Married to the Mob (1988)
71%RT Audience Score: 48%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 1 Oscar
6 wins & 5 nominations total
Buoyed by Jonathan Demme’s intuitive direction and Michelle Pfeiffer’s irresistible charisma, Married to the Mob is a saucy mix of broad comedy and gangster drama
Married to the Mob” is a hilarious and thrilling ride that will leave you wanting more. With a superb cast and Demme’s unique vision, this ’80s comedy is a tonal gymnastics display that doesn’t come around very often. Pfeiffer shines in a role worthy of her, and Ruehl’s over-the-top performance as Stockwell’s brassy, jealous wife is a highlight. While some may find the plot predictable, the action and laughs are perfectly tuned. It’s not for all tastes, but for cinematic thrills and spills, “Married to the Mob” is quite a ride.
Production Company(ies)
Paramount Pictures, Alfran Productions,
Distributor
Orion Pictures, MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc.
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Bay Shore, Long Island, New York, USA
MPAA / Certificate
R
Year of Release
1988
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby SR
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 43m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Aug 19, 1988 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 13, 2000
Genre(s)
Comedy
Keyword(s)
starring Michelle Pfeiffer, Alec Baldwin, Matthew Modine, Dean Stockwell, Mercedes Ruehl, Joan Cusack, directed by Jonathan Demme, written by Barry Strugatz, Mark R Burns, comedy, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Roger Ebert, Sheila Benson, Peter Travers, Keith Uhlich, Terry Orme, Brian Orndorf, Jonathan Rosenbaum, MPAA rating R, gangster drama, FBI agent, mob boss, mistress, affair, fresh start, corrupt, crime world, saucy mix, broad comedy, gangster drama, corrupt systems, humanity, luxurious movie pleasures, Michelle Pfeiffer’s irresistible charisma, action, laughs, vibrant, warm, fun, hilarious, paranoid, jealous, philandering, spurned wife, FBI agent, innocent pawn, simple
Worldwide gross: $21,486,757
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $55,015,580
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,289
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 5,999,518
US/Canada gross: $21,486,757
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $55,015,580
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,029
US/Canada opening weekend: $3,231,056
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $8,272,929
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,006
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $10,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $25,604,413
Production budget ranking: 1,236
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $13,787,976
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $15,623,191
ROI to date (est.): 40%
ROI ranking: 1,200
Matthew Modine – Mike Downey
Dean Stockwell – Tony ‘The Tiger’ Russo
Mercedes Ruehl – Connie Russo
Alec Baldwin – ‘Cucumber’ Frank de Marco
Joan Cusack – Rose
Director – Jonathan Demme
Producers – Edward Saxon, Kenneth Utt
Writers – Barry Strugatz, Mark R. Burns
Director(s)
Jonathan Demme
Writer(s)
Barry Strugatz, Mark R. Burns
Producer(s)
Edward Saxon, Kenneth Utt
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 Oscar
6 wins & 5 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
All Critics (48) | Top Critics (12) | Fresh (43) | Rotten (5)
Demme sees corruption-the potential for it and the indulgence of it-in everyone. Yet he doesn’t neglect the humanity of the people in thrall to or trapped within those systems.
October 7, 2020
Keith Uhlich
(All (Parentheses))
TOP CRITIC
The results are very good – far better and funnier than most of what is being made these days.
July 18, 2020 | Rating: 3/4
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
TOP CRITIC
Demme makes crystal-clear what some have suspected for quite a while: that there are few more luxurious movie pleasures than watching Michelle Pfeiffer when she’s given a role worthy of her.
July 18, 2020
Sheila Benson
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
High-spirited and hilarious, Mob supplies that special kick you get from movie comedy when laughter bubbles over into bliss.
July 18, 2020
Peter Travers
People Magazine
TOP CRITIC
Demme’s narrative has all the frantic intensity of a nightmare which with its constant shifts of pace and mood works beautifully both as a thriller and as comedy.
January 17, 2020
Duncan Wu
Sight & Sound
TOP CRITIC
Pfeiffer is at her best, and there’s plenty of action, although you may feel that some of the gags involving a scorned and vengeful wife (Mercedes Ruehl) are a bit shopworn.
January 31, 2011
Jonathan Rosenbaum
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
Jonathan Demme once again comes up with a fresh and funny movie about life in America.
May 5, 2022
Terry Orme
Salt Lake Tribune
It’s a tonal gymnastics display that doesn’t come around very often, making “Married to the Mob” special, assisted in great part by Demme’s askew vision for this type of story.
September 21, 2020 | Rating: A-
Brian Orndorf
Blu-ray.com
The cast is superb – especially Mercedes Ruehl in over-the-top mode as Stockwell’s brassy, jealous wife – and Demme keeps both the action and the laughs perfectly tuned.
July 18, 2020 | Rating: 4/5
Jo Berry
Radio Times
It’s good for a few chuckles, but no real laughs, and the predictable plot is not very compelling.
July 18, 2020 | Rating: 2/5
Andrea Beach
Common Sense Media
“Married to the Mob” isn’t for all tastes. But for cinematic thrills and spills, it’s quite a ride.
July 18, 2020
David Sterritt
Christian Science Monitor
…a top-tier ’80s comedy.
November 30, 2019 | Rating: 3.5/4
David Nusair
Reel Film Reviews…
Plot
Angela deMarco is unhappily married to high Mafia member Frank deMarco. When Frank is killed, Angela takes the opportunity to break free of the Mafia world entirely and start a new life. But Frank’s boss, Tony Russo, begins to court the unresponsive Angela. The FBI begins surveillance on her, thinking her to be his new mistress. FBI agent Mike Downey goes undercover as Angela’s neighbor, but soon finds himself attracted to Angela himself.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
No goofy or funny or odd comments were found in the Fresh Kernels database for Married to the Mob.
