Beware! The Blob! (1972)

   

Directed by: Larry Hagman

Written by: Jack Woods & Anthony Harris

Story by: Richard Clair & Jack H. Harris

Starring:

Robert Walker Jr. .... Bobby Hartford
Gwynne Gilford .... Lisa Clark
Richard Stahl .... Edward Fazio
Richard Webb .... Sheriff Jones
Rockne Tarkington .... Deputy Williams


Special Appearances:

Shelley Berman ..... Hair Stylist
Larry Hagman .... Young Hobo
Carol Lynley .... Leslie
Dick Van Patten .... Scoutmaster Adleman
Cindy Williams .... Randy's Girl

Release Dates: Theatrical: June 21, 1972; Trieste International Science Fiction Film Festival: July, 1972 (Italy)

 

Rating:

 

A technician brings home a frozen speciman from the North Pole of the remains on the original alien blob that terrorised the small town back in 1958 as his wife by mistake defrosts it and then it starts to terrorise once again the locals of the town feasting on people and animals growing larger and larger when it does this.

 

When I saw the beginning of this film and spotted how weak and corny it looked I had a feeling that I was in for a bad movie. It does look cute though spotting a kitten playing in the fields which looked very uplifting. There's good footage on all this. Then we have an overly long and boring moment with a black couple and their slapstick dialogues as well as one of them putting away groceries which is a good drawing card in which we spot something that was supposed to have kept frozen since this was the remains of the blob from the first flick. Then we have the kitten coming in to have a meal which looked cute to watch but then we spot this blob oozing out and going towards this kitten which I found unneccasry since we jnow what will happen but of course this is out of shock value thankfully nothing graphic happens here. Yet it could make you cry while watching for cat lovers like myself. You just need to think to yourself that it's only a movie and no animals were harmed while making this film. There's cheesy effects with this blob closing in on the wife and then later on going to a chair where the husband is about to sit to watch TV which gives you a sinking feeling on what will happen to him when he sits right down.
There's moments when the mian character Lisa Clark goes to check on these people as you spot her looking in shock in which gets your attention to see what she's spotting and it's the guy in the chair with the blob eating him alive as this seems to look somewhat effective to watch. However the horror doesn't look too strong here whatsoever.
Then the comedy comes in when she speeds by running over some stuff that a local has and then speeding back with her boyfriend Bobby Hartford going back to the place on what she encountered and doing the same thing but I am not laughing at all and doubt anyone else would either.
There's even a moment with a guy running out nude after taking a bath by chasing after the blob that swallowed his dog with a deputy catching him doing this in which this offered some decent timing with the black comedy but yet doesn't offer much chuckles at all.
There's an overly long moment with two hippies under a bridge smoking a joint as I was thinking get to the point here but yet the suspense seems to occur when we spot an effect with this blob surrounding them and rolling in as the effects seems pretty convincing here.
In another moment there's some drunken farmers nearby and hearing the crying of their animals since we know the blob has invaded their area which is another shocking situation but we don't spot this happening too much thank goodness but yet spot some chicken as well as an egg falling on the blob which looked so dumb.
Yet there's a moment which looks believeably frusterating when you're in a situation as there's a surprise birthday party for Bobby when he arrives at his home and Lisa tries to tell others that two people were murdered and no one takes her seriously since the surroundings here seemed pretty wild and crazy.
Then more stupid dialogies with the town locals but yet when events start to happen we spot this blob oozing through vents to attack these people which looked fairly well done.
What really looked effective is when both Bobby and Lisa are in their vehicle and the blob closes in around their vehicle as this looked nice and suspenseful making you wonder if they are doomed for good here. The effects looked nicely done too.
Nice shots at a local bowling alley in which we spot more stupid scenario's like a guy being pushed in a wheelchair while using his bowling ball but yet great takes on the blob oozing in the alley with the people running away screaming which is probably the best scene in the film looking like a truly old fashioned type of horror take.
We even spot a struggling moment with Bobby climbing on some rope to avoid falling into the blob while trying to make it to the other end which keeps you in suspense too. Yet this is as good as it gets.
Nice cheesy special effects on this blob freezing up as well there's a near ending involving the main county sheriff making a speech to the news with a door opening for another sequel which we are thankful that this never happened cause if it got any worst than this we would be in trouble.
Bottom line is that this was a disappointing sequel offering tons of shcoking and unfunny slapstick black comedy and unscary horror for the most part. This would turn off most fans of the original and this one was very forgettable which I could totally see why here. Also titled Son of the Blob.

The acting is pretty bad for the most part as lead actor Robert Walker Jr. (Bobby Hartford) seemed to have the nice young man next door appeal to him but at first he was just a line reader and not much more. I was thinking that he needed to pick it up a bit and however he seems to do so while the story was rolling along especially acting happy at his surprise party. He also reacts well to being anxious when the terror strikes in which he picks up the pace a great deal here. I must say he wasn't such a bad actor. Just that he needed a push during the beginning of his performance.
Gwynne Gilford (Lisa Clark) seemed quite phony with her shocked expressions as well as her screaming which seemed a bit over the top but yet when she shows off her upsetting and crying emotions this seems averagely convincing. She seems to do okay with her disturbed reactions by all that is happening and can bring up the energy during a quarter of her performance here when the real terrors start to occur. However she's not the greatest character actress at the same time while discussing her talents.
Richard Stahl
(Edward Fazio) was okay playing a nagging businessman as he does a nice job yelling and complaining in his first appearance while a vehicle runs over his groceries. Plus does well acting excited talking to the police by what had happened. He shows off some decent adrenaline with whatever he does and is a convincing pain in the ass by acting self centered by whatever he does here. However he tries too hard to be funny and misses by a longshot.
Richard Webb (Sheriff Jones) seemed to do well with his deep speaking along with his light headed type of personality. However sometimes he was rusty in dealing with cases not coming across believeable here but oh well. He does well with his excited expressions and attitude when the blob attacks one of his deputies in which he shows a perfect hype to all of this. There's also nice commandments from him with everyone else in certain scene's of the film. Plus during the end of his performance when he does a speech for the news came off quite dorky with what he had to say which he showed decent timing while doing this too.
Rockne Tarkington (Deputy Williams) has the perfect tough guy looks to his part as a deputy along with having a good seriousness to his behavior here. Plus seems to do okay on having a strict attitude along with his dopey behavior too combining them both nicely. Shows a decent amount of energy and charisma within his actions. He also comes across nicely onto the camera with his spekaing and presence too.
There's also many pointless cameo's by celebrities mainly noted for their TV sitcoms.

A man's butt is briefly exposed in the dark while running outside

The composing sounded very out of tune in which we have a hokey beginning of twinkling sounds like you'd hear from an ice cream truck and sorts like that with really bad comedic themed music too in the story. Yet the composing gets better in which we hear high ear pitched screeching sounds when we spot this blob rolling in to attack it's next prey as well as when the real suspense happens some drum roll booming as well as the suspenseful high trumpter playing which gives it the old fashioned drive in feel to the picture as this works a little bit. All of this was put together by Mort Garson