Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the early 1990s and explore a part of the Valiant Comics shared universe through a tale of the Turok: Dinosaur Hunter series.
Previously, Turok went on exploring Colombia after leaving the village of his romantic interest Serita. The village was decimated by the intelligent dinosaurs (also referred to as bionisaurs) that served Mon-ark, a fierce enemy of Turok’s. Eventually Turok got involved with the Colombian drug lord Comacho who has gang of armed men and lots of resources. Ever the dedicated hunter, Turok makes a deal with the drug lord to pursue dinosaurs.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Turok: Dinosaur Hunter #3, published in 1993 by Valiant Comics with a story written by David Michelinie and drawn by Bernard Chang.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins in Colombia in 1987. Turok tries to sell the severed head of a bionisaur to a local buyer (collector of hunt-related trophies) who offers him only three hundred Pesos.
After concluding a disappointing deal, Turok leaves the local joint only to encounter a lady driving a jeep…the scientist Maria Cortez. She tells him that the drug lord Comacho is planning a raid against the dinosaurs very soon and the gang wants Turok to come along. Cortez, who is obsessed with researching dinosaurs, tells him her single condition that one dinosaur should be spared for scientific study. After some thinking, Turok agrees to join…
Quality
The evil of Mon-ark emphasized.
Starting first with the plot, I can say that David Michelinie’s script is well-written and never lost focus on the inevitable encounter between Turok and his vicious dinosaur rival Mon-Ark. Right from the start, it is clear that the stakes have been raised higher which is the result of Turok’s successful killing of Mon-ark’s mate. Like in the previous issue, Mon-ark here was portrayed again to be very evil and even abusive to his fellow dinosaurs.
The raid mentioned early in the story is easily the action-packed highlight and it has some notable forms of symbolism. For one thing, the raid was organized by Comacho not because of concern towards Mon-ark nor Turok, but because he wants to stop the disruptions on his illegal drug business caused by the dinosaurs. Cortez meanwhile sees the dinosaurs as animals meant to be studied for the sake of science. And then there is a certain photographer who wants to record everything visually no matter what happens. I can say the raid scenes are entertaining to follow.
As this comic book was not drawn by Bart Sears, I can say that the visual quality and style went way down. I’m not saying that Bernard Chang is a terrible artist at all. It’s just that Chang’s art style does not live up to the gritty, exquisite and intense visuals of the first two issues which clearly defined how Turok stories should look. Along the way, there are several instances wherein Chang’s art style made some characters and facial expressions look somewhat cartoony. The dinosaurs themselves also looked cartoony at times and the heavy loss of visual details on them is very clear.
Conclusion
The armed raid against the dinosaurs with Turok as a willing participant looking like Rambo.
Similar to its predecessor, Turok: Dinosaur Hunter #3 (1993) has enough stuff worth following to be entertained even though the visual quality went down several notches. For one thing, the promised battle between Turok and Mon-ark happened and the way it was written was strong on its own. At the same time, the Indian hunter of dinosaurs got more involved Comacho’s gang which raises questions about his ability to differentiate right from wrong, and good from evil. At this stage of the series, Turok’s direction remains clouded.
Overall, Turok: Dinosaur Hunter #3 (1993) is recommended.
Social media influencers of the Philippines who make a lot of money should be aware that the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) now has methods to track their earnings online, according to a Manila Bulletin news report. As far as the BIR is concerned, the influencers cannot hide from them.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…
The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has cautioned social media influencers considering tax evasion, emphasizing that the agency has mechanisms to accurately ascertain the earnings of all individuals involved.
BIR Commissioner Romeo D. Lumagui Jr. said the bureau has various methods to effectively obtain and verify the actual earnings of influencers by collaborating with their online platform providers.
“If others think they can hide it, they’re mistaken. We have mechanisms in place to obtain information from these entities about their revenues, so we can access that data,” Lumagui told reporters on Wednesday, Jan. 24.
