007-07-05

Yeah, it's corny, but then nobody watches this kind of thing for the literature, right? It's fun.

The Blob....Good Sticky Fun!.......2007-05-01

It was 37 years ago that I saw this film on television when I was in fifth grade. The next day for my creative writing class I decided to write about the Blob that ate my elementary school and Webster City,Iowa. The classmates and even the teacher laughed out loud at my story. Anyway let's fast forward to 2007. I ordered this movie and the memories are still in tact! You have a group of teenagers trying to save their town from menacing goo threatening the population. Steve McQueen delivers a good performance in one of his earlier works.As for the theme song, it was written by two of the legendary songwriters of the 1960's and into the 70's Burt Bacharach and Hal David. Hard to believe they composed it but you know the rest of the story about these two song writing legends. The music in The Blob was composed by Ralph Carmichael who today is one of the leading Christian contemporary music producers. The Blob...good sticky fun for 80 minutes! It creeps,it leaps, it slides across the floor..well you know the rest!!!

Fun B-Movie Horror.......2007-01-17

Steve and his girlfriend are just cruising back from a star-gazing expedition, when they almost hit a crazed old man with their car. The old man has a strange substance on his hand. The two teens take the old man to the doctor, and at the doctor's request, promise to ask around about the old man. Soon, an alien blob of goo terrorizes a small town, much to the horror of disbelieving adult and teen population.

This was an entertaining, albeit slow film. The characters were for the most part stereotypes. The good girl. The kindly cop. The bad cop. The strict parent. The innocent young boy etc. Nothing particularly ground-breaking or remarkable. The alien (an omni-present ball of ooze) is a somewhat frightening menace easily stopped.

I found this film to be fun, but not particularly exciting. The conflict at the end was resolved too quickly... And god help me, at the end, I couldn't help but wonder why they bothered with the parachutes.

3 Stars.

Fun classic.......2007-01-09

Is there anything better than watching the teenagers of the 50's out to save the world from a giant blob??? Corny - but extremely entertaining and of course - a classic that can't be topped. Some movies were just made to be fun and not taken too seriously.

"THE BLOB" IS ABOUT PEOPLE BEING KIND TO THEIR NEIGHBORS!!.......2005-11-10

Here it is, the main event -- "THE BLOB" starring Steve McQueen!
I saw this film when it first came out in 1958 and I have lost track of how many times I have seen it since, but it has been at least 200 times.

WHAT IS IT ALL ABOUT?:

A gelatinous mass of growing, flesh-eating goo is released on the Earth by a meteorite that has crashed near a small town in Pennsylvania. Steve Andrews [Steve McQueen] and his girlfriend, Helen [Aneta Corsaut] witness the event from their convertible and then come across an old man in the road who has something resembling a glove of jello on his hand. Steve takes him to Dr. Hallen and from there the blob begins ingesting humans and growing as the night progresses.

Steve and Helen go to the police to report the incident and the apparent murder of Dr. Hallen, but the police don't believe the wild story. At this point, it was nice to see some diversity on the police force. The hard-nosed Sergeant was ready to throw the kids in jail, whereas the Chief was much more of a listener.

Not getting any satisfaction from the police, Steve and Helen go out and try to warn the whole town about the danger they are in with the help of other teens but no one is listening ... UNTIL!

Yes, until ... and that's when things really start cooking. We have "The Blob" finally revealing itself at its public debut in its famous "movie theater patrons get eaten" scene. From this point on, everybody believes the kids' story, but it's a little late to do anything about it, or at least it seems so. The climax is right around the corner and I am always sorry it doesn't go on when it's all finally over. This, I'm sure, is why they have made two sequels/remakes of "The Blob".

THE LOW DOWN ON THIS DVD:

I have heard a lot about the Criterion edition of this film. I have seen that edition and it is a great transfer, but this edition is not bad. Until recently, it was often available for $1-4, versus $30-35 for the Criterion edition. This particular edition runs 82 minutes which means it does include several extended scenes compared to the TV and VHS editions. These extended scenes are as follows:

1]- When the old man [played by Olin Howland] is with Dr. Hallen [Stephen Chase] in the examining room, the scene where he is giving him an injection is extended to reveal an enlarged blob that is up to the old man's elbow. This is about an extra 12 seconds, but it is an addition that shows "The Blob" in an intermediary stage not usually seen.

2]- There are a couple of add-ons at the police station, like when Helen's father [School Principal Martin] arrives and declares, "This is the last time you're going out with my daughter," and Steve's dad replies, "Let's just all stay calm Mr. Martin." It all adds up to about 24 seconds more than the video.

3]- During the scene when Dave the Police Chief [Earl Rowe] is lamenting with Deputy Richie [George Karas], he goes on beyond the point of discussing Sergeant Jim Bert's animosity toward 17-year-old kids because of his wife being killed by a drunk teen in a car wreck and expands the subject by about 20 seconds.

