Them! (Snapcase Packaging)
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Movie Reviews of Them! (Snapcase Packaging)
Movie Review: Remains one of the greatest Sci-fi monster flicks ever
Summary: 5 Stars
THEM! should feel old, quaint, and dated, but it doesn't at all. There is no question it has a 1950s feel, and the special effects are [weak] by today's standards. But whereas most of the films of the fifties featuring atomically altered monsters can only be watched with a grain of salt, one has to make no concessions to THEM! at all. Although one might start with the cast for the source of the film's success, I think one ought to begin with the director, Gordon Douglas. He is not one of Hollywood's elite directors, but his decision to film the entire movie in a completely nonsensationalist style is what really makes the movie successful. The tone of the entire film is businesslike, and with no panic on the part of the principles. There is a seriousness that they are dealing with a horror of nature, but at every moment, everyone manages to keep their wits. This is emphasized by many keys scenes that are shot with no music or sound effects, which makes the sound effects, when they come, far more effective. As a result, even with a lesser cast, I think this film would have been quite successful. It is also marvelously photographed.
The cast is, nonetheless, quite excellent, and while it might have been good without James Whitmore, James Arness, and especially Edmund Gwenn, it definitely wouldn't have been as good. Each one of them plays their parts completely straight, and one of the reasons that we, the viewers, can take this story of giant ants so seriously is because these actors all do. Whitmore, who has long since settled into a career as a first rate character actor (still active--he appeared in Jim Carrey's THE MAJESTIC just last year), does a great job, though I must admit that I was confused as to why a local law enforcement officer would continue to be involved in affairs that clearly extend beyond his jurisdiction. The one irritating element, as in virtually every Sci-fi film, is the beautiful, inconceivably young female scientist. I love the idea of female scientists, but why must they all be 21, have a Ph.D., and be both brilliant and possess a great fashion sense?
After fifty years, THEM! manages to stand up very, very well, and remains not just one of the great Sci-fi films of the atomic age, but of all time.
Movie Review: An intelligent suspension of disbelief
Summary: 5 Stars
"Them!" would be significant, if because only in the "despised genre" 1950s sci-fi could people express concern about government policy without being labled communist. Dr. Medford can say, at the end of the film that atomic bomb testing causes mutation in life forms...Linus Pauling learned so to his cost - he was accused of being an anti-progressive and communist sympathiser...and had to appeal to President Truman for the return of his confiscated passport.
Them is a well acted criticism of the dangers of radiation mutation by atmospheric atomic bomb testing. The desert scene where the four main characters; the Drs. Medford (Edmund Gwenn, Joan Weldon)FBI agent Robert Graham (James Arness)and Police Sgt. Ben Peterson (James Whitmore) first encounter the giant ants is loaded with 1950s concerns. The public's bewilderment by science, fear of atomic radiation mutilation and apocalyptic destruction all come up in this scene. Graham is irritated by Pat Meford's use of the word "myrmecologist"..."why don't we all speak English, then we'd have some basis for understanding!" Harold Medford tells the others that the huge ant the have just destroyed by gunfire was the result of radiation for the first atomic bomb test and ends with the Biblical prophesy that the "beasts shall reign over the earth" and the human race faces extinction. The ants are destroyed at the end of the film but concerns about the atomic age persist.
It's the bit parts that give this film a ring of true, while it's good seeing Leonard Nimoy in his pre-Spock days as the army sargeant, Fess Parker as the stressed out Alan Crotty (the parth that brought him to the attention of Walt Disney) in the "loony bin..nut house" for seeing giant flying ants is the part I liked most.
Movie Review: Sweets Among the Yuccas
Summary: 5 Stars
A New Mexico police car speeds down the narrow road of white sand. The two policemen intently scan the expanse of sand, sage brush, and yucca trees; there has been a report of a lost little girl somewhere in this hot desert. A spotter overhead in a helicopter sees her; the police car rushes to her rescue.
