To make things clear, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind is just one of many Studio Ghibli feature films that will be playing through SM Cinema branches with the Studio Ghibli Fest 2025 launching today. Other Studio Ghibli feature films include My Neighbor Totoro, Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, The Wind Rises and Ponyo. All of those anime productions were directed by Miyazaki but in my personal anime viewing experience, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind remains the most memorable one.
A captivating piece of art from the 1984 anime feature film of Hayao Miyazaki.
To put things in perspective regarding the Studio Ghibli Fest 2025, posted below is an excerpt from the lifestyle news article of GMA Network. Some parts in boldface…
The Studio Ghibli Fest 2025 is happening this month, and six films from the highly acclaimed Japanese animation studio will be screened in select local cinemas.
SM Cinema announced the happy news on its social media pages last August 31.
“Six worlds. Endless wonder. One big screen. From Totoro’s forest to Chihiro’s spirit world, journey back into the imagination of Hayao Miyazaki and experience the timeless magic of Studio Ghibli,” it said.
Several classic Studio Ghibli films will be screened in select SM Cinemas nationwide from September 10 to 16.
Here is a list of the films part of the Studio Ghibli Fest 2025: Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, Princess Mononoke, The Wind Rises, Ponyo, (and) Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind.
These are the SM Cinema branches around the country showcasing the Studio Ghibli anime feature films. (source – SM Cinema)
Why Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind is significant
Among the works of Hayao Miyazaki, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind is the one that resonates with me the most and I have a long history of viewing the anime feature film. The first time I saw it was in its mid-1980s, butchered English-dubbed version titles Warriors of the Wind on home video. Being so young back then, I was not aware of the original Japanese version and I simply enjoyed what was presented in English. The leading lady Nausicaä was renamed as Princess Zandra while the Ohm were referred to as gorgons.
For the newcomers reading this, the 1980s was not exactly a good time of anime productions being released in the West in English and alterations for the Western market was the norm. Warriors of the Wind was more than 20 minutes shorter than the original Japanese version.
In the early 2000s, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind was released uncut with a new English-dubbed version (plus English subtitles with the original Japanese audio) involving the talents of Patrick Stewart, Uma Thurman and Alison Lohman. The footage that was missing in Warriors of the Wind easily made the new version – released on DVD in 2005, Disney Blu-ray in 2011, GKIDS and Shout! Factory Blu-ray in 2017, and limited edition steelbook Blu-ray in 2020 – a must-buy for both fans and anime enthusiasts who enjoy classics.
I myself acquired the 2005 DVD of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind by trading an old video game for it and enjoyed it a lot. I saw both the English-dubbed and English-subtitled versions in different times, and the complete footage added to my enjoyment of it. If I were to make comparisons, I prefer the 1984 film over Princess Mononoke (I had a Blu-ray copy of it).
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind on Blu-ray disc format (limited edition steelbook version) is still available for purchasing online and you only need to click here. I wonder when will a 4K Blu-ray version of it be announced.
The Japanese movie poster from 1984.
What it is lacking for me is the experience of watching Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind on the big screen inside the movie theater. This is why I am personally interested in replaying it at an SM Cinema branch during the week-long Studio Ghibli Fest 2025. At the same time, it is rare for anime classics to be screened in movie theaters here in the Philippines. As much as I love watching movies on Blu-ray or 4K Blu-ray format in the comfort of home, the cinema experience is still the best way to watch a movie. Definitely better than streaming!
If you wish to join a group of movie enthusiasts and talk about cinema, cinematic trends, Blu-ray releases and more relevant stuff, visit the Movie Fans Worldwide Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/322857711779576
Welcome back fellow geeks, Blu-ray collectors and movie buffs!
When it comes to watching movies – both old and new – the best place for me is still the movie theater. The very large screen, high-tech sound systems and comfortable seats of the cinema all make the theater viewing experience very immersive which streaming apps and the home theater setup could never match. The cinema experience is always better than streaming.
That being said, it is disappointing for me – as a resident of Muntinlupa City here in the Philippines – that local theaters in Alabang had to close down. The original cinemas of Festival Mall, which first opened in 1998 and grew from six to ten screens, are no more. Before they were all closed down, those cinemas had deteriorated over time and I still remember how bad the projection in one of their premium cinemas was when I saw Star Trek Into Darkness in 2013. It was like I was watching a VHS copy of the movie on their screen. It was that bad!