4]- When the blob has encompassed the diner, there are several additional sequences. There is one when Dave sends the sergeant to get more fire extinguishers and there are a couple of add-ons in the last three minutes, altogether totalling 14 seconds.

In all, almost a minute and a half is added to the standard video releases. The Criterion edition DVD does have these additions as well.

"THE BLOB" IS ABOUT PEOPLE BEING KIND TO THEIR NEIGHBORS:

This is a 50's creature-feature classic, and it does credit to its genre. Steve McQueen is a delight and the cast is believable. But that is not what sets this film above the rest. Throughout the film, there is a sense that people care about each other in this town. Steve and Helen start the movie by stopping to help the old man and take him to the doctor. The doctor who is already out the door and on his way to a medical convention stops and returns to his office to treat the injured old man. The police chief doesn't see any point in giving the kids a hard time and releases them to their parents. The kids want to warn their neighbors so that others do not meet the same fate as Dr. Hallen and the old man. Hard-nosed Sergeant Birtie puts his hand on Chief Dave's shoulder to comfort him despite their clashing over how to handle the incident when it looks as though Steve and Helen may perish in the diner at the end. A pervasive sense of community spirit and a common bond was apparent between all the members of this community at one time or another during what had to be the town's most stressful night which is quite rare in this or any other genre.

Average customer rating:

Oozing out of my boyhood memory comes the BLOB!
Clever psychological tricks keep the blob alive in your nightmares
Absorbing Performance
As the song goes: "Beware of the Blob - it creeps and leaps and glides and slides..."
The Blob: 5 stars for the movie, 1 star for Criterion.

The Blob

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Customer Reviews:

Oozing out of my boyhood memory comes the BLOB!.......2007-07-18

Clever psychological tricks keep the blob alive in your nightmares.......2007-07-17

Absorbing Performance.......2007-01-10

As the song goes: "Beware of the Blob - it creeps and leaps and glides and slides...".......2007-01-02

The Blob: 5 stars for the movie, 1 star for Criterion........2006-12-17

Average customer rating:

Appreciate the Film For Its Own Merits -- A Historical Gem!
"Waving the Freak Flag High"
Great time on DVD
More concert, less filler
RAINBOW BRIDGE WAS REALLY A DISASTEROUS MESS!

Jimi Hendrix - Rainbow Bridge
Starring: Bob Amacker , Charlotte Blob , Jimmy Cameron , Yella Cameron , and Billy Cox
Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea
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ASIN: B00004Y7ER
Release Date: 2000-09-26

Amazon.com

Hippy-dippy at its hippy-dippiest, Rainbow Bridge is a piece of counterculture slag that capitalizes on its footage of Jimi Hendrix (who died not long after filming). Actually, Hendrix only shows up at the very end of this long, bizarre film, bringing the same luster that Sean Connery did to the dreadful Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. Prior to that, however, are the slight and stupid trials of Pat Hartley, a woman sent to Hawaii to check out a commune. She finds a utopia for Philosophy 101 dropouts and the kinds of freethinkers Joe Friday used to deflate so easily on Dragnet. Not a frame of this film is interesting--not thematically, not cinematically, not any-atically. Hendrix fans will probably find Rainbow Bridge worth it for those lingering moments of the master and his guitar, but fast-forward to get there. Better yet, track down the late guitar master's incendiary (literally) performance from Monterey Pop, bracketed by equally astonishing turns by other '60s greats. --Keith Simanton

Description

This is "Rainbow Bridge" completely restored to its original, uncut 125-minute length from the only remaining 16mm print in existence. Nothing is missing! See Jimi Hendrix in concert backed by drummer Mitch Mitchell and bassist Billy Cox playing such mind-blowing musical milestones as "Purple Haze," "Foxy Lady," "Voodoo Chile," and others atop Hawaii's Haleakala Volcano. A mix of mysticism and music shot mostly at the Rainbow Bridge Occult Meditation Center on Maui, the 1971 film also includes interviews with Hendrix, who, through a psychedelic haze, talks about his life, beliefs, and, in what now seems prophetic, his death, which would occur only three months after the film was shot. 125 minutes.

Customer Reviews:

Appreciate the Film For Its Own Merits -- A Historical Gem!.......2007-08-25

To begin, it would be a mistake to approach viewing this film as a
"Jimi Hendrix film." As I understand it it began as a documentary about
the Rainbow Bridge meditation center. When it was filmed nobody knew
Jimi's death was but two months down the road. The film was supposedly
bankrolled by the Brotherhood of Eternal Love (qv) -- the loosely knit
communal family that first delivered mass quantities of high-quality
LSD and Afghan hashish to the western world.

That said, the film could have benefited from some better writing and
editing. Still, we are provided a window upon a moment in time and
space when a positive vision of what might have been was still alive
and progressing. Take the film and appreciate it. There will be no more
like it. As strange as it appears at first glance it is valuable
historical footage that is like none other. The Hendrix footage is just
a bonus -- the icing on the sunshine-frosted cake.