Jonathan-Demme.jpg
71%
Baby Boom (1987)
71%RT Audience Score: 62%
Awards & Nominations: 5 nominations
Baby Boom struggles to impart its feminist ideals, but Diane Keaton’s winsome leading work helps keep things breezily entertaining
Baby Boom” is a movie that’s so cheesy, it could give you a lactose intolerance. But hey, sometimes you just need a good rom-com to make you forget about your problems, and this one does the trick. Diane Keaton is a delight to watch as she navigates the world of motherhood and career, even if the script is a bit too predictable. It’s not the best baby movie out there, but it’s definitely worth a watch if you’re in the mood for some light-hearted fluff.
Production Company(ies)
Les Films, du Poisson Arte France Cinéma Entre Chien et Loup
Distributor
United Artists
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
Weston, Vermont, USA
MPAA / Certificate
PG
Year of Release
1987
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 51m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Sep 17, 1987 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 6, 2001
Genre(s)
Comedy
Keyword(s)
starring Diane Keaton, Harold Ramis, Sam Shepard, Sam Wanamaker, James Spader, Pat Hingle, directed by Charles Shyer, written by Nancy Meyers, produced by Bruce A Block, Nancy Meyers, comedy, PG, box office performance, $25.4M, reviewed by Dave Kehr, Marsha McCreadie, Joe Pollack, Kathleen Carroll, Jay Boyar, Bill Cosford, Kat Halstead, Matt Brunson, Ben Yagoda, Hal Lipper, Michael Sragow, feminism, workplace, New York City, Vermont, baby girl, investment broker, life-changing events, corporate ways, Dolby, Surround, Flat (1.85:1), United Artists
Worldwide gross: $26,712,476
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $71,301,872
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,185
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 7,775,559
US/Canada gross: $26,712,476
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $71,301,872
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 912
US/Canada opening weekend: $1,357,413
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $3,623,254
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,144
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Harold Ramis – Steven Bochner
Sam Shepard – Dr. Jeff Cooper
Sam Wanamaker – Fritz Curtis
James Spader – Ken Arrenberg
Pat Hingle – Hughes Larabee
Director(s)
Charles Shyer
Writer(s)
Nancy Meyers, Charles Shyer
Producer(s)
Bruce A. Block, Nancy Meyers
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
5 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (46) | Top Critics (17) | Fresh (32) | Rotten (14)
Shyer’s direction of actors rises instantly to a level of cartoonish hysteria and descends only for occasional wet bursts of sentimentality.
June 24, 2021 | Rating: 2/4
Dave Kehr
Chicago Tribune
TOP CRITIC
Baby Boom is so far into the realm of fable as to be a cartoon, or a wish fulfillment. It’s as if Frank Capra had read Ms. and missed the point.
June 24, 2021
Marsha McCreadie
Arizona Republic
TOP CRITIC
“Baby Boom” is a classic of insipidity, oozing sexual stereotypes from every pore, with dialogue that can’t tell the difference between bright and trite and a music score that may give cavities.
June 24, 2021
Joe Pollack
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
TOP CRITIC
The script is too coy and calculating. But watching Keaton romp through “Baby Boom” is a special treat.
June 24, 2021 | Rating: 3.5/4
Kathleen Carroll
New York Daily News
TOP CRITIC
There’s just something irresistible about a major star dropping his or her guard and going full-out in the service of a comic romp.
June 24, 2021 | Rating: 3/5
Jay Boyar
Orlando Sentinel
TOP CRITIC
It’s a big bundle of fluff – you don’t know whether to sit there and watch or charge the screen and tickle its itsy nose – but it’s power-fluff.
June 24, 2021 | Rating: 2.5/4
Bill Cosford
Miami Herald
TOP CRITIC
The movie just about works, but everything feels like a missed opportunity to say something more, go a little deeper, or be a touch sharper.
June 30, 2022 | Rating: 3/5
Kat Halstead
Common Sense Media
While not the most financially successful of the rash of baby flicks to emerge from Hollywood during the late ’80s (that would be Three Men and a Baby), it was arguably the best.
May 16, 2022 | Rating: 3/4
Matt Brunson
Film Frenzy
The message of “Baby Boom” is so wildly dubious that it s impossible to ignore. When you think of it as only a movie, however (and a slick, manipulative light comedy at that), you have to admit that “Baby Boom” does a nice job.
June 24, 2021
Ben Yagoda
Philadelphia Daily News
Keaton… redeems Baby Boom from the clutches of ’40s romantic comedy banality.
June 24, 2021 | Rating: 2/4
Hal Lipper
Tampa Bay Times
Nothing in this pseudo-comedy, which resembles episodes from three different sitcoms strung together, remotely approximates real life.
June 24, 2021 | Rating: 1.5/4
Michael Sragow
San Francisco Examiner
I really enjoy this film. It captures feminism in the 80’s, early 90s well
August 25, 2020
Rachel Wagner
Rachel’s Reviews (YouTube)…
Plot
J.C. Wiatt is a successful New York business woman known around town as the “tiger lady.” She gets news of an inheritance from a relative from another country and off the bat she suspects it’s money. Well it’s not money, it’s a baby girl. At first she doesn’t accept until the lady that gives the baby to her has to catch her flight. J.C. is now stuck with an annoying baby girl. Her boyfriend doesn’t like the idea of a baby living with them and he leaves her. J.C. has enough of it and takes her to meet a family ready to adopt her. She leaves but hears the baby cry while walking away and has to go back. The baby is too attached to her now and won’t let her go. Later, her baby gets into mischief which causes her to get fired. Now, she sets her eyes on an old two story cottage in Vermont to get out of the New York life. When she arrives, the house needs more help than originally thought. She gets bored one snowy day and decides to make apple sauce. Her baby loves it and she decides to sell it. Pretty soon everyone wants some of the baby apple sauce. J.C. hits it big and falls in love with a local veterinarian. Was this fate or destiny?
