There's something strange about this follow up to the blob,even though it's credited to hagman as director it feels like he was ditched in the final half hour to someone who knew what they were doing the first two thirds are tediously improvised and geniounly dull whereas the final half hour racks up the tension and is actually well shot reminiscent of john carpenter it's no surprise to see dean cundey had a hand in this picture lush blues and reds and dark shadows,based on what's seen on screen a major part in how this film ended up being realised on screen.
78 Reviews
Wildly uneven with too little care put into it
I_Ailurophile3 October 2022
I love the original 1958 film 'The blob.' I've somehow been unaware until very recently that 1972 sequel 'Beware! The blob' existed. Frankly, ignorance was bliss, and I wish I had it back.
This movie borrows the sci-fi horror stylings of the 50s flick, yes. Some death scenes are duly unsettling, and at its best there's a measure of uneasy atmosphere and tension at times. However, it then also tries to one-up the worst indulgences of its predecessor's B-movie contemporaries with awful, unfunny ham-handedness that closely resembles mid-century TV shows like 'The Munsters,' 'Batman,' or 'The Partridge Family' more than anything else. Couple this with astounding, blithe inauthenticity in the characters, dialogue, and scene writing - and not least in the acting. There's not one trace of sincerity in anyone's performances; if I didn't know any better I'd say they were drunk or high every time the camera was rolling, or had never been in front of a camera before and couldn't suppress a nervous smile. If not for tasteless scenes of animals getting eaten by the blob, then I'd be cheering for the ooze just in the hope that all the characters go away - and then the cast, crew, and filmmakers, in turn.
'Beware!' wants to be an extra gauche and campy horror-comedy, but it also wants to offer earnest disquiet as the blob advances. Both strains fall apart owing to the confounding lack of care that anyone put into the project. I hate to fall back on 'Manos: The hands of fate' as a point of comparison, but it's a worthwhile one here, because for all the faults of Harold P. Warren's no-budget infamy, at least in that instance everyone involved poured genuine effort into their contributions. This could have been fun, one way or another, but the picture we get is a mess where the appearance of the creature seems to be the only aspect consistently deserving of praise. Maybe I'm just not properly attuned to this level of kitsch, yet the fact that this 1972 feature is strongest where it echoes its 1958 antecedent - and emphatically weakest when its own flavors are infused - says much. If only it could have found one steady tone; even the climax and ending, which seem so promising at first, can't completely avoid the wild, unwieldy oscillation.
Sure, I've seen worse movies. So what? One could watch this in recognition of what it does irregularly do well - or my suggestion would be to just rewatch the 1958 movie, because that's why you're here in the first place. 'Beware! The blob' is a sad instance of a sequel that we honestly just didn't need.
This movie borrows the sci-fi horror stylings of the 50s flick, yes. Some death scenes are duly unsettling, and at its best there's a measure of uneasy atmosphere and tension at times. However, it then also tries to one-up the worst indulgences of its predecessor's B-movie contemporaries with awful, unfunny ham-handedness that closely resembles mid-century TV shows like 'The Munsters,' 'Batman,' or 'The Partridge Family' more than anything else. Couple this with astounding, blithe inauthenticity in the characters, dialogue, and scene writing - and not least in the acting. There's not one trace of sincerity in anyone's performances; if I didn't know any better I'd say they were drunk or high every time the camera was rolling, or had never been in front of a camera before and couldn't suppress a nervous smile. If not for tasteless scenes of animals getting eaten by the blob, then I'd be cheering for the ooze just in the hope that all the characters go away - and then the cast, crew, and filmmakers, in turn.
'Beware!' wants to be an extra gauche and campy horror-comedy, but it also wants to offer earnest disquiet as the blob advances. Both strains fall apart owing to the confounding lack of care that anyone put into the project. I hate to fall back on 'Manos: The hands of fate' as a point of comparison, but it's a worthwhile one here, because for all the faults of Harold P. Warren's no-budget infamy, at least in that instance everyone involved poured genuine effort into their contributions. This could have been fun, one way or another, but the picture we get is a mess where the appearance of the creature seems to be the only aspect consistently deserving of praise. Maybe I'm just not properly attuned to this level of kitsch, yet the fact that this 1972 feature is strongest where it echoes its 1958 antecedent - and emphatically weakest when its own flavors are infused - says much. If only it could have found one steady tone; even the climax and ending, which seem so promising at first, can't completely avoid the wild, unwieldy oscillation.
Sure, I've seen worse movies. So what? One could watch this in recognition of what it does irregularly do well - or my suggestion would be to just rewatch the 1958 movie, because that's why you're here in the first place. 'Beware! The blob' is a sad instance of a sequel that we honestly just didn't need.