The girl, perhaps only 5, is wearing a plaid, flannel robe and is clutching her security doll, its head broken. Her blank eyes stare past them; she's in shock. An ambulance arrives, but before it can take her to the hospital, an eerie high-pitched trill reaches their ears; the girl's eyes stretch wide in fear.
The two policemen head off down the road to find the trailer spotted by the chopper. The trailer and station wagon look normal, but then they find the other side of the trailer looks like a plastic garbage bag that has been ripped open by a foraging raccoon. The inside: a mess. Bloody clothes and a gun speak violence. Outside, there is an odd footprint and sugar cubes are strewn about. Solving this mystery is going to be no picnic.
On a special note: the actor Fess Parker, of Davy Crockett fame, has just passed away. He has a small part in this movie as a pilot who reports seeing flying saucers.
Extras: 'Who's Who!' - a list of characters and actors;
'Bugged at the Movies' - brief paragraphs about a few other creature movies;
'Behind the Scenes' - a few brief clips; 'Photo Gallery'; 'Captured on Film' - the trailer.
Minor annoyance: no selection of scenes; to restart movie partway through, remove disk and reinsert it.
Picture (DVD): Excellent (4).
Movie Review: Whitmore's police sgt. makes this film
Summary: 5 Stars
The movie's script was never a contender for an Oscar, although better than most sci-fi films of that era, and the special effect ants look kinda raggedy by today's computer image standards. But James Whitmore's tough police sergeant with a heart breathes life into this film. He impressed me when I first saw "Them!" as a kid, and years later as a reporter I took advantage of a backstage interview with Whitmore to say how much I enjoy that movie (as well as 2 other B-thrillers from that era in which he starred: "Face of Fire" and the uniquely imaginative "The Next Voice You Hear"). I recently bought the DVD after telling my 8-year-old grandson enough about the film to stimulate his interest. Like I said, the giant ants are big enough to indicate a pending threat (which is enhanced early in the film by action occuring within hearing but out of sight offscreen)but not nearly so lifelike as to trigger nightmares for young viewers. And a very young Fess Parker has a small but key bit years before becoming the coonskin-cap hero of kids around the world as Davy Crockett. James Arness is there in his pre-Matt Dillion personna in a much bigger--but not as fun--part than he had in "The Thing From Another World." Edmund Gwenn, always a delight to watch, is good as the bumbling scientist called in on the case.
"Them!" may not be great art, but it's a fun, entertaining film that provides an interesting peek into the society and mind-set of the 1950s. And it may be prophetic--the afternoon after we first saw this movie as children, my brother, cousin, and I began noticing that the ants in my grandma's back yard seemed to be growing bigger!!!
Movie Review: Best Icky Bug Of All Time!
Summary: 5 Stars
I remember seeing this movie as a little kid and it scared the devil out of me, especially because it was partially filmed in Victorville, CA and I lived in nearby Palmdale at the time. This movie was a turning point for me as I used to be scared to death of monster movies but after being initially scared, this became one of my all time favorites.
I don't know if they've ever colorized it, but I don't think it needs to be in color and would probably ruin my experience with it. This film should stay black and white. After all, that's part of the charm.
For the technology of the time, the ants are very well done and especially for a little kid, totally believable. No strings, and no puppeteer's hand flashing on camera. The story is classic too, just the way I like my icky bug. The pseudo-chauvinist pig comments are typical for the era and don't detract from the story. In fact, I believe the director didn't want any romance and the actress playing the woman scientist was kind of disappointed there was no substantial love sub-plot.
The plot is typical atomic-mutation-creates-monster-bugs, but it is also one of the first, and surely the best done. The anti-nuke message is clear.
This movie hit home in so many ways, especially because of the Joshua trees. It also hit home because of the scenes in the flood control channels in downtown LA, some of which I used to play in when I was a littler kid living in Lakewood and Playa Del Rey before we moved to Palmdale.
This is the ultimate in great icky bug. Highly recommended.