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Fresh Kernels praises Diane Keaton’s “winsome leading work” in Baby Boom, despite the film’s struggles to convey its feminist ideals.
Charles-Shyer.jpg
71%
Bloodlands Series 1
71%RT Audience Score: 53%
Starring: James Nesbitt, Lola Petticrew, Chris Walley, Lorcan Cranitch, Charlene McKenna
Verse
Year of Release
2021
Technical Specs
Color: NA
Sound mix: NA
Aspect ratio: NA
Language(s): English
Country of origin: United Kingdom
Original premiere:
Newest season premiere:
Genre(s)
Crime, Dance, Detective, Drama, Mystery, Police, Police Drama, Thriller
Keyword(s)
Crime TV Drama, Detective Mystery Drama TV Drama, Police Drama, TV Shows Starring James Nesbitt, HTM Television Shows, TV Shows from United Kingdom, English Language
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
James Nesbitt
Tom Brannick
Lola Petticrew
Izzy Chris Walley
Birdy
Lorcan Cranitch
Jackie Twomey
Charlene McKenna
Niamh McGovern
Victoria Smurfit
Olivia Foyle
Director(s)
Writer(s)
Executive(s)
NA
Awards & Nominations
NA
Synopsis (Warning: Spoilers!)
Stream Now
(Click to Watch)
Coming soon…
71%
Footloose (1984)
71%RT Audience Score: 71%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 2 Oscars
1 win & 6 nominations total
There’s not much dancing, but what’s there is great. The rest of the time, Footloose is a nice hunk of trashy teenage cheese
Footloose” is like a time capsule of the 80s, complete with big hair, neon colors, and a killer soundtrack. Sure, the plot may be a bit dated and the acting a bit cheesy, but who cares when you’re too busy dancing along to “Let’s Hear It for the Boy”? Kevin Bacon may be the star, but the real MVP is the music. So put on your dancing shoes and get ready to cut loose, because “Footloose” is a guilty pleasure that never gets old.
Production Company(ies)
Marvel Studios, Walt Disney Pictures,
Distributor
Paramount Pictures
Release Type
Streaming, Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Provo, Utah, USA
MPAA / Certificate
PG
Year of Release
1984
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Stereo
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 47m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Feb 17, 1984 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 8, 2002
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Kevin Bacon, Lori Singer, John Lithgow, Dianne Wiest, Chris Penn, Sarah Jessica Parker, directed by Herbert Ross, written by Dean Pitchford, drama, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Kathleen Carroll, Variety Staff, Dave Kehr, Roger Ebert, Nell Minow, Janet Maslin, Sean Collier, Richard Propes, Sezín Koehler, Diego Galán, PG, dancing, rock music, small town, rebellion, teenage, conservative, Reverend, Vi Moore, Willard Hewitt, Ariel Moore, Chicago, Midwestern, illegal, social parable, extremism, Flashdance, Boy Scout, schmaltz, 80s oddities, hair metal, gymnasts, cheesy, soundtrack, angst, rebellion, overprotective society, dance, comedy, drama, open mind, flack, horror movies, MCU movies, Netflix series, TV shows
Worldwide gross: $80,039,064
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $234,380,673
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 608
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 25,559,506
US/Canada gross: $80,035,402
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $234,369,950
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 283
US/Canada opening weekend: $8,556,935
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $25,057,517
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 547
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $8,200,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $24,012,294
Production budget ranking: 1,265
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $12,930,620
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $197,437,759
ROI to date (est.): 534%
ROI ranking: 238
Lori Singer – Ariel Moore
John Lithgow – Reverend Shaw Moore
Dianne Wiest – Vi Moore
Chris Penn – Willard Hewitt
Sarah Jessica Parker – Rusty
Director(s)
Herbert Ross
Writer(s)
Dean Pitchford
Producer(s)
Lewis J. Rachmil, Craig Zadan
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 2 Oscars
1 win & 6 nominations total
Academy Awards
All Critics (44) | Top Critics (8) | Fresh (23) | Rotten (21)
“Footloose” turns out to be a sort of Boy Scout version of “Flashdance,” a carefully toned-down, overly respectable piece of schmaltz …
February 17, 2016 | Rating: 2.5/4
Kathleen Carroll
New York Daily News
TOP CRITIC
Essential to the result is young Kevin Bacon, superb in the lead part.
February 12, 2008
Variety Staff
Variety
TOP CRITIC
Herbert Ross directed this odd but reasonably effective blend of rock music and didactic melodrama.
January 30, 2007
Dave Kehr
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
Footloose is a seriously confused movie that tries to do three things, and does all of them badly.
October 23, 2004 | Rating: 1.5/4
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
TOP CRITIC
September 23, 2004 | Rating: 4/5
Nell Minow
Movie Mom
TOP CRITIC
Like the rest of today’s video-happy teen-age entertainments, Footloose doesn’t expect to be watched closely or taken seriously. It wants to fill the screen with catchy music and pretty kids, and this it certainly accomplishes.
May 20, 2003 | Rating: 3/5
Janet Maslin
New York Times
TOP CRITIC
While Footloose is fun, it’s not very good. Its story is a dud
August 13, 2021 | Rating: 5/10
Sean Collier
Box Office Prophets
I will always be grateful for the way this film has positively impacted my life.
September 8, 2020 | Rating: 3.5/4.0
Richard Propes
TheIndependentCritic.com
Footloose is elevated to something much more than a teen romance. It becomes a social parable about the dangers of extremism. Footloose is about what happens when you try to control people too much.
May 23, 2020 | Rating: 4/5
Sezín Koehler
Black Girl Nerds
These movies are produced only to promote album sales. [Full Review in Spanish]
February 10, 2020
Diego Galán
El Pais (Spain)
There’s a plot that would have been dated in the ’50s. Hokey doesn’t begin to describe the inanity, the tedium, the utter lack of originality in Dean Pitchford’s script.