Not exactly great, but not exactly unwatchable
Pipesofpeace-171-6857253 March 2012
Halfway between playing Major Nelson and J.R. Ewing on television, Larry Hagman found the time to direct this low-budget sequel to the 1958 schlock horror classic that first put Steve McQueen on the map. The tone is somewhere between an Attack of the Killer Tomatoes-like parody (though several years prior to that film)and a straightforward monster-on-the-loose thriller. Although never truly scary, there are a few nice moments, including a climax that essentially recreates the classic movie theater scene from the original but resets it in a crowded bowling alley. Mostly it's fun to try and spot the many well-known actors who appear throughout, including Godfrey Cambridge and Carol Lynley as town locals; comedian Shelley Berman as a hair stylist; Dick Van Patten as a Boy Scout leader; and Burgess Meredith and Hagman himself (nearly unrecognizable) as a pair of hobos. Young Cindy Williams (pre-Laverne & Shirley and American Graffiti) plays a dope-smoking hippie chick, while character actor Richard Stahl gives a great slow-burn comic performance as the bowling alley owner. If you're a fan of the original or just enjoy early-'70s drive-in creature features, you may have some fun taking a look at this.
sick, creepy, comedy-horror!
googlemorf26 November 2003
If I had not seen BEWARE!THE BLOB as an impressionable youth, maybe I could look at it as a cheezy, poorly acted, uneven special effects, campy movie. But there is something sinister going on in this flick, and untill I read a mini revue in CULT MAGAZINE I thought maybe I was just being sensitive. A follow-up to the famous original about a man eating jello from outer space, most critics said something to the effect that BEWARE! THE BLOB doesn't know if it wants to be a horror movie or a comedy, so it fails at both, but I don't agree with that sum-up. I think Larry Hagman (and, or the writers)did something unlike anything done before. In a Horror-comedy, the humor is there to relieve the horror. HERE they got it backwards! We see characters doing goofy sit-com type things, and then they get eaten by the blob! I find the mix of styles very disturbing. This movie gave me nightmares as a kid, and I still can't shake it off! I think Hagman also had a lot of contempt at the time he made this flick. The characters are usually stupid and brain dead to their surroundings, making them easy prey (they are all self-absorbed before being blob-absorbed!). I find the bowling ally attack to be very effective despite the uneven special effects. I know some of you may think I'm taking this silly movie way to seriously and, okay, maybe I am.. But now when you go to a bowling ally, or to the barbers, or sit back in your easy chair just like Godfry Cambridge did, you may just think twice.. BEWARE!
"Maybe you two kids are on a trip or something...I don't know and I don't care."
moonspinner5525 October 2017
The Blob from 1958 is back, courtesy of pipe-layer Godfrey Cambridge who collected the killer substance at the North Pole and brought it back home to have it examined (he's the Blob's fourth victim, following a housefly, a kitten and his unsuspecting wife). Actor Larry Hagman, who had previously directed a few episodes from TV shows, makes his feature directorial debut here--it was also his last such effort for the movies (for which we can probably be thankful). One suspects Hagman might have taken on this low-budget, low-brow project just to get his directing resume kick-started, yet he shows absolutely no talent for the job. The Blob looks better dripping down from the roof of a car than it does bobbling up to a farmhouse or sitting dead still in the middle of the road. Hagman tries keeping the scenario light, with joshing segues to overzealous scout master Dick Van Patten and a naked guy on the run after the Blob invaded his bathroom. Still, the cast of familiar character actors looks mighty embarrassed, and there's nothing very clever about the dialogue, the plot or the finale. * from ****
To Stupid For Me
Rainey-Dawn7 October 2017
I normally love the "so bad it's good" campy B-comedy horror flicks but this one is just stupid for me to watch. Something about it that rubs me sideways. I liked the opening fine - but when The Blob grabbed the first lady it went all down hill from there. I had to turn this one off after a bit.
Larry Hagman what on earth were you thinking? You set up a few good shots but most of this I could do.
The actors are so very lame - anybody could have been in this picture and would have worked out fine.
I was hoping for some cheesy fun - but this cheese is moldy... had to throw it out.
2/10
Larry Hagman what on earth were you thinking? You set up a few good shots but most of this I could do.
The actors are so very lame - anybody could have been in this picture and would have worked out fine.
I was hoping for some cheesy fun - but this cheese is moldy... had to throw it out.
2/10
It's not Kitchy or Funny at all - Just Dead Awfully Dull
BaronBl00d15 July 2010
Yes, this is a horror spoof and a seventies horror spoof at that. It is loaded with some big(okay, fairly big Hollywood names like Cindy Williams, Burgess Meredith, Carol Lynley, Larry Hagman, and others) in cameos and somewhat meatier roles. It has a feel that is directly not going for screams but laughter, but all I could muster and muffle were yawns. Director Larry Hagman chose wisely to essentially give up directing and act. There are scenes that are so dark you barely can see Burgess Meredith in his short cameo(and I might add one of the highlights of the film for me). Other scenes are even darker. The music seems to have no relationship to what is going on screen most of the time. The acting, despite having a young Gwynne Gilford and Robert Walker as leads, seems wooden and forced - particularly from Walker as well as some of the cameos. A few of the actors eat and chew their scenes with vigor: Dick Van Patten as a scout master, Godfrey Cambridge as the man who is responsible for the Blob(the monster ravaging the town in the script rather than the man responsible for this blob of a mess), Shelley Berman in a weird scene as a barber, and character actor Richard Stahl really biting off a large piece of scenery as a bowling alley owner. Stahl is the best thing in this film. The story is ludicrous as we go from one in-transitioned scene into another. Look, I know it is for fun, but a movie like this can be fun to watch too. This one certainly wasn't that for me.
Like Father, Like Murderous Pudding!