The BIR categorizes social media influencers as individuals who generate income from their digital posts, identifying them as self-employed individuals operating as sole proprietors.
Despite the BIR’s best efforts, there have been numerous reports indicating that many social media influencers have chosen to ignore the bureau’s requests for voluntary compliance with tax laws.
In 2021, the BIR launched a campagin to address tax non-compliance among influencers, targeting around 250 prominent social media personalities who were believed to have earned substantial incomes and received various benefits.
Under Revenue Memorandum Circular (RMC) No. 97-2021, influencers are required to pay their income and business tax obligations, including either a percentage tax or a value-added tax.
However, the BIR faced a setback after several influential figures promptly deactivated their social media accounts for various reasons following the issuance of RMC 97-2021.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think it is good for the nation that social media influencers should be compelled to pay the BIR the tax on their respective online income? Do you think the local money making social media influencers will come up with new ways to avoid taxation? Do you think the affected social media influencers will somehow rebel against the government by posting subversive content with the 2025 national and local elections in mind?
The Cebu-based Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) medalists Andrew Kim Remolino and Raven Fatih Alcoseba outclassed their rivals to win the Sprint Elite titles during the Subic Bay Freeport Zone leg of the 2024 National Age Group Triathlon (NAGT) series which was held at the Boardwalk area.
Remolino, who won a silver medal during the 2022 Vietnam SEA Games, won the 750 meter swim – 20 kilometer bike – 5 kilometer run contest in 56 minutes and 56 seconds followed by fellow Cebuano Matthew Justine Hermosa, (56:57) and Joshua Ramos of Baguio Benguet Triathlon (57:31).
“I had a good preparation for this tournament, so I am happy with my performance,” said the 23-year-old Remolino, who placed third behind Fil-Spanish Fernando Casares and Hermosa last year.
Despite his runner-up finish again, Hermosa managed to improve his 57:34 performance last year.
“I’m glad that I was able to set a personal best time. It’s a very close race and I know that Kim is my biggest challenge,” said the 5-foot-11 Hermosa, who together with Kira Ellis, Erika Nicole Burgos and Iñaki Lorbes, won the relay gold medal in aquathlon (500m swim and 2.5km run) at the 2023 Cambodia SEA Games.
Hermosa, Dayshaun Ramos, Sam Corpuz and Kira Ellis also attended a 26-day training camp at the Rio Maior Sports Center in Portugal last year.
Alcoseba, a 2022 SEA Games medalist, clocked 1:03:55 to secure her third straight women’s title in the tournament organized by Triathlon Philippines headed by Ramon Marchan in cooperation with the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA).
Erika Nicole Burgos submitted 1:05:39 to capture the silver medal while Kira Ellis took the bronze medal in 1:06:16.
”I tried to keep a positive attitude throughout the race. I’m happy to win again,” said the 21-year-old Alcoseba, a 3rd year civil engineering student at the De La Salle University.
Meanwhile, Dayshaun Ramos clocked 58 minutes and 44 seconds to pocket the gold medal in the men’s junior elite category. Darell Johnson Bada got the silver medal in 1:00:11 and Juan Miguel Tayag secured the bronze medal in 1:01:14.
Singaporean Janelle Susatra (1:07:17) won the women’s title over Erin Denise Burgos (1:16:33) and Adrian Ungos (1:19:53).