January 3, 2018
Marylynn Uricchio
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Kevin Bacon moves like a machete chopping through the jungle.
October 19, 2016 | Rating: 1.5/4
Josh Larsen
LarsenOnFilm…
Plot
Classic tale of teenage rebellion and repression features a delightful combination of dance choreography and realistic and touching performances. When teenager Ren McCormack and his family move from big-city Chicago to a small Midwestern town, he’s in for a real case of culture shock. Though he tries hard to fit in, the streetwise Ren can’t quite believe he’s living in a place where rock music and dancing are illegal. However, there is one small pleasure: Ariel Moore, a troubled but lovely blonde with a jealous boyfriend. And a Bible-thumping minister, who is responsible for keeping the town dance-free. Ren and his classmates want to do away with this ordinance, especially since the senior prom is around the corner, but only Ren has the courage to initiate a battle to abolish the outmoded ban and revitalize the spirit of the repressed townspeople. Fast-paced drama is filled with such now-famous hit songs as the title track and “Let’s Hear It for the Boy”.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
There’s no specific tidbit about the cast, but one critic did describe John Lithgow’s performance as “brilliantly grave and conflicted as the Reverend.”
Herbert-Ross.jpg
71%
The Howling (1981)
71%RT Audience Score: 58%
Awards & Nominations: 2 wins & 3 nominations
The Howling packs enough laughs into its lycanthropic carnage to distinguish it from other werewolf entries, with impressive visual effects adding some bite
The Howling is a howling good time! This werewolf flick is a perfect mix of horror and humor, with transformation effects that will leave you spellbound. The story deals with cults and media coverage, making it a clever and satirical contribution to the genre. It may be over 40 years old, but it still holds up as a fantastic off-beat horror movie that’s just plain fun to watch. So grab some popcorn, turn off the lights, and get ready to howl at the moon!
Production Company(ies)
Distributor
Image Entertainment Inc., Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Distributing Corp., MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc., AVCO Embassy Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Mendocino Woodlands Camp – 39350 Little Lake Road, Mendocino, California, USA
MPAA / Certificate
R
Year of Release
1981
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Mono
-
Aspect ratio:1.66 : 1 (original & negative ratio / European theatrical ratio)
-
Runtime:1h 31m
-
Language(s):English, Spanish
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Apr 3, 1981 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 26, 2003
Genre(s)
Horror
Keyword(s)
starring Dee Wallace, Patrick Macnee, Dennis Dugan, Christopher Stone, Belinda Balaski, Kevin McCarthy, directed by Joe Dante, written by Gary Brandner, John Sayles, Terence H Winkless, horror, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Nick Schager, Roger Ebert, Eddie Harrison, Leonard Klady, James Kendrick, Mike Massie, Larry Vitacco, Mattie Lucas, Michael J Casey, Jennie Kermode, producer Daniel H Blatt, Jack Conrad, Michael Finnell, Steven A Lane, MPAA rating R, werewolf, San Francisco, serial killer, psychiatric retreat, supernatural, werewolf transformation, practical effects, satire, self-help gurus, female werewolf, newsroom, tongue-in-cheek, Harryhausen stop-motion animation, baying wolves
Worldwide gross: $17,985,893
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $60,599,660
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,250
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 6,608,469
US/Canada gross: $17,985,893
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $1,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $3,369,288
Production budget ranking: 1,966
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $1,814,362
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $55,416,010
ROI to date (est.): 1,069%
ROI ranking: 113
Patrick Macnee – Dr. George Waggner
Dennis Dugan – Chris
Christopher Stone – R. William (Bill) Neill
Belinda Balaski – Terry Fisher
Kevin McCarthy – Fred Francis
Gary Brandner – Writer
John Sayles – Writer
Terence H. Winkless – Writer
Joe Dante – Director
Daniel H. Blatt – Producer
Jack Conrad – Producer
Michael Finnell – Producer
Steven A. Lane – Producer
Director(s)
Joe Dante
Writer(s)
Gary Brandner, John Sayles, Terence H. Winkless
Producer(s)
Daniel H. Blatt, Jack Conrad, Michael Finnell, Steven A. Lane
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
2 wins & 3 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (41) | Top Critics (2) | Fresh (30) | Rotten (11)
A perverse, satirical contribution to the oft-maligned werewolf genre.
November 6, 2005 | Rating: B
Nick Schager
Lessons of Darkness
TOP CRITIC
Ridiculous — yes. Comical at times — yes.
October 23, 2004 | Rating: 2/4
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
TOP CRITIC
…still shocks and amuses in equal parts…
October 27, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Eddie Harrison
film-authority.com
A clever story that deals with cults and media coverage.
October 15, 2021
Robin Holabird
Robin Holabird
[Dante] has demonstrated a deft touch at mixing genuinely horrifying effects and sly humour in The Howling.
August 18, 2021
Leonard Klady
Winnipeg Free Press
humorous and self-aware as it often is, The Howling fundamentally works as a scary-gory werewolf thriller, with Bottin’s transformation effects casting a nearly hypnotic spell
June 17, 2021 | Rating: 3/4
James Kendrick
Q Network Film Desk
The Howling is a fantastic off-beat horror flick with a dash of comedy that still holds up great 40 years later. The effects are fantastic, the script, acting and directing are superb and it’s just an all-around fun movie.
March 6, 2021 | Rating: 4.5/5
Stefan Birgir Stefans
sbs.is
The atmosphere is too bright and insincere, with a focus on creating dread through untrustworthy accomplices rather than terrifying bloodshed.
September 6, 2020 | Rating: 3/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
The monster movie is back!
May 27, 2020 | Rating: 3/4
Larry Vitacco
Philadelphia Gay News
Dante manages to overcome his limitations to some degree, but the film itself never quite leaves the middle of the road.
August 7, 2019 | Rating: 2.5/4
Mattie Lucas
From the Front Row
The Howling may be 35 years old, but age is just a number. Insight is eternal.