"Waving the Freak Flag High".......2007-01-22

Apparently most people who acquired this film expected a glorious tribute to the mythical Jimi Hendrix. Their disappointment is understandable. Although Hendrix is present in many ways throughout the film (his music forms the main soundtrack, plus there's some nice footage of his famous "volcano-concert", and finally he is shown speaking to two other characters for a few minutes about... whatever), he is not at all the protagonist/hero nor even the main topic. To use the words of one of the characters in the film, Hendrix is just another "vehicle" to spread "the message".
That this slight confusion makes people so upset in the end is rather surprising. Especially because Rainbow Bridge is actually a very valuable and even entertaining document of its time, in particular the subculture that turned Hendrix into an idol to begin with. Perhaps instead of expecting another "movie", with cliché plots and superficial characters, viewers should be prepared to watch a kind of documentary (you can't even tell where facts stop and fiction begins, just like when you listen to the president) following a group of well-intentioned hippies who try to deal with the contradictory and very disappointing reality around them by taking refuge in an incongruous but protective reality of their own. Why not? The late 60s and 70s were, after all, an excellent time in Western history for a few young people to freak out by ridiculing and rejecting the so-called rational society around them, that was (just like today) mainly concerned with (over)producing commodities, waging wars and sending funny objects (sometimes with a few hominids in them) into outer space. All in order to fight poverty and ensure that everybody could be free and happy, of course.
In opposition to such noble aims, the hippie commune portrayed in Rainbow Bridge makes a radical turn towards mysticism and occultism (with psychedelic drugs and music thrown into it). On the whole, this actually provides for some endearingly hilarious opinions about the world. Especially when the characters talk in all seriousness of the "Space Brothers" who have come to planet Earth to teach humans to use infinite resources of energy, thus freeing them from the dictatorship of big corporations that control electricity, food and oil production, medicine, etc. Or when they imagine what they might have done in their previous lives (as if one life weren't bad enough!). Plus, if you ever wondered what Jimi Hendrix's astrological sign was and what (if anything at all) that might mean, Rainbow Bridge may just provide you with some answers. And if you never wondered - well, it won't hurt you to know, either.
Another complaint viewers have is about the lack of plot. Just like in real life, actually. Things happen, you are affected by them, you react to them, then something else happens, and it all goes on and on until you die. You'll be lucky if you understand anything in the process! To claim, though, that there is no order or idea behind Rainbow Bridge is totally exaggerated. Actually, the main character (Pat Hartley) moves from one situation/issue to another, in the end providing a general picture of the commune's attitudes, beliefs and even difficulties in finding out how to "do their thing". There is the impression that the world/government has gone crazy, the discomfort with the Vietnam conflict, the threat of a nuclear war, the effects of urbanization and industrial pollution on the environment, the question of how to spread their message to the rest of the world, the dilemmas of combining sex and drugs with meditation and prayer, and in the end their desire to be together "as one" in a spiritual way - culminating it the concert of Jimi Hendrix.

So you see, however wacky some of the ideas in this film may be, at least you will be exposed to oodles of interesting and unusual information. Which is more than most "movies" can do for you! On top of that there's the great music, the impressive images of late industrial civilization vs nature, and even (if that's your thing) the chance to hear your idol Hendrix rambling under the effect of some drug. It truly is as close to the musical genius as you'll probably ever get.
Whatever regrets he might have had about participating in Rainbow Bridge afterwards, a final misconception some viewers have concerns the idea that Hendrix does not belong in such an insultingly bizarre film. Actually, if you consider his music and lyrics, he couldn't have fit better into it. Listen:

"'Cause I've got my own world to live through
And I ain't gonna copy you.
White collar conservative flashin' down the street
Pointin' their plastic finger at me, ha !
They're hopin' soon my kind will drop and die but uh
I'm gonna wave my freak flag high, high !"

Yes, Rainbow Bridge is, after all, a great EXPERIENCE in the Hendrix sense. What else could you want? Enjoy the trip - and may the "Space Brothers" save us all before it is too late!

Great time on DVD.......2007-01-12

I was very interesting to look inside 60th with drugs, sex and music. It was the time when was born geniuses of rock-music. Amazing time. And Jimi Hendrix was the main core of this time I mean.

More concert, less filler.......2006-12-27

The Rainbow Bridge DVD/VHS is enjoyable as a laughable time capsule. However, being billed as a concert movie, this was anything but. If you purchased the "Soundtrack" album to the same movie you will be woefully disappointed since the LP contains great tracks from Hendrix but no performances from Rainbow Bridge (aka Rainbow Ridge) These performances weren't released on CD and Vinyl until about 30 plus years after the fact (and in limited pressings) The same can be said of this bait-and-switch movie. There are some great performances from Hendrix but a lot of it is still missing. Collectors have synced together segments of film and audio and produced some great footage which makes the rounds on the internet (YouTube, etc) but there is still no definitive release of the whole concert on DVD. If you enjoy Hendrix, purchase this and index the portions with his performances, the rest is insipid drivel thinly disguised as a movie.