Coventry6 November 2006
This terribly amateurish and totally redundant sequel to the classic Steve McQueen movie "The Blob" is somewhat enjoyable, but ONLY if you have a high tolerance for irredeemably bad B-movies. There aren't many links with the original film (apart that it plays on TV at one moment), the budget was even tinier this time and most of the time the script appears to be penned down by a kindergarten class. Just listen to the abysmal choice of music or some of the dialogs: "Oh Chester, you really are dingeling!" What the hell? Anyways, a construction worker brings back a sample of frozen blob from his last working trip to Antartica apparently he builds pipelines there and his nagging wife accidentally thaws it. The interstellar jello pudding rapidly increases in size as it feeds on cute little cats and simple minded country folks. I never even knew there was a sequel to "The Blob", but at least now I understand why it's such a well-kept secret. It's a movie put together by weirdos! Moreover, the biggest weirdo is the guy in the director's chair and he even became a huge TV-phenomenon during the 80's by starring as J.R. in the legendary soap "Dallas". Unbelievable! Especially since it looks like he was in a constant state of drunkenness while making this film. Once the blob escapes from its jar, it only consumes the oddest people imaginable, like hippies that think it's normal to pay 400 Dollar for a regular haircut, voyeuristic coppers and fat naked guys that enjoy taking a bath with their dog! The only reasonable explanation would be that director JR Hagman absolutely HATED the original and exclusively intended to ridicule it by spawning a demented sequel. There sure is strange stuff to find out there in obscure movie land, but it's probably for the best that you just never search for them...
One of the Great Horror Comedies!
Chance2000esl30 September 2008
Warning: Spoilers
This is a great under rated horror comedy. In the great horror films, whether comedies or not, the horror is not played for laughs but is treated seriously while the characters surrounding the horror element contribute the comic aspects. You can see this from the 1930s on from the comic relief in 'Dracula' (1931) through 'Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein' (1948) to this well crafted film. What a deft touch by director Larry Hagman!
You can say it's dimly lit (not for dramatic effect necessarily, but due to a cheap budget), but there are so many wonderful cameos from well known stars that it's continually enjoyable. Godfrey Cambridge, Dick Van Patten, Richard Stahl, Richard Webb, Cindy Williams, Burgess Meredith, the 'Naked Turk' and Larry Hagman all add wonderful touches and moments. Robert Walker, Jr. gets a little grating towards the end, but the movie is saved by the tension filled finale in in the bowling alley. A job well done! I'll give it a 7.
It's a true sequel to 'The Blob' (1958) and produced by the same production team. They also retooled the independent horror film 'Equinox' (1970). All three are highly recommended.
You can say it's dimly lit (not for dramatic effect necessarily, but due to a cheap budget), but there are so many wonderful cameos from well known stars that it's continually enjoyable. Godfrey Cambridge, Dick Van Patten, Richard Stahl, Richard Webb, Cindy Williams, Burgess Meredith, the 'Naked Turk' and Larry Hagman all add wonderful touches and moments. Robert Walker, Jr. gets a little grating towards the end, but the movie is saved by the tension filled finale in in the bowling alley. A job well done! I'll give it a 7.
It's a true sequel to 'The Blob' (1958) and produced by the same production team. They also retooled the independent horror film 'Equinox' (1970). All three are highly recommended.
A Hippy-eating Blob can't be all bad!
JoeB13121 February 2008
i'm just saying...
I remember this film being a lot better when I saw it as a kid. Now I know better.
Anyway, this was a sequel to the classic 1958 movie with Steve McQueen. A chunk of the original blob is brought home by an expendable black guy. The Blob immediately proceeds to eat his cat, his wife and then him before being discovered by the hapless kids who try to warn everyone of the danger.
While the McQeen version was played as straight drama, this one is played for comedy. Except it wasn't funny. Instead, what you have is a lot of vignettes with eccentric characters who seem largely oblivious to what is happening around them or anything they might have picked up in acting school. The movie ends with the blob being trapped in a skating rink before someone turns on the ice machine and freezes it.
Bad cinematography, bad acting (even by the good actors like Dick van Patten and an uncredited Burgess Meredith).
I remember this film being a lot better when I saw it as a kid. Now I know better.
Anyway, this was a sequel to the classic 1958 movie with Steve McQueen. A chunk of the original blob is brought home by an expendable black guy. The Blob immediately proceeds to eat his cat, his wife and then him before being discovered by the hapless kids who try to warn everyone of the danger.
While the McQeen version was played as straight drama, this one is played for comedy. Except it wasn't funny. Instead, what you have is a lot of vignettes with eccentric characters who seem largely oblivious to what is happening around them or anything they might have picked up in acting school. The movie ends with the blob being trapped in a skating rink before someone turns on the ice machine and freezes it.
Bad cinematography, bad acting (even by the good actors like Dick van Patten and an uncredited Burgess Meredith).
Wonderfully wacky 70's fun.
roddmatsui20 April 2005
Roger Corman once mentioned in an interview something to the effect that when he looked in on the filming of a comedy, he knew everything was all right if the cast and crew were joking and laughing and having a good time. In his experience, that energy would translate to the screen and the picture would be funny and enjoyable.
Although Corman did not produce this particular picture, "Beware! The Blob" looks to me to be exemplary of this kind of thinking. The cast was obviously enjoying the experience of making the film, and we, the audience, get the benefit. A certain sense of giddy frivolity is evident.
This movie was made by Jack Harris and Larry Hagman in the 70's--the early 70's. And by golly, it shows. Many people hate this film, and part of me wants to shout, "C'mon, guys, this is great stuff! You're watching it the wrong way!" But really, this film isn't for everyone. Not everyone likes grape jelly. Or strawberry jam. And that's...okay.