The winners in the standard distance age group were as follows: (Men’s 18-24) – George Vincent Alcido of Baguio Benguet Triathlon (2:16:30), Mark Joshua Perez of Gas Coaching (2:17:35) and Derek Jacob Villa of CM Riptide (2:32:52); (Men’s 25-29) – Edward Macalalad of Royal MNL/UPLB Tranrados (2:05:39), Jigo Libiran of The Usuals (2:33:37) and Carlos Daniel Dungao of Triclark Volvo Triathlon Team (2:36:43); (Men’s 30-34) – Reynante Briones of TRISNDBARRACUDA (2:33:55), Juan Gabriel Peña of Subic Bay Multisports (2:34:26) and Tristan Santos (2:34:59); (Men’s 35-39) – Benjamin Ramirez (2:27:40), Arnold Hoyo-A of Tri Vatan/BRC (2:35:21) and Iggy Hizon of Baguio Benguet Triathlon (2:47:41);
(Men’s 40-44) – Stanley Ng of Baguio Benguet Triathlon (2:28:56), Jason Santos of Team Megawide (2:36:25) and Stephen Corpus of Century Trihard (2:49:49); (Men’s 45-49) – Robert Jonah Rivera (2:49:41), Greg Bravo of Tri Busko (2:53:25) and Mickael Bouffaut of Sante Barley Tri Team (2:57:18); (Men’s 50-54) – Rene Ricardo Tayag of Tri Clark Triathlon Team (2:19:23), Hiroshi Takei of Team Honu (2:25:34) and Alexander Isip of Team Megawide (2:34:00); (Men’s 55-59) – Emmanuel Mondero of Team Megawide (2:37:25), Ronald Allan Ginez of Paynet-Amigo Tri (2:48:11) and Jonathan Tansengco (2:56:37); and (Men’s 60 and over) – Ed Francisco of Polo Tri (2:59:50) and Josef Gueta (3:21:53).
The podium finishers in the women’s division were as follows: (18-34) – Shamira Habie of Tri-Generals (3:04:49) and Daryl Mooney of Team Mooney (3:28:45); (35-49) – Maryfel Aumentado of Cheryauto PH Tri Team (2:48:42) and Kristine Mae Tan of The Next Step Tri (3:10:00); and (50 and over) – Ivy Mendoza of Poveda Tri Team (3:19:55) and Ratna Dimaporo of Tri SND Barracuda (3:25:10).
The NAGT, organized by Triathlon Philippines headed by Ramon Marchan in cooperation with the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), was supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, Asian Center for Insulation, Standard Insurance and Gatorade, the official drink.
Did you notice electronic/electric bikes (e-bikes) traveling a lot on major roads in cities and causing traffic congestion (due to slow speed and weak acceleration) or even road accidents? Was there an e-bike that sparked a fire in your residential community? Things might change a lot for owners/users of e-bikes as the Land Transportation Office (LTO) announced that it is considering mandatory registration of all e-bikes, according to a GMA Network news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the GMA news report. Some parts in boldface…
The Land Transportation Office (LTO) is considering the mandatory registration of all kinds of electronic bikes or e-bikes, according to Katrina Son’s report on State of the Nation on Monday.
The report said this was due to the high number of accidents involving e-bikes.
From January to November last year, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) recorded 556 accidents related to e-bikes in the National Capital Region (NCR).
At present, e-bike drivers are not required to have a license.
“Pag tumatakbo ‘yan ng less than 25 kilometers per hour, hindi kailangan i-rehistro sa (if the vehicle is running less than 25 kilometers per hour, you don’t have to register it with the) LTO although we’d like to deviate from that thinking,” said Assistant Secretary Vigor Mendoza, LTO chief.
“So we’re coming up with a proposal, regardless of the speed of the vehicle… kelangan rehistrado sa (it must be registered to the) LTO,” he added.
E-bikes are popular mode of transportation for both commuters and delivery riders for practical reasons.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think it is high time to implement the mandatory registration of all e-bikes nationwide as well as the requirement for e-bike drivers to have driver’s licenses? Considering the slow speed and weak acceleration of e-bikes, do you think they should be banned from traveling on major roads?
This past Saturday, triathletes Euan Arrow Ramos and Christy Ann Perez won the Super Sprint category of the National Age Group Triathlon (NAGT) tournament which was held at the Boardwalk in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.
Ramos from Baguio Benguet Triathlon Team finished the 500 meter swim – 10 kilometer bike – 2 kilometer run race in 33 minutes and 24 seconds in the boys’ 13-15 years old division. Peter Sancho Del Rosario (Getcoach’d Academy) finished 2nd place in 35:19 followed by teammate Diego Jose Dimayuga (35:37).