RAINBOW BRIDGE WAS REALLY A DISASTEROUS MESS!.......2006-09-28

I will be doing a review on the now classic DVD movie / documentary mini concert entitled "Rainbow Bridge" by the late great guitar legend, Jimi Hendrix. As always, I will be editing this review from time to time so that you the consumer will get the best and most accurate review possible. Before I begin, I would highly suggest that you read my other reviews on Jimi's historic landmark concerts at the "Monterey Pop Festival" on 18 June 1967, the "Woodstock Festival" on 18 August 1969, "Jimi Plays Berkeley" on 30 May 1970 and the "Isle of Wight Festival" on 30 August 1970. They are long reviews and I do apologize for that, but they do contain a lot of valuable information on Jimi that you might find very interesting. I do hope that you will read and enjoy all four reviews when time permits. It would also help me greatly in shortening this long review and not have to add all that information from my previous four reviews in this review.

I am going to do something a little different this time. I am going to stray away from what I originally was going to say concerning the main topic of this review for a few brief moments and instead, add some of my own personal notes, opinions and true thoughts concerning the main topic which is the "Rainbow Bridge" saga. Of all the material I have researched in full detail on Jimi's concerts or any other subjects whether on CD or DVD, the "Rainbow Bridge" disaster saga was proven to be by far the MOST EXHAUSTING. After reading and researching further deep into this disaster saga, I've concluded that it had to have left a long lasting TRAUMATIC IMPACT and a long lasting EFFECT on Jimi MENTALLY as well as PHYSICALLY. Please forgive me for knocking this project saga, I do not mean to upset or offend anyone, especially the ones that do like this film. In reality, I am going to tell it the way it is! In reality, this film should have NEVER been made! This film was destined to be DOOMED from the start. When I think of the "Rainbow Bridge" film and concert performance, it reminds me of a REAL LIFE HORROR FILM FROM HELL! It also reminds me of the classic film "The Exorcist" in comparison to the unexplained accidents and many numerous problems that were happening during the filming and behind the scenes and cameras of the film "Rainbow Bridge." Problems such as faulty film equipment as well as faulty sound recording equipment were breaking down repeatedly. You would never think that things could go so wrong and then keep on going wrong more and more and over and over again. One of the Hendrix biographies was quoted as saying, "everything that you can possibly imagine or think of, and more, went wrong during the filming of the "Rainbow Bridge" film and concert performance. NOTHING went right for this DISASTEROUS PROJECT SAGA." Another Hendrix biography was quoted as saying, "its as if there were EVIL FORCES putting a FATAL CURSE on the whole "Rainbow Bridge" film project IN GENERAL." In fact, the ONLY good thing that went right for this project was the instant lying surrounding this film such as FALSE ADVERTISING AND BAD MARKETING after its release in 1972. (two years after Jimi's death) As a result of these false tactics, the film would mislead its paying audience viewers into believing that Jimi was the main star and would be starring in the whole movie. Anticipating that, the viewers would eventually end up becoming disappointed at the results. Enough of that, now back to the pre-review.

For me personally, this marks the fifth review I have written on Jimi Hendrix's legendary concert series which focus's on some of his most memorable and unforgettable concert performances in Rock n' Roll history. "Rainbow Bridge" was one of at least four concerts that were either fully or partially filmed during Jimi's final 1970 U.S. tour. These four films are as follows: "Jimi Plays Berkeley" 30 May 1970, "Live at the Atlanta Pop Festival" 4 July 1970, "Rainbow Bridge" 30 July 1970 and the "Isle of Wight Festival" 30 August 1970. In my opinion, the "Rainbow Bridge" film was the SECOND WORSED (it definitely qualified to be the FIRST WORSED) of the four in the sense that there were unknown actors that couldn't act, let alone starring in a movie with a plot that didn't even make any sense which resulted in dragging the BORED audience viewers through this BORING 125 minute film all the way to the best part of the film. This, of course, is near the ending of the film, the last 20 minutes of the film to be exact. The last 20 minutes of Jimi's "Rainbow Bridge" concert performance held at the Haleakala Crater, Maui, Hawaii on 30 July 1970 was NOT one of Jimi's most inspiring performances. The reason for this is because of the bad sound recording due to faulty sound recording equipment breaking down constantly. This bad recording did not do any justice for Jimi's Maui performance. With the recent 2-CD 2002 British release (simply entitled "The Rainbow Bridge concert")of Jimi's BOTH fully complete concert performances at Maui, Hawaii recorded on 30 July 1970, and remixed and Digitally Remastered using today's state of the art technology, this new improved suitable sound recording now sheds new light on this performance and brings this Maui performance to life. PLEASE NOTE THAT I AM NOT KNOCKING JIMI IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM! Jimi's performance, of course, and despite the bad sound recording, was the highlight of "Rainbow Bridge." According to many Hendrix biographies, "Jimi's "Rainbow Bridge" concert performance had very bad sound quality due to the extremely high winds and some serious technical hitches to contend with. Aside from logistical problems posed by the location of both gigs, it would seem that there were strong magnetic fields in the vicinity, which caused many numerous problems constantly with the film equipment and the sound recording equipment as well." It was a four-camera, 35 mm shoot for the film "Rainbow Bridge." The film's young Director Chuck Wein would yell, "ROLL ALL CAMERAS!" But each shooter only had one 1,000 foot magazine (roughly eleven minutes) of film. To make matters worse, Wein then got on stage to address the audience of around and about 400. At that very moment, the sound crew started having trouble with the multi-track tape machine. It is extremely hard to believe that during these many frequent and constant problems that continually surfaced, that thousands and thousands of dollars were rolling away at a rapid rate.