This year, the 4-screen cinemas of Commercenter in Filinvest City had closed down (refer to my past blog posts by clicking here and here) and it is very unfortunate not just for me but also for others who enjoyed watching movies at that mall. In my experience, Commercenter was my favorite local place to watch movies at and the cinema operators were consistent with maintaining each screen, the comfortable chairs and the sound systems. At the same time, it was pretty convenient for me to park the car in the basement parking (really spacious), climb up to the cinemas at the 2nd floor (ticket counter and snacks counter were beside each other), enjoy a movie, and visit a local store or a restaurant within the mall after leaving the cinema.
With the closure of Festival Mall’s original cinemas and Commercenter cinemas, that is a combined loss of ten screens along with the many seats and equipment combined. Along the way, many people who worked directly in those lost cinemas either became unemployed or got re-assigned to a new task within the local establishment. Sadly, not too many people here in the Philippines are talking about the jobs lost with the closure of cinemas.
Cinemas of Commercenter have been closed down since March 15, 2025.
This brings me to my next point – BusinessWorld published an article exploring the current struggle of Philippine cinemas in what is now the post-pandemic era. For the newcomers reading this, the Philippines economy has been growing strongly year-by-year after the COVID-19 period ended but the nation’s cinema industry is still struggling in terms of sales and attracting paying customers. The Filipinos’ love for streaming is huge factor but there are also other reasons why not enough moviegoers are supporting cinemas.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the BusinessWorld article. Some parts in boldface…
KAREN LUSTAÑAS, 30, tries to watch a movie in the Philippine capital at least once a month, if the budget allows it.
“I try to save time and money for films that I really want to see,” she told BusinessWorld in a Facebook Messenger chat. “I can barely afford it, but if I’m a fan of the director or actors, I really have to watch it.”
“Otherwise, I’ll just watch it on a streaming platform,” she added.
As good as the movie industry is in imagining alternate realities, it didn’t see this one coming. Five years after the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) decimated the box office here and all over the world, movies are still struggling to come back.
Philippine gross movie ticket sales fell 3.7% year on year to $45.5 million (P2.5 billion) last year, a far cry from the $144.5 million posted in 2019, before the pandemic hit, according to US-based box office revenue tracker Box Office Mojo. In 2020, gross sales plunged 95% to $7.7 million.
Global cinema ticket sales fell 8.8% last year to €28 billion (P1.8 trillion) from 2023, the first annual drop since COVID-19, the European Audiovisual Observatory (EAO) said last month.
Regular movie ticket prices cost P300 to P400 in Metro Manila, or about half the daily minimum wage. On the other hand, the basic monthly subscription to streaming platforms like Netflix, Max (HBO) and Disney+ costs P150 to P250, and the titles are virtually endless.
“If you think about it, it’s really worth it and more practical to go with Netflix,” Ms. Lustañas, a freelancer, said.
The annual Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) grossed P800 million last year, hitting the target but failing to top 2023’s record P1 billion despite a week-long extension.
The pandemic forced people to watch movies at home, aiding streaming services like Netflix, whose revenue grew 14% annually to more than $39 billion last year from 2019, according to computations by BusinessWorld using data from the company’s website. Netflix subscribers also doubled to about 300 million over the five-year period.
Since 2020, local box office hits have been few and far between. The latest was Star Cinema’s My Love Will Make You Disappear starring Kim Chiu and Paulo Avelino, grossing P12 million on its opening day in March.
“Today, going to the cinema is a more intentional experience, rooted not just in the movie being shown but in the overall ambiance that brings the film to life,” Hamm E. Katipunan, Ayala Malls’ Asset Management head, said in an e-mailed reply to questions.
“It’s not just about waiting for blockbusters to hit streaming sites; Filipinos appreciate the good feeling of watching movies that are truly worth experiencing on the big screen,” he added.
While cinemas run by Ayala Malls, SM Supermalls and other mall chains have diversified their offerings, a pattern has emerged in the top-grossing Filipino films that have drawn people to cinemas.
GMA Pictures and Star Cinema’s co-production Hello, Love, Again starring Alden Richards and Kathryn Bernardo set the record for the highest opening day gross for a local film with P85 million in November, surpassing the P75-million gross from The Super Parental Guardians in 2016.