I would say this sequel to the (excellent) "The Blob" is played half-seriously, and that's why I find it so strange and refreshing. Sometimes it's a raucous farce. Sometimes it's straight horror. And oddly enough for a 70's film, it seems to know when it is being one or the other, and keeps true to whatever it is at that moment. It's not nearly as badly made as many of its detractors claim.
Watch it for the pea soup-thick 70's atmosphere. You'll feel as if you've entered another world. Watch it for the inventive low-budget special effects. A few shots look pretty nice even today. Watch it for the scene with the bald would-be victim guy in the bathtub, who throws the phone through the window when he sees the gelatinous menace oozing under his bathroom door, and who is then seen running starkers through the streets, shouting, while funny music plays. "Beware! The Blob" is extremely goofy, exciting, brightly-colored fun stuff. It is extremely representative of the era in which it was made.
Trust me: There is NO movie that entertains the way this one does. See it and treat yourself to a fun bit of film!
Although Corman did not produce this particular picture, "Beware! The Blob" looks to me to be exemplary of this kind of thinking. The cast was obviously enjoying the experience of making the film, and we, the audience, get the benefit. A certain sense of giddy frivolity is evident.
This movie was made by Jack Harris and Larry Hagman in the 70's--the early 70's. And by golly, it shows. Many people hate this film, and part of me wants to shout, "C'mon, guys, this is great stuff! You're watching it the wrong way!" But really, this film isn't for everyone. Not everyone likes grape jelly. Or strawberry jam. And that's...okay.
I would say this sequel to the (excellent) "The Blob" is played half-seriously, and that's why I find it so strange and refreshing. Sometimes it's a raucous farce. Sometimes it's straight horror. And oddly enough for a 70's film, it seems to know when it is being one or the other, and keeps true to whatever it is at that moment. It's not nearly as badly made as many of its detractors claim.
Watch it for the pea soup-thick 70's atmosphere. You'll feel as if you've entered another world. Watch it for the inventive low-budget special effects. A few shots look pretty nice even today. Watch it for the scene with the bald would-be victim guy in the bathtub, who throws the phone through the window when he sees the gelatinous menace oozing under his bathroom door, and who is then seen running starkers through the streets, shouting, while funny music plays. "Beware! The Blob" is extremely goofy, exciting, brightly-colored fun stuff. It is extremely representative of the era in which it was made.
Trust me: There is NO movie that entertains the way this one does. See it and treat yourself to a fun bit of film!
Not as good as the original, but still enjoyable for Blob fans
tom_koopa4 October 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Since this is a direct sequel to the original Blob movie, this film picks up almost immediately where The Blob ended. A frozen piece of the Blob is accidentally allowed to thaw out and from there it eats, eats and eats some more until it reaches a climax similar to the famous cinema scene of the original. Only this time; it's a bowling alley.
The main problem I have with this movie is that it doesn't deliver anything new really. It's just different characters, a different environment and a slightly different plot.
If you really love the Blob and can't get enough; then this movie is for you. If you are not a Blob fan, you may not find much to enjoy in this movie.
A mediocre, but slightly enjoyable film. I give it 6 out of 10 stars.
The main problem I have with this movie is that it doesn't deliver anything new really. It's just different characters, a different environment and a slightly different plot.
If you really love the Blob and can't get enough; then this movie is for you. If you are not a Blob fan, you may not find much to enjoy in this movie.
A mediocre, but slightly enjoyable film. I give it 6 out of 10 stars.
"Lets go over to your house & have an avocado sandwich." Strange 70's horror comedy sci-fi.
poolandrews2 May 2009
Warning: Spoilers
Beware! The Blob starts as Chester Hargis (Godfrey Cambridge) returns home from Alaska after three months laying pipes, with him Chester has brought an unusual sample of permafrost back which thaws out & turns into a slithering slimy red blob that eats Chester's kitten, his wife & Chester himself. Local teenage hippie girl Lisa Clarke (Gwynne Gilford) sees Chester being devoured by the blob & she tells her boyfriend Bobby Hartford (Robert Walker) but no-one believes them especially Sheriff Jones (Richard Webb) & the rest of the local cops. As the blob grows in size & eats every living thing in it's way Lisa & Bobby have to convince people the blob is real & find a way to stop it...
Also known under the title Son of Blob on VHS in the US & UK & sometimes shown under that title on TV this was directed by super villain J.R. Ewing himself Larry Hagman this delirious piece of early 70's sci-fi was a sequel to the classic Steve McQueen original The Blob (1958) which I personally don't rate that much despite it's somewhat lofty reputation. I am not quite sure what the makers were trying to do with this sequel, there are similarities between the two with the bunch of 50's rebellious rock'n'roll loving teens from the original are replaced with contemporary 70's hippies but essentially they roles are the same, there's the disbelieving adults & in particular the local Sheriff & of course the blob itself that generally just rolls around & eats everyone it comes across. The one main notable difference here with Beware! The Blob is that the whole exercise has been conceived as a camp comedy with totally over-the-top character's, supposedly funny sketch type scenes revolving around the blob's victims such as a fat Turkish guy running naked down a street, three drunk men & a geologist who seems to live in a tent set up in his living room that all add up to an uneven & disjointed mess, certain character's are played dead straight, other's are played for laughs, the comedy isn't funny, the hippie stuff is clichéd & Beware! The Blob is at it's most effective when it's actually trying to be a proper sci-fi horror sequel which isn't often enough unfortunately for any potential viewer. At almost 90 odd minutes it does drag a little as well at times especially during the first hour or so although things do improve on this count when the blob reaches full time & terrorises the local bowling alley & ice rink. The film isn't a total wash-out & it is entertaining on occasion in it's badness but overall Beware! The Blob is a bit of an uneven mess that can't quite decide what it wants to be. Sort of fun in a cheesy way but for the wrong reasons if you know what I mean.