On the back cover of this DVD released version of "Rainbow Bridge," it says the following: "Available on DVD for the first time anywhere, this is "Rainbow Bridge" completely restored to its original, uncut 125-minute length from the only remaining 16 mm print in existence. Nothing is missing! See Jimi Hendrix along-side drummer Mitch Mitchell and bassist Billy Cox, playing such musical milestones as "Purple Haze," "Foxey Lady" and other mind-blowing hits atop Hawaii's Haleakala Volcano. A mix of mysticism and music, "Rainbow Bridge" also includes interviews with Jimi where, through a haze of drugs and alcohol, he talks about his life, beliefs and in what now seems prophetic, his death, which would occur only three months later."

With Jimi's manager Mike Jeffery blowing thousands and thousands of dollars on his friends and drugs, and growing more increasingly aware that the film "Rainbow Bridge" was nothing more than a cash sinkhole, it was decided that the film needed a live featured performance from the Experience since the film did not contain any well known stars in the film. "In the end," remembers John Jansen, "when all of the money had been spent and they realized that this movie WASN'T a movie, Jeffery had to desperately talk Hendrix into performing in Maui." To save the worthless feature film, the Experience reluctantly agreed to perform in front of the cameras to be shot atop one of the highest points in Maui. In reality, Jimi DID NOT WANT TO DO THIS GIG! Jimi NEVER liked the weird strange atmosphere and bad vibes that the Rainbow Bridge Occult Center had. However, Mike Jeffrey loved the atmosphere and was a frequent visitor to the center in Maui. Mike Jeffery had become so entranced with the islands, that he would fly out there at any given opportunity. Mike at one time even wanted to build a musician's retreat / studio on Maui and spent extremely large sums of money having plans drawn up by an American Architect. With Jeffery's excessive abusive spending habits, Funds that were reserved in the bank accounts for the film project were getting lower and lower in the TOTAL balance. On 30 July 1970, before a small crowded audience of between 300 to 400 people, Jimi would perform two sets of concert performances, the EARLY show and the LATE show. Of the 16 songs Jimi performed live during both sets of concerts combined; only 5 songs were filmed for the "Rainbow Bridge" film release. These 5 songs are as follows: (it seems that the 5 songs in the film were put together like a medley) (1.) "Hey Baby" (New Rising Sun) (Not a bad performance), (2.) "In From The Storm" (Good performance. Not the best sound quality.), (3.) "Foxey Lady" (Great version! Sound was not too bad for this one.), (4.) "Hear My Train A Comin'" (Not a bad performance. Sound was not the best quality.) and (5.) "Purple Haze" (EXCELLENT! Great version considering the flaws and bad circumstances.) As "Purple Haze" is coming to an end, the song quickly switches back to (4.) "Hear My Train A Comin'" (Not a bad performance considering the bad circumstances.) As "Hear My Train A Comin'" is coming to an end, the song quickly switches back to (1.) "Hey Baby" (New Rising Sun) (Again, not a bad performance considering the bad circumstances.)

In the end, the whole "Rainbow Bridge" project was an unmitigated disaster and certainly not much of a show to be desired. NO ONE, neither the band nor crew, were happy with the final results. As a result of these negative opinions and Warner Brothers TOTAL dissatisfaction with the UNFINISHED product, the film "Rainbow Bridge" was shelved indefinitely. Miraculously, this film was badly patched and spliced together and saw its day of release in 1972 (two years after Jimi's death) at the request of Jimi's manager, Mike Jeffery. If you would like to research more information on Jimi's "Rainbow Bridge concert," please refer to and read my other review on this concert in the CD or music section under the subject of Jimi Hendrix and listed under the album simply entitled, "The Rainbow Bridge concert." I feel confident that you will get all of the information and answers that you will need from that review.