Christy Ann Perez, a member of Go For Gold TLTG Cebu, registered the best time of 38:06 in the girls division, while teammate Yvaine Osias checked in third (39:00). Maria Zabelle Eugenio (Baguio Benguet Triathlon Team) ranked second (38:43).
Meanwhile, Hans Nathan Samputon (Ormoc Aquatic Edge) bagged the gold medal in the Super Kids boys 11-12 years old (400m swim, 8km bike and 2km run) category with a time of 34:28. Earl Pearson Jr. (Go For Gold TLTG Cebu) took the silver medal in 35.05 while Bricen Lukas Platz (Get Coach’D Academy clocked 38:26 to settle for the bronze medal.
In the girls division, the Top 3 finishers were Lauren Lee Tan of Ormoc Aquatic Edge (34:27), Henia Ethana Go of Gold TLTG Cebu (35:51) and Ava Victoria Banal of Baguio Benget Triathlon (38:48).
The Top 3 finishers in the boys division of the 9-10 years old (200m swim, 6km bike and 1km run) category, were Chris Donovan Lacuna (25:40), Matteo Carino (27:17) and Jon David Julian (27:19), while Pia Gito (28:13) got the gold and Juriel Brooke Julian (31:24) the silver in the girls division.
In the 7-8 years old (100m swim, 2km bike and 800m run), the winners in Ray Vincent Marchan (17:41) and Zavier Prequenza (21:35) in the boys division and Stacey Ailia Aisha (29:13) in the girls division.
Suchen Mooney (13:21) pocketed the gold and Dylan Shyam Bayarong (21:00) secured the silver medal in the boys 6 and under (50m swim, 1km bike and 400m run) category.
The NAGT, organized by Triathlon Philippines headed by Ramon Marchan in cooperation with the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), was supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, Asian Centre for Insulation, Standard Insurance and Gatorade, the official drink.
To those of you who are doing business in Las Piñas City, be reminded that the extended deadline is on January 31, 2024, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…
The Las Piñas City government has extended the deadline for business permit renewal to Jan. 31.
Las Piñas City Mayo Imelda Aguilar said the City Council, headed by Vice-Mayor April Aguilar, passed and approved a resolution on Jan. 20 extending the period for the payment of business permits, licenses, taxes and such other similar commercial and industrial fees and charges from Jan. 20 to 31without surcharges and penalties.
Aguilar said the chief of Business Permit and Licensing Office (BPLO), Jesus Wilfredo Gaerlan, requested for the extension of the deadline.
She said this will not only encourage the settlement of such business, commercial and industrial fees and charges and accelerate the collection but also enable the delinquent individuals and firms to legalize their business operation.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, what is your reaction to this development? If you are managing a business in the city, have you been able to renew your business permit? If you did, was the processing at the Las Piñas BPLO efficient?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Recently the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) posted an update on their official page about their coin deposit machine (CoDM) project revealing that almost P400 million worth of coins got deposited by customers as of January 15, 2024.
Based on the latest statistics, a total of P399,081,734.54 in coins got deposited into BSP machines on 110,910 transactions from customers. In terms of physical quantity, 117,120,209 coins were deposited. All these numbers are accurate as of January 15, 2024.
Doing the math on the latest statistics, customers averaged P3,598.25 per transaction (depositing of coins) at the machines. As for the grand total Peso amount divided by the number of coins deposited, the average is P3.40745 per coin deposited.