The film has a very low budget & 70's feel about it, the opening credits sequence is weird with some bizarre music playing over shots of a kitten playing in a field for what seems like an eternity. There's a sneaky little reference to the original The Blob as one character is seen watching it on telly. One surprising thing about Beware! The Blob is that the special effects are actually reasonable, they aren't brilliant but they aren't too bad either although the full sized blob is never seen, just parts of it. There's no blood or gore & most of the attack scenes are nothing more than people seen screaming while the blob approaches. The scene when Lisa & Bobby are attacked by the blob in the jeep which is filmed from inside is quite cool as the blob is seen sliding down the windows & completely engulfing the jeep. As I said when it's trying to be proper sci-fi horror it's alright & when it's not it's not.
Obviously shot on a low budget the films looks a little cheap at times although as I said the special effects are better than one might expect. The acting is all over the place with actor's just doing whatever they want in whatever way they want with little consistent direction from Hagman who actually has a small role in the film.
Beware! The Blob is a bit of curiosity, is it a horror or a sci-fi or a parody or a straight comedy? I can't really decide & it seems the makers couldn't either. Watchable in a cheesy bad sort of way but there's nothing special here & it's not particularly funny either.
Also known under the title Son of Blob on VHS in the US & UK & sometimes shown under that title on TV this was directed by super villain J.R. Ewing himself Larry Hagman this delirious piece of early 70's sci-fi was a sequel to the classic Steve McQueen original The Blob (1958) which I personally don't rate that much despite it's somewhat lofty reputation. I am not quite sure what the makers were trying to do with this sequel, there are similarities between the two with the bunch of 50's rebellious rock'n'roll loving teens from the original are replaced with contemporary 70's hippies but essentially they roles are the same, there's the disbelieving adults & in particular the local Sheriff & of course the blob itself that generally just rolls around & eats everyone it comes across. The one main notable difference here with Beware! The Blob is that the whole exercise has been conceived as a camp comedy with totally over-the-top character's, supposedly funny sketch type scenes revolving around the blob's victims such as a fat Turkish guy running naked down a street, three drunk men & a geologist who seems to live in a tent set up in his living room that all add up to an uneven & disjointed mess, certain character's are played dead straight, other's are played for laughs, the comedy isn't funny, the hippie stuff is clichéd & Beware! The Blob is at it's most effective when it's actually trying to be a proper sci-fi horror sequel which isn't often enough unfortunately for any potential viewer. At almost 90 odd minutes it does drag a little as well at times especially during the first hour or so although things do improve on this count when the blob reaches full time & terrorises the local bowling alley & ice rink. The film isn't a total wash-out & it is entertaining on occasion in it's badness but overall Beware! The Blob is a bit of an uneven mess that can't quite decide what it wants to be. Sort of fun in a cheesy way but for the wrong reasons if you know what I mean.
The film has a very low budget & 70's feel about it, the opening credits sequence is weird with some bizarre music playing over shots of a kitten playing in a field for what seems like an eternity. There's a sneaky little reference to the original The Blob as one character is seen watching it on telly. One surprising thing about Beware! The Blob is that the special effects are actually reasonable, they aren't brilliant but they aren't too bad either although the full sized blob is never seen, just parts of it. There's no blood or gore & most of the attack scenes are nothing more than people seen screaming while the blob approaches. The scene when Lisa & Bobby are attacked by the blob in the jeep which is filmed from inside is quite cool as the blob is seen sliding down the windows & completely engulfing the jeep. As I said when it's trying to be proper sci-fi horror it's alright & when it's not it's not.
Obviously shot on a low budget the films looks a little cheap at times although as I said the special effects are better than one might expect. The acting is all over the place with actor's just doing whatever they want in whatever way they want with little consistent direction from Hagman who actually has a small role in the film.
Beware! The Blob is a bit of curiosity, is it a horror or a sci-fi or a parody or a straight comedy? I can't really decide & it seems the makers couldn't either. Watchable in a cheesy bad sort of way but there's nothing special here & it's not particularly funny either.
Not the BEST horror movie ever made, but certainly not the WORST....
kman007224 June 2005
OK, I don't know why people knock this movie. I saw this when I was a kid, and it genuinely scared the crap out of me. I watch it now, and it still gives me the creeps in some scenes, the hippie getting his (final) haircut, for example.
I think Larry Hagman made this movie just to have some fun, and it clearly shows. I mean come on, where else are you going to see Burgess Meredith (God rest his soul) as a hippie? Some of the scenes were just plain hilarious, such as the scenes with Dick van Patten and the Boy Scouts, for example. Watching him talk to Lisa in the beginning, and getting annoyed at the scouts because of the "Kerbangers" later on, were terrific. I would have liked to have seen what happened to his character, but I guess we can figure it out for ourselves, eh?