In closing, Jimi Hendrix will ALWAYS be the true guitar's GUITARIST'S ONLY premiere ultimate KING AND MASTER. Jimi RULED his guitars in his music world with craft fully skilled ease and expertise for limitless knowledge and brilliance. Jimi's naturally gifted talents made playing his guitar look so simple when it really wasn't. Jimi was actually the first REAL guitarist to present the guitars (as a more valuable multi-talented instrument) REAL talent and full potential. When Jimi played his unbelievable sounds of music which flowed explosively through his electric guitar, he actually exposed all of the guitars most hidden secrets and many unknown qualities that it REALLY had that WE will NEVER know. When Jimi died, he would eventually take all of its most hidden secrets and unknown qualities with him to his grave. As long as guitars and Rock n' Roll music blend beautifully, harmonically and exist perfectly together, Jimi Hendrix's name will live on in music history in general, FOREVER. Thanks for your time in reading my long and lengthly review and I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it for all of you. I also hope that you will read all of my other reviews in the near future when time permits. JIMI LIVES! LONG LIVE ROCK N' ROLL! Rock out always. Take care, J.L.

Average customer rating:

Beware the Blob
If you want to get a good laugh at the Move that JR Shot...
Watch the 1988 remake instead....
Blob vs Hippies
A lot of fun once you go "Behind the Scenes!"

Beware! The Blob!
Starring: Tim Baar , Marlene Clark , Del Close , Gwynne Gilford , and Danny Goldman
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00004W193
Release Date: 2000-09-19

Description

The Blob returns--more outrageous than ever in this 1972 sequel to the popular sci-fi classic! Plenty of familiar faces, including Larry Hagman (who also directed), Burgess Meredith, Dick Van Patten, Robert Walker and Shelly Berman, add to the fun. A geologist (Godfrey Cambridge) unwittingly brings home an unusual frozen piece of debris from the North Pole. But when it accidentally thaws, the hungrier-than-ever blood-red Blob comes to life again, consuming nearly everyone in its path and terrorizing the town. No one is safe as it crawls into a bowling alley and oozes its way across an ice rink, becoming grotesquely bloated with the blood of its victims. Can this bizarre creature ever be stopped?!

Customer Reviews:

Beware the Blob.......2007-05-13

More than satisfied with the product & the delivery time.I will continue to deal with Amazon.

If you want to get a good laugh at the Move that JR Shot..........2007-01-05

When I was a kid, I loved horror movies. I even collected those monster trading cards. There was only one movie that scared me and that was Beware! The Blob! I don't know exactly why it scared me. So I waited and waited expecting it to come on tv again after all these years. So I figured, buy it and get a kick out of it. So if you want to get a movie just to get a good enjoyable laugh check it out. Larry Hagman did a good job as director in the flick.

Watch the 1988 remake instead...........2004-05-05

Though advertised on the back of the box art as a "sequel" to the 1958 film The Blob, this film is in no way a sequel but esentually a remake. Beware! The Blob is as much a sequel to the original Blob as the 1978 remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers is to the original. There is no mention of the events of the original film what-so-ever. Now that we got that out of the way lets talk about Beware! The Blob. The premise of a 70's remake of the original sounds exciting, but sadly this film does not live up to expectations. First off Beware! The Blob is terribly shot and directed., which hence gives the film a very amaturish feel. Many of the pull back camera shots are shaky and there seems to be no flair in Larry Hageman's direction. The story also has its problems. First of all is how the Blob is brought into the story. Some man in the begining that is a geologist (though this character definitly does not fit the role( supposidly finds a "sample" his crew dug up in the ground and stores it in his freezer. Naturally it thaws and the "blob" is unleashed The problem is that no hwere in teh story is there talk of it being "alien" or "human made" like in the other two fersions of the film (One in 1958 and 1988). The blob is just there! The story also has many useless moments and senarios. Take the boy scout senerio for instance. There is no point to these scenes with the boy scouts outher than to fill up time. Also many of hte characters just stupidly throw themselvesat the blob. One cop shoots, try's to flee, falls, then is eaten. One guy even has the gale to drive his car into the blob even when he ovviously sees it from a far away distance. These characters drove me nuts!! Director Larry Hagman also doesn't know whether to treat this as a straight horror film or a spoof of the genre. Htere are many scenes that are scary and suspensful (such as when the blob covers a car with occumpents trapped inside) but there are also many scenes of shear campyness that throws the movie off balence. hte music score was also quit terrible and actually ruins what are supposed to be suspensful scenes. The special effects aen't too bad, especially for the time, but many of them are quite outdated. This film is also not aided by the numerous bad titles it is under. Beware! The Blob...come on. This was also released as Son of Blob (that was the title of it when I first saw it), which is actually worse than the title Beware! The Blob. If you liked the original Blob, you might want to tcheck this film out just for kicks by renting it or buying it real cheap. Otherwise your best bet is to go for the 1988 remake.