In my personal experience, it’s gotten more challenging to deposit my coins into the BSP machine located inside Festival Mall in Filinvest City, Alabang. Locally, a lot more people became aware of the machine which resulted in longer lines as well as families or business managers/owners bringing huge volumes of their coins contained in bottles or bags. There were also times when the BSP machine inside the mall got filled to its limit during the day and it could not function until the BSP’s own collectors gather all the coins.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Were you able to deposit your excess coins into a BSP coin deposit machine in your locality in recent times? Do you think the BSP should put up more coin deposit machines to keep up with consumer demand? How long normally is the line at the BSP coin deposit machine in your locality each time you visit?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
To those of you who own or manage business in Muntinlupa City, be reminded that the new deadline for renewing your business permits is on January 31, 2024, according to a Manila Bulletin news report. Renewal of permits can be done online or on-site at the Muntinlupa Sports Center in Barangay Tunasan.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of the Manila Bulletin. Some parts in boldface…
The Muntinlupa City government is offering an online business permit processing for the convenience of taxpayers.
The Business Permits and Licensing Office (BPLO) encouraged people, especially those who are unable to visit the Business Permit Renewal Hub at the Muntinlupa Sports Center in Barangay Tunasan, to avail of the Business E-Payment System (BESt) as a more convenient alternative to the renewal process.
In addition, the Muntinlupa City Council passed a resolution granting the request of BPLO officer-in-charge Engr. Allan Cachuela to extend the business permit renewal deadline to Jan. 31 to give business owners the chance to comply and avoid penalties.
Mayor Ruffy Biazon welcomed these developments and urged Muntinlupeños to beat the deadline by taking these opportunities that support grassroots businesses–a key component of his economic agenda.
Entrepreneurs who wish to renew their permit may visit the Muntinlupa City government website (https://muntinlupacity.gov.ph/). They must first send their business account details and active company email address to bplo.muntinlupa@yahoo.com or through a personal message to the BPLO Muntinlupa Facebook page. For security, entrepreneurs must send their details via message and not put them in the Facebook comments.
An official notification will be sent to the provided email address. Afterwards, the applicant must create a BESt account and undergo verification through email. Once verified, entrepreneurs must sign into the BESt portal, choose the business permit renewal option, and provide the necessary details and business information. Payment fees can then be settled via Development Bank of the Philippines or Landbank.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? If you are a resident of Muntinlupa City, do you consider the deadline extension essential for the city’s economy? If you manage a business within the city, have you been able to renew your business permit?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
UPDATE – The bikes-for-rent business in the blog post below is no longer occupying the space along Spectrum Midway near Filinvest City Central Park.
Here in Muntinlupa City, the Alabang area continues to be a dynamic place for leisure, shopping, fitness, dining and exploration. One of the more vibrant places to be in is the Filinvest City Central Park which is accessible via Spectrum Midway, East Asia Drive and Promenade roads within Filinvest City (formerly known as Filinvest Corporate City). Notably, the commercial places located in close proximity to Filinvest City Central Park are Commercenter (along East Asia Drive) and at a slightly farther distance Festival Mall.
Filinvest City Central Park has a nice wide portion of grassy land (facing East Asia Drive) where visits can relax at during the afternoons (when the sun is not too intense) and there is also a small playground where kids can play at. There is also another wide portion of grassy land on the other side (facing Festival Mall).
Filinvest City Central Park also has connecting roads plus a few cemented paths where people can travel on without the hassle of incoming motorized vehicles. The roads are ideal for those who love to hike, run and bike around.
Bicycles-for-rent – Along Spectrum Midway road, just steps away from Filinvest City Central Park, is a local service where visitors can rent bicycles for a fee (depending on what bicycle you want) for an hour’s use. Check out the video and images posted below.
Lots of bicycles lined up for visitors to choose and rent.
The bicycles displayed from the side.
At the bike rental service are two large signs displaying details about the bike rental rates per hour and the bike rental guidelines. Those who plan to rent bikes can avail of the Double Seater Sidecar for P250, the Big Sidecar for P200, the Small Sidecar for 150, the Mountain Bike for P200, the Big BMX for P150, the Small BMX for P100, the Lady’s Bike for P150, the Go Cart for P200 and the Kiddie Bike for P100. All fees, which are to be paid first, are non-refundable.
