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Flash forward to 1988, and it is inevitable someone in Hollywood would get the idea to "reimagine" The Blob for modern audiences. Hot off the success of A Nightmare On Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, director Chuck Russell set about refashioning the cheap 50's killer globular from outer space into a big-budget, elaborate special effects spectacle. Unfortunately, the film tanked at the box office, so no The Return Of the Blob for us. But while this film has largely fallen off the radar, even being largely dismissed by genre fans, it has more going for it than most fodder of the era and deserved a better fate than it got.

Since I probably don't need to tell you the plot, do you really need to see the remake if you've already seen the original? Probably not, but this is still a lot of fun with an ever-growing slime eating its way through a sleepy American town. Just don't expect much in the way of depth, as our teenage protagonists are pretty pro formula and the titular villain can look pretty fake - lead Kevin Dillion's mullet is more frightening. And since the idea of a giant Jell-O mold eating people isn't particularly terrifying these days, the scares in The Blob are more of the funhouse "Boo!" variety, but it is always a treat watching thoroughly disposable humans get regurgitated.

Ultimately, the film settles for being little more than a fun popcorn flick and misses its true chance at greatness - where's the political subtext? It is too bad The Blob wasn't remade in the late 70's, as such a story seems ripe to be remade as a thriller of the caliber of The China Syndrome or Blow Out, or even on par with the 1978 version of Invasion Of the Body Snatchers. Still, you got to hand it to Russell and the cast. The Blob is a lot better than it has a right to be, and quite a lot of fun in that retro-80s sorta way. Worth a look if you're a genre fan.

Video: How Does The Disc Look?

While not a classic, The Blob deserves a better transfer than this. Presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen, this one's obviously been lying around in a vault somewhere collecting dust, and looks every one of its ten-plus years of age. The print is noticeably worn, faded and marred by imperfections. Dirt, grain and blemishes are apparent throughout, and colors are weak. Detail is very poor as is shadow delineation, and unstable blacks and weak contrast. There is some edge enhancement though nothing excessive, and artifacts are minimal. Overall, a poor presentation.

Audio: How Does the Disc Sound?

Presented in English 2.0 Dolby surround, the soundtrack is only fair. Given the film's sizable budget for a late-80's horror flick, the track is fairly well recorded. Dialogue, effects and the score boast solid dynamic range and a natural sound, with decent fidelity and fullness. Stereo separation among the front three channels is adequate, though surround use is minimal at best. The rears are quite weak, with little ambiance or envelopment for an overall less-than- engaging experience. Low end also lacks kick, and despite the relative high-quality of the recording, this is an uninspired, serviceable mix.

Also included are French, Spanish and Portuguese mono tracks, English Closed Captions, and a bevy of subtitles in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean, and Thai.

Supplements: What Goodies Are There?

Nothing much here... just a batch of trailers, including a really bad one for the main attraction, presented in full frame and mono only, Pretty dull.

Parting Thoughts