Blob vs Hippies.......2004-05-04

Cindy Williams, Shelley Berman, Dick van Patten, Burgess Meredith and other familiar faces get together in this direct sequel to the original Steve McQueen movie. The original blob was taken to the frozen north. An oil worker finds something strange in the permafrost and brings it home where his wife doesn't want it in the freezer. Well, it thaws, and after a fly and a kitten, the creature moves on to human prey.

This is a strange film with camp pushed to its limits. Nothing is safe from the creature in this small town and nothing is same from the film makers. Hippies, hairdos, hobos, and the strangest barber since Monty Python's Michael Palin are just the tip of the iceberg is this strange film. There is even a clip from a certain Steve McQueen film. It fits into the blob scenarios the same way that Godzilla vs The Smog Monster fits with the rest of the Godzilla films.

The effects are pretty good (foreshadowing those of the remake) but the acting and pacing make it more like a sketch comedy version. This is like a case of the moth and the flame, you know it is bad for you but you are still drawn to it. Check it out.

A lot of fun once you go "Behind the Scenes!".......2003-07-19

This camp horror schlock is a heck of a lot of fun to watch (think Saturday night drive in) once you learn that it was Larry Hagman's low budget "home movie" attempt at cashing in on the Blob-ularity of the original. All the celebs on board (Cindy Williams, gorgeous Carol Lynley, Dick Van Patten, Godfrey Cambridge, etc etc) are all appearing because they were Hagman's Malibu neighbors and he said, "Hey! Let's make a movie!" The rest is runny, red history!

Average customer rating:

Still A Gem!
The original classic
Scary Jello
The budget blob
The greatest drive in film ever but a bare boned DVD edition

The Blob
Starring: Vincent Barbi , John Benson , Stephen Chase , Aneta Corsaut , and Julie Cousins
Manufacturer: Thrill Kill
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000AQKU72
Release Date: 2005-10-11

Customer Reviews:

Still A Gem!.......2007-04-03

Many fans of this movie prefer the remake from 1988, viewing it as scarier. I do not. As a writer, I have to admire Irwin Yeaworth, Jr.'s(writer/director) vision, attention to detail and sound story structure. He accomplishes one of the most crucial elements of structure, placing characters in conflict, in only 82 minutes, as opposed to the 1988 version's 95, in which the bad acting and familiar faces (Shawnee Smith and Kevin Dillon) overshadow an otherwise great adaptation of the original story. Yeaworth keeps the tension on the story's teen hero and heroine Steve and Jane (Steve McQueen and Aneta Corsaut) as they try to convince the skeptical townfolk that a murdering, geletanous blob is on the loose. The creature here is horrifying, without all the silly special effects. It is both malevolent and intelligent all at once. One ponders "What could possibly be a more terrible death?" as the Blob oozes across the floor with poor Nurse Kate's remains digesting in its innards. Although the original Blob has its own moments of bad acting, the movie as a whole is sound, keeping the fear factor high as wholesale panic breaks out when the Blob emerges from a movie theater having dined on at least 50 or 60 theater-goers by Police Officer Dave's count, and then engulfs a diner, trapping our heroes inside, leaving them awaiting their own slow and gruesome demise. Again, keeping with structure, our hero, Steve (McQueen), discovers that the Blob detests cold environments. The Blob is subdued, but not destroyed, with CO2 fire extinguishers and then air-dropped in the Artic. FYI -- the sequel Beware the Blob, directed by Larry Hagman of I Dream of Jeannie fame, has got to be one of the worst pieces of cinematic poo ever made. Don't know where he was going here, but he certainly never made it there. Don't waste your time!

Overall the inventive story, great bad acting and near flawless elements make the Blob (1958) a timeless and unsurpassable gem in the anals of movie history.
Kim M. Brantley

The original classic.......2007-03-15

I watched it last night on this DVD and saw the movie for the first time since I saw it in the theater as a kid. It's the original Blob with Steve McQueen, and it was great. I didn't give it a 5 because there is nothing else on the DVD besides the movie. No extras at all. But the quality of audio and visual seemed OK.

Scary Jello.......2007-02-15

I saw the orignal movie when I was a kid...and having a highly over-active
imagination, the movie scared the be----- out of me for about a year. I had seen the movie only once since then, although I own the VHS. I had a BLOB attack and had to see the movie, butTo my dismay, the tape was broken, so I just had to order the DVD...The movie is kind of corny,but now that I am older, I found it delightful,and Steve McQueen seemed to be having a good time for himself. I wonder if I can rewrite this into a Broadway musical??? Buy the DVD of Scary Jello...you'll have a good time watching it.
Teri

The budget blob.......2006-01-06

This DVD of "The Blob" looks like a transfer from VHS with no DVD goodies.

However if you are only watching The blob once in a while and just want one for your collection this version will work. However for real Blob'rs I suggest the Criterion version.