August 5, 2019
Michael J. Casey
Boulder Weekly
Essential viewing for anyone with a serious interest in the history of the genre.
October 12, 2017 | Rating: 2.5/5
Jennie Kermode
Eye for Film…
Plot
In a red light district, newswoman Karen White is bugged by the police, investigating serial killer Eddie Quist, who has been molesting her through phone calls. After police officers find them in a peep-show cabin and shoot Eddie, Karen becomes emotionally disturbed and loses her memory. Hoping to conquer her inner demons, she heads for the Colony, a secluded retreat where the creepy residents are rather too eager to make her feel at home. There also seems to be a bizarre connection between Eddie Quist and this supposedly safe haven. And when, after nights of being tormented by unearthly cries, Karen ventures into the forest and makes a terrifying discovery.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The makeup and visual effects are awesome, especially in a major shape-shifting transformation scene close to the end.
Joe-Dante.jpg
71%
Mommie Dearest (1981)
71%RT Audience Score: 72%
Awards & Nominations: 9 wins & 11 nominations
Mommie Dearest certainly doesn’t lack for conviction, and neither does Faye Dunaway’s legendary performance as a wire-wielding monster; unfortunately, the movie is too campy and undisciplined to transcend guilty pleasure
Mommie Dearest is a film that’s so bad, it’s good. Faye Dunaway’s performance is so over-the-top that it’s impossible not to be entertained. Sure, the story lacks depth and the direction is lackluster, but who cares when you have Dunaway screaming “No wire hangers!” at the top of her lungs? It’s a cult classic for a reason, and if you haven’t seen it yet, grab some popcorn and get ready for a wild ride.
Production Company(ies)
Production company
Distributor
Paramount Pictures
Release Type
Streaming, Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
355 S. Mapleton Drive, Holmby Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA
MPAA / Certificate
R
Year of Release
1981
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Mono
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:2h 9m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Sep 18, 1981 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 6, 2006
Genre(s)
Biography/Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Faye Dunaway, Diana Scarwid, Howard Da Silva, Mara Hobel, Rutanya Alda, Harry Goz, directed by Frank Perry, written by Christina Crawford, Robert Getchell, Tracy Hotchner, Frank Perry, Frank Yablans, biography, drama, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Richard Schickel, Bruce McCabe, Gary Arnold, Jason Bailey, Yardena Arar, Dave Kehr, Sean Burns, Gena Radcliffe, Douglas Davidson, Allison Rose, Matt Brunson, PG rating, produced by Frank Yablans, Joan Crawford, Christina Crawford, Louis B Mayer, Alfred Steele, Carol Ann, Marnie, The Indian Runner, To Walk With Lions, Deathtrap, Whose Life Is It Anyway?, Dreaming Walls: Inside the Chelsea Hotel, Dangerous Liaisons, Warriors on the Field, Fair Play, Paramount Pictures, stereo, flat aspect ratio
Worldwide gross: $19,032,261
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $64,125,176
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,225
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 6,992,931
US/Canada gross: $19,032,261
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $5,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $16,846,442
Production budget ranking: 1,459
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $9,071,809
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $38,206,925
ROI to date (est.): 147%
ROI ranking: 775
Diana Scarwid – Christina Crawford (adult)
Howard Da Silva – Louis B. Mayer
Mara Hobel – Christina Crawford (child)
Rutanya Alda – Carol Ann
Harry Goz – Alfred Steele
Director(s)
Frank Perry
Writer(s)
Christina Crawford, Robert Getchell, Tracy Hotchner, Frank Perry, Frank Yablans
Producer(s)
Frank Yablans
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
9 wins & 11 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (47) | Top Critics (12) | Fresh (23) | Rotten (24)
Lacking psychological intelligence or, for that matter, awareness of Hollywood sociology, Mommie Dearest is just a collection of screechy scenes further distanced by convictionless direction.
December 11, 2018
Richard Schickel
TIME Magazine
TOP CRITIC
The flaws aren’t the story with this unusual film. The story is in the powerful, vivid and emotionally draining scenes of torment and conflict between a mother and daughter.
April 27, 2018
Bruce McCabe
Boston Globe
TOP CRITIC
“Mommie Dearest,” the film version of Christina Crawford’s poison-pen memoir of her adoptive mother, Joan Crawford, looms as wretched excess.
October 4, 2017
Gary Arnold
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
The character is rendered such a grotesque, its moments don’t accumulate to an arc or even a readable profile. They just pile up, like cars in a traffic accident, and all we can do is gawk.
October 15, 2016
Jason Bailey
Flavorwire
TOP CRITIC
By all accounts, Miss Crawford had serious failings as a mother, but the film pounds so unrelentingly on her raging cruelty to her children — and her equally offensive public sweetness — that she emerges as a laughable caricature.
July 6, 2010
Yardena Arar
Associated Press
TOP CRITIC
It’s rich, stimulating thought in spite of itself.
October 30, 2007
Dave Kehr
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
I think Dunaway’s actually pretty great in this, going for broke with a baroquely stylized turn a galaxy away from the low-key naturalism so fashionable in boring biopics intending to bring icons down to earth.
May 7, 2022
Sean Burns
The ARTery
[Faye Dunaway’s] balls to the wall performance…gave color, flair and a heck of a lot of juice to what’s normally a safe to the point of boring film genre.
September 20, 2021
Gena Radcliffe
The Spool
… Mommie Dearest is not a film I’m likely ever to revisit; however, I can recognize and acknowledge how it resonates with so many who can dissociate the reality from the characters.
September 14, 2021
Douglas Davidson
Elements of Madness
Over the years, Mommie Dearest has created a cult like following the likes of which would make Joan Crawford proud.
August 16, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Allison Rose
FlickDirect
The problem with Dunaway’s over-the-top performance is that it becomes increasingly tiresome, less the fault of the actress than of the director (the usually dependable Frank Perry) and team of scripters.