‘FORMULAIC STORIES’ – It shows that Filipinos watch a movie mainly because of its main cast, Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) Chairman Jose Javier Reyes told a news briefing in March, citing a council-funded study involving 800 respondents.
“They can’t afford to go regularly to the movies anymore,” he said. “The biggest blow is that people don’t repeat screenings. They just wait for it to go on streaming platforms.”
The study, done in 2024 in collaboration with De La Salle University to explore the evolving habits, preferences and challenges shaping the local film industry, found that Filipinos from the A, B, and a small part of the C socioeconomic classes regularly watch movies.
The study, which will be released in July as part of the launch of FDCP’s Philippine Film Industry Roadmap, also found that streaming services have become the primary platform for 67% of Filipinos.
Only 21% still frequent cinemas, with many complaining about repetitive movie themes and high ticket prices.
Though stars are still the main movie drawer, the study also found that Filipinos are “sick of formulaic stories,” Mr. Reyes said. He added that the roadmap, mandated by the government, would shed light on how to better support the industry.
In October last year, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. placed the Film Academy of the Philippines under the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to boost Filipino film development.
Trade Secretary Ma. Cristina A. Roque earlier said the budget for the film industry would increase next year as part of the roadmap. She noted that other countries have been using movies and the creative industry to boost tourism and trade.
Mr. Reyes said movie outfits should improve the quality of their films to boost their success overseas. “In the Philippines, star power is important, but the moment you cross borders, there’s a market for people who are more interested in the material itself,” he pointed out.
Rico V. Gonzales, head of distribution at Warner Bros. Pictures Philippines, said the company supports the local industry by distributing two to three Filipino movies yearly, along with the usual foreign releases from Warner Bros. and Universal Pictures.
“It’s part of the goodwill of the company to help local producers who don’t have a distribution arm, compared with the likes of Star Cinema and GMA Pictures, which have the power to do it themselves,” he said.
The current state of the cinema industry of the Philippines is disappointing and the future looks uncertain as of this writing. While a lot of my fellow Filipinos chose streaming to watch movies in the comfort of their home, I prefer watching movies on Blu-ray and 4K Blu-ray disc format. The most phenomenal 4K Blu-ray experiences I had was Top Gun: Maverick and that movie never failed to amaze me each time I saw it using my 4K Blu-ray disc player. I also enjoyed watching my 4K Blu-ray copies of Casablanca, Interstellar, Total Recall (1990), and Star Trek: First Contact.
Going back to the state of cinema here in the Philippines, I did not watch a single movie in the cinema in 2024. In fact, the last time I saw a movie on the big screen locally was Sound of Freedom in 2023 (read my review by clicking here). This is because the new movies that were released in 2024 did not interest me at all and the fact that a lot of new Hollywood movies had woke garbage in them turned me off. Not only that, there were times when news movies from overseas were not even released in Philippine cinemas at all such as Jesus Revolution (note: I had to buy the movie on Blu-ray just to watch it).
I saw The Batman at Commercenter’s cinema on March 2022.
As of this writing, the direction of the entire cinema industry of the Philippines remains uncertain and so far there were no real breakthroughs that happened. That being said, I still remember when in 2015, there were long lines of moviegoers at Commercenter waiting to enter the cinemas to watch Jurassic World. Such a memory won’t be repeated here in Alabang and without its cinemas, Commercenter’s value as a place for fun has gone way down.
Welcome back fellow geeks, Blu-ray collectors and movie buffs!
Shane, the classic Western film from 1953 directed by George Stevens, is all set for a 4K Blu-ray release on July 15, 2025 and already the publisher Kino Lorber is already accepting orders online.
Shane 4K Blu-ray from Kino Lorber.
Posted below are the technical details of the Shane 4K Blu-ray sourced from its Blu-ray.com page. For the 4K visuals enthusiasts reading this, Shane will be in native 4K resolution.
Discs – 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray Disc, Single disc (1 BD-100, 1 BD-50), Digital – Digital copy included
Packaging – Slipcover in original pressing
Playback – 4K Blu-ray: Region free, 2K Blu-ray: Region A
The movie poster of Shane.
Personally, I have not seen Shane in full. Apart from seeing selected scenes of it within the 2017 superhero film Logan, I saw Shane partially on cable TV a few times. I am personally interested to watch Shane entirely in native 4K and for this reason alone, Shane 4K Blu-ray is a future purchase for me. I am also aware that the 1953 film was based on the novel from 1949, and in 1993 the movie was selected for preservation in America’s National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”.