As per the bike rental guidelines, visitors who wish to rent a bike must provide or show a valid ID card. If children are to ride, they must be accompanied by parents or guardians at all times. Biking around is limited within the designated areas and warning signs must be followed without question. Bike racing and exhibition are prohibited.
For your reference.
The covered area is where visitors can approach for transactions on renting bicycles. This is along Spectrum Midway.
If you seek fun biking around Filinvest City Central Park, you can enjoy the convenience that comes with renting bikes there. Visit the bike rental service soon.
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from watching the film and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
Welcome back, movie buffs, science fiction fans and geeks! When it comes to making remakes or reimagined versions of established movies from previous decades, the 1980s was indeed a special time to watch them. In 1986, The Fly (directed by David Cronenberg) was released and it made a tremendous impact on moviegoers in ways that the original 1958 movie did not.
Remember when The Blob was first released in 1958? That classic film (read my retro review by clicking here) went on to have a forgettable sequel released in the 1970s but got remade big time with a new version in 1988 simply titled The Blob.
The story begins in the town of Arborville where many locals attend an exciting football game. High school player Paul (Donovan Leitch, Jr.) asks cheerleader Meg (Shawnee Smith) to a date. Elsewhere, the troubled guy Briann Flagg (Kevin Dillon) fails with his attempted stunt as a result of his flawed motorcycle which was witnessed by an elderly vagabond. Flagg goes back to town and encounters the local sheriff (Jeffrey DeMunn) who warns him about trouble.
That evening at the outskirts of town, a meteorite crashes within the forest which the elderly vagabond pursues. With strong curiosity in his mind, the old man uses a stick on a sizable body of slime mold substance (the blob itself) that came out of the crashed meteor. Suddenly, the substance moves and sticks to the elderly vagabond’s hand causing him great pain.
A short time later in the forest, Brian Flagg got surprised by the sudden appearance of the vagabond who desperately tries cutting off his own hand. The blob, which Brian saw for the first time ever, attaches itself even more on the old man causing him to run away until he gets hit by a car (with Meg and Paul inside)…
Quality
The blob in this movie looks more menacing as it has a tumor look and the special effect work remains excellent to look at. You should also see the blob move and what it sounds like.
This late-1980s remake of The Blob is not only more engaging and more entertaining than its 1958 predecessor…it is easily on of the best sci-fi horror movies of the 1980s thanks to a very talented creative team led by Chuck Russell.
To begin with, Russell and Darabont (this is the same great director behind The Shawshank Redemption), crafted a very solid screenplay that used key story elements from the 1958 classic while successfully updating everything else with 1980s America (or Ronald Reagan’s America) in mind. For this version, the three leading teenagers played by Shawnee Smith, Kevin Dillon and Donovan Leitch, Jr. were relatable and clearly worth following.
(From left to right) Shawnee Smith, Kevin Dillon and Candy Clark in an early encounter with the blob.
While the 1958 movie emphasized American teenagers being disadvantaged as local adults don’t take them seriously (even though the youth knew the problem and intend to solve it), this remake moved away from the generational gap as it strongly focused more on the crisis of a fast-growing blob that simply won’t stop killing people and destroying things. In other words, this is a crisis-focused monster story that is more violent, more horrific, more action-packed and more graphic than its predecessor.
I should also state that Russell and his team established a solid structure for storytelling and the narrative flowed on a medium-to-fast pace. As this movie has more spectacle in terms of action, monster moments and the like, the creative team carefully balanced the fun stuff with the dramatic and exposition scenes smoothly.
If you see people wearing protective suits arriving in your community and implementing a lockdown, you know a crisis is in effect.
The cast here is solid! Shawnee Smith’s Meg is the sweet, young good-natured high school girl who is willing to not only survive but also take part in solving the crisis situation not for herself but for her family and the entire Arborville community. Meg has some common elements with that of the character Sarah Connor from The Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgment Day. I also love the fact that there is NO WOKENESS and NO RABID FEMINIST VALUES in Meg. Kevin Dillon’s Brian – the troubled youth – is clearly the 2nd lead and he does a good job dramatizing how his character changes from a guy of uncertainty into an actual doer whose efforts proved to be valuable. There definitely is a non-romantic chemistry between Meg and Brian as the crisis situation really brought out solid transformations from them respectively.