August 7, 2021 | Rating: 1.5/4
Matt Brunson
Film Frenzy
The movie is confusing and boring… Faye Dunaway does a decent job, but is incapable of overcoming the weakness of the book and the script. [Full Review in Spanish]
August 26, 2019
Diego Galán
El Pais (Spain)…
Plot
The relationship between Christina Crawford and her adoptive mother Joan Crawford is presented from Christina’s view. Unable to bear children, Joan, in 1940, was denied children through regular adoption agencies due to her twice divorced status and being a single working person. Her lover at the time, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer lawyer Greg Savitt, was able to go through a brokerage to adopt a baby girl, who would be Christina, the first of Joan’s four adoptive children. Joan believes that her own difficult upbringing has made her a stronger person, and decides that, while providing the comforts that a successful Hollywood actress can afford, she will not coddle Christina or her other children, she treating Christina more as a competitor than a daughter. Joan’s treatment of Christina is often passive-aggressive, fueled both by the highs and lows of her career, the narcissism that goes along with being an actress, and alcohol abuse especially during the low times. However, Joan sees much of her actions toward Christina as Christina purposefully provoking her. Despite the physical and emotional abuse Joan hurls at Christina over the course of their relationship, Christina, who often wonders why Joan adopted her seeing as to the abuse, seemingly still wants her mother’s love right until the very bitter end.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Faye Dunaway’s performance as Joan Crawford is described as “legendary” and “balls to the wall.”
Frank-Perry.jpg
71%
Scanners (1981)
71%RT Audience Score: 64%
Awards & Nominations: NA
Scanners, the 1981 science fiction thriller directed by David Cronenberg, explores the idea of people who can control others with their thoughts. While some critics found the film lacking in payoff, others praised its unnerving and challenging nihilistic themes. The special effects were a highlight for many, but others found them curiously abstract. Despite its flaws, Scanners remains an entertaining and often exciting horror-thriller that has earned its place as a genre classic. Cronenberg’s exploration of the effects of signals on an organism is a recurring theme in his work, and Scanners is no exception. While it may not be his best film, it is certainly worth a watch for fans of the genre.
Scanners is a wild ride of exploding heads and mind control, but does it live up to the hype? Critics seem to be divided, with some praising the film’s special effects and others criticizing its lack of character development. Personally, I found it to be a fun and entertaining horror-thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat. Sure, it may not be a classic, but it’s definitely worth a watch if you’re in the mood for some sci-fi gore. Just don’t expect it to be a deep exploration of the human condition.
Production Company(ies)
Distributor
AVCO Embassy Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
Year of Release
1981
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:NA
-
Runtime:1h 42m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jan 14, 1981 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 28, 2001
Genre(s)
Sci-fi
Keyword(s)
Sci-fi, telepathy, telekinesis, renegade, race, world domination, R, David Cronenberg, Claude Héroux, written by David Cronenberg, Stephen Lack, Cameron Vale, Jennifer O’Neill, Kim Obrist, Patrick McGoohan, Doctor Paul Ruth, Lawrence Dane, Braedon Keller, Adam Ludwig, Arno Crostic, Michael Ironside, Darryl Revok, AVCO Embassy Pictures, Filmplan, stereo, mono, flat, box office, budget, reviewed by Bruce McCabe, Keith Phipps, Nathan Lee, Dave Kehr, Derek Adams, Roger Ebert, Rob Gonsalves, Eddie Harrison, John Brosnan, Kenneth Turan, Joe Baltake, audience score, streaming, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max, iTunes, rent, buy, subscription, MPAA rating, special effects, exploding head, conspiracy thriller, political tract, corporate executives, human conception, special gifts, safe, judicious manner
Worldwide gross: $14,225,876
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): NA
US/Canada gross: $14,225,876
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $3,500,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $12,522,459
Production budget ranking: 1,580
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $6,743,344
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Jennifer O’Neill – Kim Obrist
Patrick McGoohan – Doctor Paul Ruth
Lawrence Dane – Braedon Keller
Adam Ludwig – Arno Crostic
Michael Ironside – Darryl Revok
Director – David Cronenberg
Producer – Claude Héroux
Writer – David Cronenberg
Director(s)
David Cronenberg
Writer(s)
David Cronenberg
Producer(s)
Claude Héroux
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (43) | Top Critics (9) | Fresh (30) | Rotten (13)
Scanners, according to David Cronenberg’s new film, are people who can control others with their thoughts…The idea has a certain cachet. But Scanners doesn’t pay off on it.
April 28, 2018
Bruce McCabe
Boston Globe
TOP CRITIC
The generous selection of bonus features includes vintage elements, like a trailer made up almost entirely of the exploding-head scene, a handful of radio spots, and a 1981 talk-show appearance in which Cronenberg discusses his work up to that point.
July 14, 2014 | Rating: 4/5
Keith Phipps
The Dissolve
TOP CRITIC
Scanners consolidates the ruling problematic of the Cronenberg project from the sex slugs of Shivers to the financial abstractions of Cosmopolis: what are the effects of signals on an organism?
July 7, 2014
Nathan Lee
Film Comment Magazine
TOP CRITIC
Like Tod Browning, Cronenberg doesn’t have the stylistic resources to match the forcefulness of his ideas, but his movies remain in the mind for the pull of their private obsessions.
June 5, 2007
Dave Kehr
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
Part conspiracy thriller, part political tract, it is Cronenberg’s most coherent movie to date, drawing a dark (but bland) world in which corporate executives engineer human conception to produce ever more powerful mental samurai.
June 24, 2006
Derek Adams
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
Scanners is so lockstep that we are basically reduced to watching the special effects, which are good but curiously abstract, because we don’t much care about the people they’re happening around.