Like I said, it looks like Larry and company had a lot of fun.
Give it a chance, and check it out. You won't be disappointed.
Kevin
I think Larry Hagman made this movie just to have some fun, and it clearly shows. I mean come on, where else are you going to see Burgess Meredith (God rest his soul) as a hippie? Some of the scenes were just plain hilarious, such as the scenes with Dick van Patten and the Boy Scouts, for example. Watching him talk to Lisa in the beginning, and getting annoyed at the scouts because of the "Kerbangers" later on, were terrific. I would have liked to have seen what happened to his character, but I guess we can figure it out for ourselves, eh?
Like I said, it looks like Larry and company had a lot of fun.
Give it a chance, and check it out. You won't be disappointed.
Kevin
Gotta love Randy in this one...
ynque11 November 1999
Okay, it's a lousy wannabe horror film that couldn't decide if it wanted to be a comedy or a thriller. But this sequel to The Blob has something that no other film can boast: Randy Stonehill and Larry Norman make their screen debut! It's a must-see for Stonehill and Norman fans, or those who (like me) love to bash the worst of the worst. SEE Randy Stonehill sing inside a drainpipe! HEAR Cindy Williams flub her lines repeatedly! WATCH as the Blob returns to terrorize young kittens romping merrily through the field! This is great fun for those who love pain in the form of *bad* movies. If you are just looking for a good movie to watch, however, run the other direction. Quickly.
"We're gonna go discover acoustics..."
"We're gonna go discover acoustics..."
Almost unbelievably bad and offensive
funkyfry8 March 2004
Although this film contains many scenes that are almost surreal and over the top, not that many of them are truly fun. The producers weren't sure if they were making a horror film or a comedy, and in trying to do too much they have done far too little.
It would be hard to summarize all the ways in which this movie is offensive. 2 Jewish bowlers are eaten by the blob, last seen lifting crucifixes in the air as if to repent at the last moment. Dumb "blacks" are everywhere, and sure to be fodder for Son of Blob's maw. In fact, pretty much everyone, including the cops and the hippies, are made fun of, and this film fails to latch onto anyone as the "hero" although there is a nominal pair of teens who pop up every once and a while. They do not carry the film with one tenth the force that the original film's duo has.
Also worthy of note is the terrible photography and forceless direction. It's almost painful to watch this film, at least in the faded color print I saw.
Strangely enough, this unfunny film has a cast that includes many very talented comedians and dramatic performers, to such an extent that my friend and I were constantly seeing people popping up. For example, Burgess Meredith pops up for about 30 seconds as a bum. Cindy Williams, Arnold Stang, Dick Van Patton, and others also appear briefly, making one wonder if the producers thought of this as a lesser "Mad Mad World".
Although the film takes a lot of time building up Van Patton and another character as the villains, we don't get to see either one day. Just another offensive thing about this film, which can only claim in its defense that at least it is an equal-opportunity offender -- it exploits literally every character and allows us to empathize with none, making this Blob's streak of terror a far less memorable one.
It would be hard to summarize all the ways in which this movie is offensive. 2 Jewish bowlers are eaten by the blob, last seen lifting crucifixes in the air as if to repent at the last moment. Dumb "blacks" are everywhere, and sure to be fodder for Son of Blob's maw. In fact, pretty much everyone, including the cops and the hippies, are made fun of, and this film fails to latch onto anyone as the "hero" although there is a nominal pair of teens who pop up every once and a while. They do not carry the film with one tenth the force that the original film's duo has.
Also worthy of note is the terrible photography and forceless direction. It's almost painful to watch this film, at least in the faded color print I saw.
Strangely enough, this unfunny film has a cast that includes many very talented comedians and dramatic performers, to such an extent that my friend and I were constantly seeing people popping up. For example, Burgess Meredith pops up for about 30 seconds as a bum. Cindy Williams, Arnold Stang, Dick Van Patton, and others also appear briefly, making one wonder if the producers thought of this as a lesser "Mad Mad World".
Although the film takes a lot of time building up Van Patton and another character as the villains, we don't get to see either one day. Just another offensive thing about this film, which can only claim in its defense that at least it is an equal-opportunity offender -- it exploits literally every character and allows us to empathize with none, making this Blob's streak of terror a far less memorable one.
Only bearable with a great deal of strong drink or drugs
smokehill retrievers7 December 2001
The saddest think about watching this turkey is seeing my old childhood hero "Captain Midnight" reduced at last to playing the idiotic sheriff in this ghastly potboiler. No wonder he committed suicide later on. If I had seen this film -- to use the term charitably -- back in the 60s when I was doing a lot of drugs it might have been fun; straight, it just is terrible. However, if you're in a "Killer Tomatoes" or "Plan 9" kind of mood, it could still be fun, especially if you have friends in to help you laugh.
Great kudos to Larry Hagman for putting together some great cameos, and no doubt helping out some underappreciated talent that could use the work, like Del Close, whose contributions as a comedy innovator and teacher at Second City Television are, sadly, almost unknown except to the big-name stars he mentored. For those not familiar with his face, he was the psycho preacher in the remake of THE BLOB -- the one at the end who saves a piece of the creature to bring on Armageddon. Read Del Close's bio on this site. It's an extremely interesting read.
