The Blob

The Blob

Year: 1988

Runtime: 95 mins

Language: English

Director: Chuck Russell

Science FictionHorrorHorror the undead and monster classicsMonsters aliens sci-fi and the apocalypseSci-fi horror creatures and aliens

A formless terror arrives in the quiet town of Arborville, California, when a gelatinous alien entity begins engulfing anything it contacts. Three high‑school students band together, using their wits and courage to rally the community and find a way to stop the relentless, shape‑shifting menace before it consumes their hometown.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – The Blob (1988)

Explore the full timeline and setting of The Blob (1988). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

1980s

Set in a contemporary 1980s town, the events unfold against a backdrop of public fear and government secrecy surrounding wartime experiments. The story taps into late Cold War anxieties about weaponized biology and containment. Residents confront the unknown with a mix of skepticism, heroism, and improvisation.

Location

Arborville, California

Arborville is a quiet inland California town that becomes ground zero for a deadly alien organism. The action centers on a hospital, a diner, a movie theater, and the sewers, which transform from everyday spaces into danger zones as the Blob spreads. The community’s routines crumble under fear while civilians and authorities scramble to contain the threat.

🗺️ Small-town setting 🧪 Bioweapons testing area 🧊 Cold War atmosphere

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 13:31

Main Characters – The Blob (1988)

Meet the key characters of The Blob (1988), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Brian Flagg (Kevin Dillon)

Brian Flagg is a rebellious, resourceful teenager who refuses to trust official explanations about the Blob. He becomes the practical catalyst for action, guiding Meg through the danger and helping others survive. He navigates the sewers on a motorcycle to avoid capture and participates in the plan to freeze the creature with snow and nitrogen. His courage under pressure anchors the human response to the crisis.

🧭 Outsider 🏍️ Rebellious 🎯 Driven

Meg Penny (Shawnee Smith)

Meg Penny is brave, impulsive, and deeply protective of her friends and family. She teams with Brian to chase down the truth and help others survive, rescuing Eddie and Kevin from danger and guiding the risky plan to trap the Blob. She discovers the creature’s vulnerability to cold and helps drive the final strategy. Her resolve sustains the group through the siege.

🛡️ Courageous 🧭 Determined 🧠 Quick-thinking

Dr. Meddows (Joe Seneca)

Dr. Meddows is the controlling scientist who orders quarantine and treats the Blob as a strategic threat. He pushes a militarized response and tries to cast Brian as infected to justify his authority. As the crisis grows, his rationalizations clash with public anger and the truth about the experiment. He is ultimately dragged into the sewers by the Blob.

🧪 Scientist ⚖️ Authority 🧬 Ethical Dilemma

Sheriff Herb Geller (Jeffrey DeMunn)

Sheriff Herb Geller is the town's law figure who attempts to keep order amid the escalating crisis. He becomes one of the victims when the Blob breaches the town, underscoring the scale of the threat and the limits of institutional control.

👮 Authority 🛡️ Protective 😨 Under Pressure

Paul Taylor (Donovan Leitch)

Paul Taylor is a popular high school football star who first witnesses the Blob’s danger. He meets a grisly end as the creature consumes him, serving as a catalyst that spurs the teens to action and to question the authorities’ handling of the crisis.

🎓 Popular 🏈 Athlete 🧭 Curious

Kevin Penny (Michael Kenworthy)

Kevin Penny is Meg’s younger brother, a curious and resilient kid who tags along with the teens. He sneaks into the movie theater and later escapes danger, symbolizing the stakes for families in the town and the hope that younger generations bring to the fight.

🧒 Kid 🧭 Curious 🏃‍♂️ Resourceful

Vicki De Soto (Erika Eleniak)

Vicki De Soto is a fellow teen who becomes part of the rescue effort and offers supportive, practical assistance during the chaos. She stands with the other survivors as the Blob spreads through town, helping to keep morale up.

💞 Love Interest 🧭 Strong 🧠 Smart

Eddie (Ricky Paull Goldin)

Eddie is Kevin’s friend who accompanies him to the theater and becomes one of the Blob’s victims. His fate serves to heighten the sense of danger and urgency for the survivors.

🎭 Theater-goer 🧒 Playful 🕵️‍♂️ Resourceful

George Ruit (Clayton Landey)

George Ruit is the diner's handyman who is fatally pulled into the sink drain by the Blob, marking one of the first brutal losses in the outbreak. His death underscores the Blob’s ruthlessness and reach.

🧰 Handy 🗺️ Local ⚠️ Victim

Reverend Meeker (Del Close)

Reverend Meeker is a disfigured preacher who preaches doomsday in the aftermath, driven by fear and superstition. His increasingly fanatical outlook mirrors the town’s descent into chaos and he clings to a grim sense of prophecy as the crisis peaks.

🙏 Faith 🔥 Doomsday Believer 🗣️ Charismatic

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 13:31

Major Themes – The Blob (1988)

Explore the central themes of The Blob (1988), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🛰️ Cold War Paranoia

The Blob operates as a disturbing allegory for government secrecy and containment failures during the Cold War. Officials hesitate to acknowledge the threat, instead rationing information and blaming individuals to protect the bigger picture. The teens’ defiance and pursuit of truth expose how fear can override public safety, forcing civilians to organize themselves.

🧪 Bioweapons

The creature is revealed to be the product of a bioweapons experiment gone awry—launched into space only to crash back to Earth. The film questions the ethics of experimenting with life, and the consequences when those experiments escape control. The military response grows erratic, blurring lines between science, power, and accountability.

🧊 Survival & Ingenuity

Survival hinges on quick thinking, improvisation, and communal effort. From using a fire extinguisher to lure the Blob to deploying liquid nitrogen to freeze it, civilians turn fear into action. The climax emphasizes resilience and cooperation over panic.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 13:31

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Unlock the Full Story of The Blob

Don't stop at just watching — explore The Blob in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what The Blob is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

The Blob Summary

Read a complete plot summary of The Blob, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

The Blob Summary

The Blob Timeline

Track the full timeline of The Blob with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

The Blob Timeline

More About The Blob

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More About The Blob

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