Downingtown
2024
(There are 27 columns in my Pennsylvania Series. Behold!)
The Blob is a horror movie made in 1958 in Downingtown, Pennsylvania, about 29 minutes west of Philadelphia as the crow flies, or 45 minutes as the crow drives. The Blob is about an exuberantly growing amoeba thing. You know, a blob. It starred Steve McQueen in his first leading role.
If you don’t know the story of The Blob, close your eyes for a moment. You’ll get it, just based on the name. This blob thing lands from space and absorbs people. That’s it.
But here’s the most frightening thing about the movie. To destroy it, they tried shooting it with rifles, electrocuting it and uselessly throwing household items at it. By chance they finally realize that it can’t handle cold so they gather up all the CO2 fire extinguishers from town and blast it.
Behold the closing lines of the movie…
“What are they going to do with that thing, Dave?”
“Well, the Air Force is sending a Globemaster in. They’re flying it to the Arctic.”
“It’s not dead, is it?”
“No, it’s not. Just frozen. I don’t think it can be killed. But at least we’ve got it stopped.”
“Yeah, as long as the Arctic stays cold.”
Dramatic music finish.
How did they know?