The Blob is back in this horrific tale about a vile, malignant life-form that crashes to Earth in a cozy, rural American town called Arborville. Untroubled by conscience or intellect, the Blob does only one thing – and it does it well. It eats anything and everything that moves: men, women, and children. And tonight it wants to swallow the town of Arborville. The original version of The Blob thrilled and terrified audiences back in the 1950s. Now the oozing, gooey killer is back with a whole new high-tech look. What was once only suggested now comes to life with state-of-the-art special effects in the tradition of such thrilling remakes as The Thing and The Fly.

For thoughts on The Blob (1988), please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

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Video Quality

Scream Factory presents The Blob (1988) with a fetching 2160p transfer in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio sourced from a 4K master of the film provided by Sony with HDR10. It is the slightest bit unusual that this is one of the few Scream Factory 4K UHD Blu-Ray releases not to include Dolby Vision, but we can only imagine that it was a condition put forth by Sony (potentially for their own re-release in the future). While it is somewhat disappointing, this disc works perfectly well within the solid HDR10 parameters.

This film was originally released on Blu-Ray by Scream Factory a few years ago in 2019 which was derived from an excellent master. While this release may not be a night and day difference like some Scream Factory 4K UHD upgrades, this new presentation is undoubtedly the best way to experience this film. This disc delivers sumptuous natural film grain which brings out a world of distinct texture in the production design, the goopy special effects, and more. This grain resolves perfectly with nothing ever appearing static or spiking throughout the plethora of nighttime scenes. This disc nails every environmental change with ease. The practical effects showcase wondrous clarity which makes the work all the more engrossing. The encode seems to be efficiently optimized with Dolby Vision not being necessary to clean up any shortcomings.

One of the aspects that will impress fans the most is the wonderful implementation of Dolby Vision which does not let you down with its depth and nuance. There are splashes of bright, flashing lights that provide a vivid palette of complex hues. The evolving shade of pink for the titular blob is a great standout. The new presentation reaches a level of accuracy and color detail that likely tops the original prints. Black levels are strong with no blatant crush on display, and highlights never get too hot and veer into blooming. This transfer has done a successful job of cleaning up practically all of the print damage. Overall, this is by far the best the film has looked on home entertainment, and fans will be thrilled to own this one in such excellent quality.

Audio Quality

The 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc comes with what appears to be the previously released DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio remixed surround sound track and the original stereo track in DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio. Each of these captures this material quite well, providing one track with genuine artistic purity and another that is more expansive. Dialogue comes through with unmistakable clarity even when the town is falling into chaos. Environmental noises such as screaming crowds or the flopping around of The Blob are given a formidable place within the mix. You never have to worry about fidelity thanks to a strong handling of individual elements. The low end of the track comes alive when it is supposed to with a fun prominence. The music sounds exceptional without a hint of damage. Overall, Scream Factory provided a dream audio experience for this one. English SDH subtitles are provided for those who want them.

Special Features

Audio Commentaries: A trio of audio commentaries is provided which offers up both personal insights from the cast and crew along with some historical analysis.

- Audio Commentary #1: Director Chuck Russell, Cinematographer Mark Irwin, and Special Effects Artist Tony Gardner, Moderated by Filmmaker Joe Lynch

- Audio Commentary #2: Actress Shawnee Smith, Moderated by Justin Beahm from Shout! Factory and Reverend Entertainment

- Audio Commentary #3: Chuck Russell and film Producer/Film Historian Ryan Turek

It Fell From The Sky! – Interview with Director Chuck Russell, Part 1: A nearly 23-minute interview with the filmmaker who discusses his early interest in filmmaking, his attempts to break into the movie business, working with Roger Corman, landing his first directorial gig, and more.

I Killed The Strawberry – Interview with Director Chuck Russell, Part 2: The second half of the previous interview runs 27 minutes and finds Russell delving into his relationship with and work on The Blob, his casting of the film, his relationship with Frank Darabont, and more.

We Have Work To Do – Interview with Actor Jeffrey DeMunn: A 14-minute interview with the performer in which he discusses his early interest in the arts, getting into the film business, pivotal advice he received from a beloved actress, landing the role in The Blob very last minute, and more

Minding The Diner – Interview with Actress Candy Clark: A 17-minute interview with the actress in which she discusses her early life, her entry into performing, memories of working on The Blob, working with Chuck Russell and Jeffrey DeMunn, and more.

They Call Me Mellow Purple – Interview with Actor Donovan Leitch Jr.: A nearly 16-minute interview with the actor in which he describes growing up in Hollywood, lessons he learned on set, landing the role in The Blob, the themes of the film, and more.

Try To Scream! – Interview with Actor Bill Moseley: A 19-minute interview with the actor in which he discusses his early life, his early roles in the movie business, getting the role in The Blob, improvised lines, the direction of Chuck Russell, and more.

Shoot Him! – Interview with Cinematographer Mark Irwin: An 18-minute interview with the cinematographer in which he delves into his work on The Blob, crafting the aesthetic of the feature, the difficulties of making The Blob look menacing, faking some of the foliage for the film, the stage work for certain set pieces, working with Chuck Russell, and more.

I Want That Organism Alive! – Interview with Blob Mechanic Peter Abrahamson: A nearly 13-minute interview with the mechanic in which he discusses his early interest in special effects, getting a crash course in filmmaking, developing mechanisms for The Blob, and more.

Gardner’s Grue Crew – Behind the Scenes on The Blob: A 28-minute piece that shows the special effects team at work.

The Incredible Melting Man – Interview with Special Effects Artist Tony Gardner: A 22-minute interview with the special effects artist in which he gives a great overview of his career, working with Rick Baker and Stan Winston, the excitement of getting to work on some projects alone, the collaborative nature of the project, expanding the parameters of the titular threat, and much more.

Monster Math – Interview with Special Effects Supervisor Christopher Gilman: A 26-minute interview with the special effects supervisor who discusses his lack of support as a young kid, his move to Los Angeles, his work with props, his work on The Blob, the creation of certain effects, and more.

Haddonfield to Arborville – Interview with Production Designer Craig Stearns: A 21-minute interview with the production designer in which he discusses his early life, his relationship with John Carpenter, the sets created for The Blob, and more.

The Secret Of The Ooze – Interview with Mechanical Designer Mark Setrakian: A 20-minute interview with the mechanical designer who discusses growing up as a “Monster Kid”, getting involved with The Blob, creating the effects for The Blob, the difficulties encountered, and more.

Theatrical Trailers: There are two trailers totaling three minutes provided here.

TV Spot: The 32-second TV spot is provided here.

Still Gallery: A collection of promotional images and stills is provided.

Final Thoughts

The Blob (1988) is one of the great remakes that rivals the original, if not surpasses it in some aspects. Chuck Russell and the creative team obviously have respect for the original, and the way they utilize practical effects allows this one to have the same timeless feel you want from this story. The ensemble all do a pretty solid job in terms of what you expect from an ‘80s horror film. This is a fun time all around. Scream Factory has provided the film with a 4K UHD Blu-Ray release that boasts a fantastic A/V presentation and a deep reservoir of special features that fans will devour. Even if you already own this one on Blu-Ray, this new presentation brings a rich new life to this film. Highly Recommended

The Blob (1988) (Collector’s Edition) is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD + Blu-Ray Combo Pack.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Scream Factory has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.