October 23, 2004 | Rating: 2/4
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
TOP CRITIC
Cronenberg does deliver the goods; it’s an efficient, intelligent sf thriller with the usual surplus of paranoid ideas.
December 1, 2022 | Rating: B+
Rob Gonsalves
Rob’s Movie Vault
…an unnerving and challenging work of nihilistic prescience…
September 17, 2022 | Rating: 4/5
Eddie Harrison
film-authority.com
Not destined to be a classic, nor even the best Cronenberg so far, Scanners is nonetheless an entertaining and often exciting horror-thriller.
July 26, 2022
John Brosnan
Starburst
The picture is a genre classic, a masterpiece in its own spooky way, but saying that evokes visions of elitist projects that delicately scrutinize the human condition. Scanners is not like that all. It is a hard-edge, no-nonsense science fiction thriller.
June 17, 2022
Kenneth Turan
New West/California
Cronenberg continues to work on our nerves with his special effects, but in the manner of a sadistic dentist drilling away at our teeth. What he does is effectively excruciating, but not the least enjoyable. It’s a banal expedition into stupid slaughter.
June 16, 2022
Joe Baltake
Philadelphia Daily News
For young moviegoers… Scanners offers the preferred mixture of fright, mystery and silly science. One can only wonder, though, when audiences will stop patronizing gory movies simply because they “take them someplace they have never been before.”
June 16, 2022 | Rating: 2/4
Robert Alan Ross
Tampa Bay Times…
Plot
Scanners is a sci-fi film about a group of people with telepathic and telekinetic powers, some of whom plan to create a race that will rule the world.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Fresh Kernels doesn’t have anything goofy or funny to say about the film Scanners, but they do mention the impressive special effects that will make your head explode.
David-Cronenberg.jpg
71%
The Jazz Singer (1927)
71%RT Audience Score: 56%
Awards & Nominations: 3 wins & 10 nominations
The Jazz Singer, the first sound film, is a true testament to the power of innovation and creativity in the world of entertainment. While some critics may find the film to be lacking in certain areas, such as long waits and a reliance on one star, it cannot be denied that the introduction of the Vitaphone and Al Jolson’s performance are nothing short of magnificent. The film’s ability to seamlessly blend music and dialogue is a true marvel, and it is no wonder that it is considered one of the greatest events in entertainment history. The Jazz Singer is a must-see for anyone interested in the evolution of film and the impact of sound on the art form.
The Jazz Singer is a classic film that paved the way for the talkies we know and love today. While some critics may find it lacking in certain areas, it’s hard not to appreciate the sheer impact it had on the entertainment industry. Plus, who can resist the charm of Al Jolson and his infectious voice? It’s a must-watch for any film buff or music lover, and a great reminder of how far we’ve come in the world of cinema.
Production Company(ies)
Nouvelles Éditions de Films,
Distributor
Warner Bros. Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA
MPAA / Certificate
PG
Year of Release
1980
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Stereo70 mm 6-Track
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 37m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Oct 6, 1927 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 16, 2007
Genre(s)
Musical
Keyword(s)
starring Al Jolson, May McAvoy, Warner Oland, Eugenie Besserer, Otto Lederer, William Demarest, directed by Alan Crosland, written by Samson Raphaelson, musical, black and white, first sound film, Vitaphone, jazz, ragtime, performer, cantor, family tradition, rebellion, neighbor, love, career, Jewish, New York, 1920s, Talkie Revolution, historical significance, influential, racist, awkward acting, cliche storyline, silent film, sound film, title cards, clumsy flow, disjointed, racist, melodrama, family, career achievement, first feature-length film with synchronized sound
Worldwide gross: $27,118,000
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $101,918,640
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,007
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 11,114,355
US/Canada gross: $27,118,000
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
May McAvoy – Mary Dale
Warner Oland – Cantor Rabinowitz
Eugenie Besserer – Sara Rabinowitz
Otto Lederer – Moisha Yudelson
William Demarest – Steve Martinelli
Director – Alan Crosland
Writer – Samson Raphaelson
Director(s)
Alan Crosland
Writer(s)
Samson Raphaelson
Producer(s)
NA
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
3 wins & 10 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (51) | Top Critics (13) | Fresh (40) | Rotten (11)
The first sound film! One wishes that the 100,000th sound, movie ever made ‘we are at least somewhere near that figure!) had such an. effective track.
July 27, 2021
Jonas Mekas
Village Voice
TOP CRITIC
Sitting through The Jazz Singer is very much like attending a very ordinary musical comedy with one star who happens to be good. The star cannot always be on the scene and the evening develops into a series of long waits.
February 25, 2021
Wilella Waldorf
New York Post
TOP CRITIC
It is probably one of the greatest events in the world of entertainment in years.
February 25, 2021
Edwin Schallert
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
The Jazz Singer would be a good picture without Vitaphone, but it wouldn’t be half as good as it is now.
February 25, 2021
Globe Staff
Boston Globe
TOP CRITIC
Undoubtedly the best thing Vitaphone has ever put on the screen.
February 25, 2021
Sid Silverman
Variety
TOP CRITIC
Coupled with the acting of Jolson. and the wonders of the Vitaphone, in which the synchronization is so good as to suggest further interesting developments in the way of talk pictures, [the film] provides about all the enjoyment that could be hoped for.
February 25, 2021
Ella H. McCormick
Detroit Free Press
TOP CRITIC
Eugenie Besserer gives one of her inimitable impersonations, and May McAvoy is charming as always as the girl who takes an interest in the jazz singer and helps him along in his career.
December 14, 2021
Carl Sandburg
Chicago Daily News
The Jazz Singer is unlike any picture seen here in the past… instead of contenting itself to be a mere motion picture, it introduces the Vitaphone in the role to which it surely must be destined that of giving life to the silent drama.
February 25, 2021
Edgar Waite
San Francisco Examiner
At present the Globe is the only theater in Kansas City equipped to present Vitaphone numbers. Until you have seen and heard this offering you are in no position to appreciate these words of ours.
