The Blob (1988) Starring Kevin Dillon, Shawnee Smith, Donovan Leitch, Candy Clark & Frank Darabont Directed by Chuck Russell Written by Chuck Russell & Frank Darabont

While recently watching the remake of the 50s horror/comedy "The Blob", I couldn't help thinking that Hollywood would want to remake yet another 80s film -- even if that film was itself a remake. Lo and behold, I found out that as early as 2004, there were discussions of remaking or reimagining "The Blob" for another generation of horror film fans. The latest news is that Rob Zombie (who has done some remakes already) is going to direct this new version of "The Blob". He plans to make a really scary version. Zombie says "That gigantic Jello-looking thing might have been scary to audiences in the 1950s, but people would laugh now."

There's a mysterious asteroid that crashes to Earth, and the "Can Man" wandering in the forest finds it and gets the strange goo on his hands. It starts to grow and takes over the man's body and eventually grows too large for just his body, and the slimy mass looks for more bodies. Luckily for the Blob, the town is nearby. The usual mad scientist in his white hazmat suit, Dr. Meddows, who shouts to the other secret government group members "I want that organism alive!!" They're either planning to use it as a military weapon or study this alien species for scientific purposes. Or course, you know how that usually turns out!

Yes, this version of "The Blob" seems to take bits and pieces from other genre movies like "The Thing", "Alien", and even "Aliens". It then proceeds to throw it in the script blender and make a blob smoothie -- very flexible but without any backbone. With a title like "The Blob" though, we can't be expecting eloquence or any serious subject matter. This feels like a summer movie that you watch to escape life for a while -- yes, even if it means you're screaming at a Jello-looking thing that's terrorizing the whole town. This is definitely one of those popcorn and candy movies that you just sit back and watch and enjoy the ride. It's a lot like those large gummy treats that take a little time to chew but give you a pleasurable sugar rush.

Speaking of eye candy, watch for a pre-"Baywatch" Erika Eleniak (who was also in "Dracula 3000" and "Bordello of Blood") in a very short scene where she and her boyfriend are up at some Lover's Lane spot. You can guess how that ends up with the Blob on the loose. Donovan Leitch, son of pop singer Donovan, also appears in "The Blob" as a college football player, Paul, who dates Meg. Unfortunately, Paul meets his messy demise at the hospital.

The movie's running time is perfect at a brisk 95 minutes. Except for Kevin Dillon's hair and the cheesy 80s end credits music, you probably wouldn't realize this remake was released over 20 years ago.

Brian (Kevin Dillon) is more of a rebel than someone you'd expect to save the day. Meg (Shawnee Smith) is not the weak damsel in distress. She's more like the young teen who will kick the Blob's ass. For Meg, a note to self: "Don't forget to check your shoelaces before you try to leap off a soon-to-be-exploding truck full of liquid nitrogen!"

There are some funny lines in the movie. For example, there's a scene where the Blob has made its home in the sewer. Meddows and his team proceed to fire their machine guns relentlessly into the open manhole, thinking the Blob is trapped and that they have killed the menace.

When the town police or the secret undercover government group (armed with its weapons of mass dissolution) fail to stop this faceless blob, Meg arrives armed only with a fire extinguisher and unlikely stops this killing machine from advancing further into town. "It can't stand the cold!" Meg shouts. When the Blob is finally destroyed, everyone is happy that the menace is gone and they can try to get back to their normal lives. However, was the Blob really completely destroyed? We saw it shattered into a million crystallized pieces, but it seems that if one or two of these pieces somehow has a faint "heartbeat", the threat is not gone. They left the door open for a sequel or the re-imagined version.

If Rob Zombie's remake does take the ultra-scary road, we can expect a "Blob" that will make you sleep with the lights on. It may walk the line between the torture porn that has been hitting the multiplexes, and Michael Bay's Platinum Dunes horror movie remake factory. However, for those who like their "Blob" a little bit campy, check out the 1988 version. You'll want to grow back that mullet and party like it's almost the 90s again.