The supporting cast is really good too. Candy Clark’s Fran is the relatable community diner owner/manager who contributed nicely to the plot as well as the early showdown of the blob. Jeffrey DeMunn’s sheriff is the local law enforcer who has to deal with the local situations while tackling the challenges of his leadership post. Paul McCrane here plays a local cop who is tough but not necessarily abusive, and this is the same guy who played a very vicious bad guy in 1987’s RoboCop! Joe Seneca is the government scientist who has charisma and deception carefully blended together which added to the plot. You will even see Erika Eleniak in a very small and yet notable appearance that happens to involve the blob. This film has a really interesting cast and I encourage you to research the names mentioned here.
This remake is loaded with action scenes, stunts and incredible visual effects!
On the technical side of things, I really like the cinematography done by Mark Irwin as the visuals captured looked really detailed and clear even during the dark or night-time scenes. The music by Michael Hoenig was pretty good too and his tunes ranged nicely from creepy to sentimental and energetic which reflected the scenes. As for the design of the blob, Lyle Conway deserves the credit for making it very monstrous. As for the physical environment of the movie, the state of Louisiana turned out to be a great location and the real-life Louisiana town Abbeville added strongly to the small town concept of the story.
As mentioned earlier, this version has a lot more spectacle to enjoy. For one thing, there is a good amount of hard action, gunfire and stunts which really added to the excitement (on top of the suspense and horror scenes already implemented). Rest assured, you will not get bored at all when watching this.
Shawnee Smith is the protagonist in this movie and her performance is very memorable.
The highlight of the spectacle is the very blob itself which looks so much like a tumor (instead of the jello form in the 1958 version) and the credit goes to the visual effects, sound effects and the animation team behind it all. Compared to its counterpart in the 1958 film, the blob here is very monstrous and horrifying to watch and the way it got animated is excellent. Apart from being unrelenting, this blob is deadlier and even intelligent. Not only does the blob devour the living which adds to its tremendous growth of size and mass, it also has the ability to extend tentacles which added more to the danger. Thanks to the sound effects, the blob is believably animalistic.
Through the blob’s on-screen presence, you can see the hard work implemented by the special effects crew when showing the monster entirely move and devour people, when showing its flexibility on adjusting its size (or its parts) when entering new places through tight spots, and most notably, how the blob alters the flesh of the victims it touches which resulted in very horrifying visuals. The special effects team really excelled with the use of practical effects (read: no computer-generated images) on presenting the titular monster. This is indeed a special effects extravaganza that a lot of people are missing out on.
Conclusion
The Blob (1988) looks and sounds better than ever in 4K Blu-ray format. I highly recommend this version as it is so much better than streaming.
There is no doubt in my mind that The Blob (1988) is a great sci-fi horror film that has a more menacing monster complete with sufficient action, great visual effects and a pretty solid cast! This is indeed a great example of a how a remake of an established film from the past should be done and this also includes raising the stakes within the story, modernizing past cinematic elements and ensuring high entertainment value. What director Russell, his team and the cast collectively achieved is indeed a creative success and this is the kind of film that Commie-filled Hollywood (Commiewood) today does not want to make.
As a companion piece to The Blob (1958), this remake has the good stuff that people who love horror, science fiction, action and monsters will enjoy.
Of all the many movies I have seen, The Blob (1988) stands out as one of the best remakes ever made as well as one of the best mixed-genre movies of its decade as well as of all time. That being said, today is a great time to watch this movie with better-than-ever visuals and sounds through its 4K Blu-ray release (pictured above) which is now available (you can order it online now). There is also a lot of features and extra stuff with the 4K Blu-ray. Make no mistake, The Blob (1988) is great to watch and its replay value is pretty high.
Author Carlo Carrasco 