February 25, 2021
KC Star Staff
Kansas City Star
While Al Jolson’s performance, his first as a screen star, is generally good, the high spots of the picture came with that familiar swaying, infectious Al Jolson voice; the inimitable Jolsonesque on the screen abetted by its master’s voice.
February 25, 2021
H.L. Danson
Brooklyn Daily Eagle
Entertainment all the way through, the sort of box-office combination of tears and smiles that always will be sure-fire, The Jazz Singer is nothing short of a magnificent triumph for Warner Brothers, for the Vitaphone, [and] for Al Jolson.
February 25, 2021
MPW Staff
Moving Picture World
The story is good and the caste has been well selected. Al Jolson has a marvellous voice, and everyone will enjoy his performance. It is not possible, however, to form a definite judgment of talking films from The Jazz Singer.
February 24, 2021
Celia Simpson
The Spectator…
Plot
Neil Diamond stars in this motion picture as Yussel Rabinovitch, a young Jewish cantor who strives to make a career outside the synagogue in popular music as Jess Robin. Against the wishes of his rigid father and his loving wife, Yussel travels from New York City to Los Angeles to play his music. Swept up by the excitement, he meets a spunky manager who believes in his talent and shares his dream. He grows apart from his family, and becomes confused about what he should ultimately do with his life.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The film stars Al Jolson, who was a popular singer and performer at the time.
Alan-Crosland.jpg
71%
The Blob (1958)
71%RT Audience Score: 52%
Awards & Nominations: NA
The Blob, a 1958 sci-fi horror film, has garnered mixed reviews over the years. While some critics have dismissed it as a cretinous thriller with phony effects and uncreditworthy acting, others have found it to be a charming and personable B-movie that captures the essence of the 1950s small town America. The film’s exuberance and nastiness have been praised, but some have noted that it’s never quite as fun as it should be. Overall, The Blob is a surprisingly smart piece of 50s camp that will always inhabit a warm little nook in the affections of SF fans.
The Blob has been around for over 60 years, and it’s still making people laugh and cringe at the same time. Some critics say it’s a classic, while others say it’s a cretinous thriller. Personally, I think it’s a B-movie gem that’s so bad it’s good. The acting is cheesy, the special effects are phony, and the blob itself looks like a giant ball of Jell-O. But that’s what makes it fun! It’s like Rebel Without a Cause meets matinee monster movie. So grab some popcorn, turn off your brain, and enjoy the blob nibbling away at everybody in sight. Just don’t take it too seriously, or you might end up like one of its victims.
Production Company(ies)
Alien, Tristar Pictures
Distributor
Paramount Pictures, Video Gems, Criterion Collection, Allied Artists Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Louisiana, United States
MPAA / Certificate
R
Year of Release
1958
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:NA
-
Runtime:1h 22m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Sep 12, 1958 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 14, 2000
Genre(s)
Sci-fi
Keyword(s)
Loading…
Worldwide gross: $8,247,943
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): NA
US/Canada gross: $8,247,943
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $19,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $235,325,536
Production budget ranking: 49
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $126,722,801
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Aneta Corsaut – Jane Martin
Earl Rowe – Lt. Dave
Olin Howland – Old man
Stephen Chase – Dr. T. Hallen
John Benson – Sgt. Jim Bert
Director – Irvin S. Yeaworth Jr.
Producer – Jack H. Harris
Writers – Kay Linaker, Irving H. Millgate, Theodore Simonson
Director(s)
Irvin S. Yeaworth Jr.
Writer(s)
Kay Linaker, Irving H. Millgate, Theodore Simonson
Producer(s)
Jack H. Harris
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (31) | Top Critics (3) | Fresh (21) | Rotten (10)
Neither the acting nor direction is particularly creditable.
March 26, 2009
Variety Staff
Variety
TOP CRITIC
Unfortunately, [Harris’s] picture talks itself to death, even with the blob nibbling away at everybody in sight. And most of his trick effects, under the direction of Irvin S. Yeaworth Jr., look pretty phony.
March 25, 2006
Howard Thompson
New York Times
TOP CRITIC
A hungry glob of protoplasm from outer space goes on a rampage in this cretinous thriller, which has a totally undeserved reputation as a horror classic.
March 25, 2019
Michael Wilmington
Isthmus (Madison, WI)
…there’s something charming about it, as if all the tacky aspects of the 1950s (and again, I’m talking about the white, squeaky clean, small town 1950s) were distilled into a fast-moving 86 minutes.
August 3, 2016 | Rating: 6/10
Sarah Boslaugh
Playback:stl
One of the most personable sci-fi horror films of its generation.
June 20, 2015 | Rating: 7/10
Tim Brayton
Antagony & Ecstasy
It’s exuberant and extraordinary, and just nasty enough.
October 6, 2011 | Rating: 5/5
Rob Humanick
Suite101.com
The Blob is one of those B-movies that will always inhabit a warm little nook in the affections of SF fans but, truth be told, it’s never quite as fun as it should be.
March 28, 2011
Ian Berriman
SFX Magazine
Rebel Without a Cause for the matinee monster crowd.
October 30, 2010 | Rating: 5/5
David Cornelius
Popcornworld
A surprisingly smart piece of 50′s camp.
August 20, 2010 | Rating: 65/100
Gabe Leibowitz
eCinemaCenter.com
Bad, but never painfully so . . .
October 23, 2009
James O’Ehley
Sci-Fi Movie Page
March 1, 2008 | Rating: 4/5
David Kaplan
Kaplan vs. Kaplan
June 24, 2006 | Rating: 3/5
Christopher Null
Filmcritic.com…
Plot
Teenagers Steve and Jane try to protect their hometown from a gelatinous alien life form that engulfs everything it touches in the sci-fi classic, The Blob.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
NA
Irvin-S.-Yeaworth-Jr..jpg