Steve McQueen as Steve Andrews and Anete Corsaut as Jane Martin (also Helen Crump in The Andy Griffith Show) are negotiation in a quiet place in a convertable. When a shooting star lands quite close. Naturally this is more interesting and they go to investigate. An old man beats them to the sight and poking around gets blobulated. Things really get sticky from that point with none to believe them as kids don't know nothing.

If you like this movie then the next one to see is a variation called "Killer Klowns from Outer Space"

The greatest drive in film ever but a bare boned DVD edition.......2006-01-03

First off, be aware that this is a cut-rate DVD version of "The Blob," the greatest 1950's camp science fiction film. There is a Criterion Collection edition of "The Blob," and that is all that needs to be said to indicate to you which one you want to pick up. The Criterion Collection edition of "The Blob" is loaded with enough DVD extras to make watching the film itself only half the fun. So if you are a big fan of this classic horror flick, then this is not the DVD edition that you want to pick up (unless, of course, you just want to watch the movie; but why would you want to do just that?). Not only is the Criterion version superior, this DVD could be judged inferior all by itself without another point of reference, so be warned. The film is a five, but this DVD is a three (at least it is widescreen), so split the difference and make the right choice instead of flipping a coin to decide which version to get.

"The Blob" is quite simply a cult classic film, with Steve McQueen (!!!) in his first starring role taking on a Jell-O like creature from outer space out to eat everybody in its path. Or, as the tagline put it in 1958: "Indescribable... indestructible... insatiable!" You cannot do much better than that. McQueen is young Steve Andrews, who leads his friends against the Blob when the local sheriff and the other adults refuse to listen to the truth (just think of him as rebel with a real important cause). The movie ends with a climactic confrontation at the local movie theater. No wonder everybody wanted to see this one at the drive-in; you were safer there. Then again, this would have been a great date movie either place as it would be sure to send your creeped out girl friend into your arms for safety.

"The Blob" has always had a special place in my heart because they actually showed us this movie in high school (along with "Carousel" and "Thoroughly Modern Millie"--please do not try to find a common denominator between those films, you might hurt yourself). I have no idea why they would do show us this film from an educational standpoint (Bad things happen to bad kids? Do not go to the movies to make out?), but it remains a cherished memory of those halcyon days. Larry Hagman directed a lousy sequel/spoof in 1972 and then there was a less than distinguished remake in 1988. Taken together they are not as much fun as the original Blob. But then what in this world would be?

Average customer rating:

BAD MIND TIME(tm) - ULTRA DVD

Manufacturer: Customflix
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

amazon.com

BAD MIND TIME(tm) is a multi-layered, syncretic, exploration of digital art. Using imagery that is both visceral and virtual, random and maze-like strands of narrative and quirky animation unfold before users as they explore a variety of interactive modules. Navigating through the animated-icon interface, they are invited to administer electro- convulsive therapy, create bad poetry, paint landscapes of body parts, and explore random and interactive theatre, text, imagery, and music. A journey into the shadows cast by the digital age, BAD MIND TIME(tm) is "interactive mind-candy in the guise of high art, or vice-versa". A central concern in the creation of BAD MIND TIME(tm) was to imagine an online experience that paid homage to the artists and traditions of avant garde and outsider art in the 20th century-Dada, Lettrisme, aleatory, Fluxus, Joyce, Cage, Schwitters, Duchamp, as well as experimental traditions in film, video, language, underground comics, and electronic music-and to invite viewers into a digital, interactive extension of these traditions, without necessarily making overt references to particular genres or artists. In this manners the most receptive audience to BAD MIND TIME(tm) seems to be new media and web artists with an understanding of our pre-digital past, although the work's appreciation is by no means limited to them. The blending of often subversive and outsider-art traditions within a visual and sonic style that covers a broad range from ironically lame commercial/ mainstream entertainment (Robot Cat Dances(tm)) to interactive musical modernism (Web Symphony(tm)) to arcane visual and literary references (Blob Sez(tm)) to a playful dismantling of language and narrative (Let's Get Critical(tm) and Dave Saga(tm)) gives BAD MIND TIME(tm) its syncretism and numinous psychological undercurrent. And yes, this version contains the epic 8-minute sock puppet classic, AMERICAN SOCK(tm) in all its effed-up glory!

Average customer rating:

Appreciate the Film For Its Own Merits -- A Historical Gem!
"Waving the Freak Flag High"
Great time on DVD
More concert, less filler
RAINBOW BRIDGE WAS REALLY A DISASTEROUS MESS!

Rainbow Bridge
Starring: Bob Amacker , Charlotte Blob , Jimmy Cameron , Yella Cameron , and Billy Cox
Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Blues Rock | Rock | Styles | Music

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Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( R ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: 6305199310
Release Date: 1998-12-01

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Customer Reviews:

Appreciate the Film For Its Own Merits -- A Historical Gem!.......2007-08-25

"Waving the Freak Flag High".......2007-01-22