Great kudos to Larry Hagman for putting together some great cameos, and no doubt helping out some underappreciated talent that could use the work, like Del Close, whose contributions as a comedy innovator and teacher at Second City Television are, sadly, almost unknown except to the big-name stars he mentored. For those not familiar with his face, he was the psycho preacher in the remake of THE BLOB -- the one at the end who saves a piece of the creature to bring on Armageddon. Read Del Close's bio on this site. It's an extremely interesting read.
What about Blob?
Hey_Sweden7 November 2016
Utterly wacky, cheerfully moronic comedy sequel to a straight faced sci-fi favorite. Legendary actor Larry Hagman directs for the first and only time, for his neighbor Jack H. Harris, who'd produced the original "Blob" and had been trying for years to get a sequel made. Hagman packed the cast with friends and neighbors, leading to the impressive lineup of familiar faces.
Robert Walker Jr. and Gwynne Gilford play our sincere heroes in this story of a chunk of the Blob being transported back from the Arctic by a geologist (Godfrey Cambridge). Very soon, it's able to thaw out, and return to what it does best.
The body count is pretty good in this movie, which is occasionally funny but often tiresome. Some scenes don't seem directed so much as improvised. Some of the performances here are somewhat serious, while others are flat out silly. The special effects are variable, and Hagman does let the action eventually erupt into an entertaining feeling of chaos. The tone is established early thanks to the goofy music score composed by Mort Garson. Whatever the movie lacks in technical slickness, it makes up for that to a degree with its loose and fairly good natured quality.
The cast also includes Richard Stahl, Richard Webb, Carol Lynley, Marlene Clark, Gerrit Graham, J.J. Johnston, Rockne Tarkington, Dick Van Patten, Del Close (who also turned up in the 1988 "Blob" remake), and Cindy Williams, with cameos for Shelley Berman, Cambridge, and Hagman himself (who plays the young hobo). Sid Haig and Burgess Meredith appear unbilled.
Admittedly, a rather crudely made movie, but just the fact that it exists is pretty amusing. It does have some value as a curio.
Future cinematographer Dean Cundey was the camera operator for the animal sequences.
Five out of 10.
Robert Walker Jr. and Gwynne Gilford play our sincere heroes in this story of a chunk of the Blob being transported back from the Arctic by a geologist (Godfrey Cambridge). Very soon, it's able to thaw out, and return to what it does best.
The body count is pretty good in this movie, which is occasionally funny but often tiresome. Some scenes don't seem directed so much as improvised. Some of the performances here are somewhat serious, while others are flat out silly. The special effects are variable, and Hagman does let the action eventually erupt into an entertaining feeling of chaos. The tone is established early thanks to the goofy music score composed by Mort Garson. Whatever the movie lacks in technical slickness, it makes up for that to a degree with its loose and fairly good natured quality.
The cast also includes Richard Stahl, Richard Webb, Carol Lynley, Marlene Clark, Gerrit Graham, J.J. Johnston, Rockne Tarkington, Dick Van Patten, Del Close (who also turned up in the 1988 "Blob" remake), and Cindy Williams, with cameos for Shelley Berman, Cambridge, and Hagman himself (who plays the young hobo). Sid Haig and Burgess Meredith appear unbilled.
Admittedly, a rather crudely made movie, but just the fact that it exists is pretty amusing. It does have some value as a curio.
Future cinematographer Dean Cundey was the camera operator for the animal sequences.
Five out of 10.
And the most annoying voice award goes to.
cbjami29 December 2021
OMG the girl lead in this movie never shut up and was squealing like a pig the whole movie. Her voice made this a spine tingling movie because it went up your spine the whole time.
The movie could gave been fun if not for her.
The movie could gave been fun if not for her.
Comments on Beware of the Blob
Bassooner_111 April 2003
This is a really campy but fun movie, not to be taken seriously. Robert Walker, Jr. seems to have a lot of fun making this movie, as does Larry Hagman. Obviously not as good as the original, but good enough for a B rating at any rate.
BEWARE! THE BLOB (Larry Hagman, 1972) *1/2
Bunuel197623 January 2010
Having enjoyed revisiting THE BLOB (1958) during this challenge, I could not pass up the opportunity of acquiring its (not very well regarded and ultra-rare) sequel when it presented itself towards the end of October; best-known for being "The Film That J.R. Shot" (in view of Hagman's famous stint as the charismatic villain in the long-running TV series DALLAS), it is – quite frankly – one of the worst follow-ups to an established or cult classic I have watched (incidentally, there is an in-joke involving the original being shown playing on TV early on: both are Jack H. Harris productions)! The decision to treat its theme in comedic fashion was a disastrous one – though, admittedly, the opening moments prove endearing as they highlight the antics of a small (and very cute) cat that, needless to say, becomes the titular monster's first victim. Robert Walker (a dead-ringer for his late and more famous namesake father) makes for a decent lead under the circumstances and, among the gelatinous monster's victims are Carol Lynley, Dick Van Patten, Gerrit Graham, an unrecognizable Sid Haig, lesser Blaxploitation exponents Godfrey Cambridge and Marlene Clark (from GANJA & HESS [1973] and THE BEAST MUST DIE [1974]), as well as uncredited cameos by Burgess Meredith and Hagman himself playing drunken hobos! For what it is worth, the film is at its (relative) best during the blob's attack at an ice rink and the chaos that ensues.
An enjoyably goofy tongue-in-cheek sequel to the classic 50's original
Woodyanders26 January 2007
Warning: Spoilers
This belated purposefully campy sequel to the '58 cult sci-fi/horror classic has old gooey being thawed out and going on a voracious feeding frenzy in a sleepy small Southern California town. It's up to amiable hippie Robert Walker, Jr. and his sweet girlfriend Gwynne Gilford to stop the lethal gelatinous sentient mass of alien goop before it's too late. Of course, uptight sheriff Richard Webb doesn't believe a word of their incredible far-fetched story. Directed with oddly engaging incompetence by a clueless Larry Hagman (J.R. on "Dallas"!), with hokey special effects by Tim Baar, a delightfully corny score by Mort Garson, a silly script by Jack Woods and Anthony Harris, rough, unpolished, but still blindingly garish cinematography by Al Hamm, gleefully hammy acting from an appealingly enthusiastic cast, and a lively climactic raid on a bowling alley by the writhing pile of deadly jello, "Beware! the Blob" provides a great deal of infectiously giddy'n'goofy fun. Appearing briefly as blob food are Carol Lynley as a vacuous flower child, Gerrit Graham as an obnoxious party animal, Dick Van Patten as an overzealous cub scout troop master, Godfrey Cambridge as a lazy Alaska pipeline worker, Marlene Clark as Cambridge's nagging wife, Cindy Williams as a pot-smoking teenager, Shelley Berman as a smarmy barber, Burgess Meredith as a grouchy wino, Hagman as a whiny drunk, and Del Close (Reverend Meeker in the terrific '88 "The Blob" remake) as a pitchfork-wielding dude with an eyepatch covering his left eye. An entertainingly inane hoot.
I enjoy this goofy sequel.
Aaron13751 March 2022
Warning: Spoilers
This is a film to not take seriously, but to sit back and enjoy. I honestly enjoy it better than the original film, as I never really cared for the original. Too many teens who are not teens trying to warn people with not all that much blob. Here it gets shown off a lot though sometimes it looks good and others not so much. Still, it is a film that is not taking itself seriously and is just so random that I find it a fun movie.
The story, for reasons unknown a scene where they accidentally unearth the original blob was cut, so instead we get to see a kitten frolic in the grass! Anyways, seems a guy was in the arctic doing research and he got a sample of something he found, oops! His wife has accidentally thawed it out and it is hungry! The first few attacks are really good as the kitten gets it first, then the wife and then the husband. Too bad they kind of went light on most of the kills thereafter using more point of view and quick shots. A girl watches the husband die and gets her boyfriend and of course, people think she is crazy as the blob begins its rampage killing hippies, doggies and sending naked Russian men into the streets! Okay, just one! It all heads to a finale at a bowling alley that is a pretty good finish for the film and seems a bit tighter than the rest of the film.
The cast has a lot of faces you will recognize within it and the characters that are portrayed are likeable enough. I liked the lead guy, sort of reminded me of Majore Gortner a bit and the lead girl was good too. I also liked the sheriff who was a bit clueless. You also get very small parts for notable actors so it is kind of fun trying to catch them all.
So the film is more comedy than horror, but I still enjoyed it. Like I said, the first blob I found to be boring while this one as random as it was, felt more entertaining. The remake from 1988 though I think is the best of the bunch as it boasted better effects and had lots of gore and was way more of a horror film. This one was just a groovy film that just shouted 70's tackiness! I also really enjoyed the death of the dude in the gorilla costume, I just wish I could have watched him suffer!
The story, for reasons unknown a scene where they accidentally unearth the original blob was cut, so instead we get to see a kitten frolic in the grass! Anyways, seems a guy was in the arctic doing research and he got a sample of something he found, oops! His wife has accidentally thawed it out and it is hungry! The first few attacks are really good as the kitten gets it first, then the wife and then the husband. Too bad they kind of went light on most of the kills thereafter using more point of view and quick shots. A girl watches the husband die and gets her boyfriend and of course, people think she is crazy as the blob begins its rampage killing hippies, doggies and sending naked Russian men into the streets! Okay, just one! It all heads to a finale at a bowling alley that is a pretty good finish for the film and seems a bit tighter than the rest of the film.
The cast has a lot of faces you will recognize within it and the characters that are portrayed are likeable enough. I liked the lead guy, sort of reminded me of Majore Gortner a bit and the lead girl was good too. I also liked the sheriff who was a bit clueless. You also get very small parts for notable actors so it is kind of fun trying to catch them all.
So the film is more comedy than horror, but I still enjoyed it. Like I said, the first blob I found to be boring while this one as random as it was, felt more entertaining. The remake from 1988 though I think is the best of the bunch as it boasted better effects and had lots of gore and was way more of a horror film. This one was just a groovy film that just shouted 70's tackiness! I also really enjoyed the death of the dude in the gorilla costume, I just wish I could have watched him suffer!
Beware!
Nightgaunt23 October 2003
Well, this kind of movies are entertaining in some way due to their trash potential, I think I should check if it ever ran on MST3k, but the most terrifying thing in this movie is the soundtrack of the intro. Where the hell did they dig that score out? It hurts!!! Never thought that you can make such a big room freeze within seconds. Cheesy. Anyways, me and my pals laugthed a lot watching that one. Good entertainment, worth watching it. 2 of 10 points.
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