As for the Western genre of American films, my interest in Westerns from the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s has grown over time. I am not interested anymore in modern movies pumped out by Commiewood (note: woke stuff here and there) and I did not even see a single new movie in the cinemas in 2024. That being said, Shane is something I want to watch in 4K in the comfort of home soon. Here is hoping that the film restoration and remastering will be of top-notch quality.
If you have decided already to order Shane 4K Blu-ray this early, you can do it through Kino Lorber by clicking here.
Welcome back fellow geeks, Blu-ray collectors and movie buffs!
If you love Steven Spielberg’s classic film Jawsand if you are determined to collect the latest thing about it, be aware that the Jaws 50th Anniversary 4K Blu-ray SteelBookwill be released commercially on June 17, 2025. In relation to that, customers are welcome to order it in advance by clicking here.
This is the 4K Blu-ray SteelBook set of Jaws. (photo source – Amazon)
Posted below are the technical details of the Jaws 50th Anniversary 4K Blu-ray SteelBook sourced from its Blu-ray.com page,
Video
Codec: HEVC / H.265 (70.80 Mbps)
Resolution: Native 4K (2160p)
HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR10+
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Audio
English: Dolby Atmos
English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: DTS 2.0 Mono
French: DTS-HD HR 7.1
Spanish: DTS 5.1
Subtitles – English SDH, French, Spanish
Discs – 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray Disc, Three-disc set (1 BD-100, 2 BD-50), Bonus View (PiP), BD-Live
D-Box, Social network features
Digital – Digital copy included
Packaging – SteelBook, inner print
Playback – 4K Blu-ray: Region free, 2K Blu-ray: Region A
Although I never saw Jaws inside the movie theater, I saw it multiple times from local TV to cable TV, and DVD. It truly still is one of Steven Spielberg’s best works to this day and it should be stated that filmmakers encountered a lot of problems during production at the time. To animate the killer shark, they used physical stuff while shooting on the ocean extensively. Computer-generated graphics and digital editing were not the standard back then. I have yet to view the classic film on high-definition and it should be stated that the Jaws 4K Blu-ray has been available for years now.
Mark your calendars for June 17, 2025. (photo source – Amazon)
If you have decided already to order the more affordable and simpler 4K Blu-ray copy of Jaws, click here. If you really want the upcoming 4K Blu-ray SteelBook edition, click here.
Welcome back fellow geeks, Blu-ray collectors and movie buffs!
Have you been searching for something intense, action-packed and thrilling to add into your collection of 4K Blu-ray movies? Be informed that Godzilla Minus One4K Blu-ray is now available on the market and you can order it online right now.
This is what Godzilla Minus One 4K Blu-ray looks like.
Posted below are the technical details of Godzilla Minus One 4K Blu-ray sourced from its Blu-ray.com page,
Video
Codec: HEVC / H.265 (62.89 Mbps)
Resolution: Native 4K (2160p)
HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR10
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Audio
Japanese: Dolby Atmos
Japanese: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
Subtitles – English, English SDH, French, Spanish
Discs – 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray Disc, Two-disc set (1 BD-100, 1 BD-50)
Playback – 4K Blu-ray: Region free, 2K Blu-ray: Region A
For the newcomers reading this, Godzilla Minus One is the Japanese-produced Godzilla movie from Toho, directed by Takashi Yamazaki and released in 2023. It was a commercial and critical hit, and it even won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. I previously wrote about Godzilla Minus One prior to its release in cinemas.
Due to the fact that Toho’s acclaimed giant monster movie was never released in cinemas here in my native Philippines, pursuing Godzilla Minus One 4K Blu-ray is the next option for me. I really wanted to see the film in local cinemas for the genuine in-theater experience of watching a Japanese-produced Godzilla film. For some reason, Toho did not release Godzilla Minus One in Philippine cinemas even though they released Shin Godzilla in the country in 2016. For the meantime, I have my Criterion Collection Blu-ray of Gojira (1954) to enjoy before my 4K Blu-ray of the latest Godzilla film finally arrives.
If you have decided already to order a copy of Godzilla Minus One 4K Blu-ray, click here.
If you wish to join a group of movie enthusiasts and talk about cinema or movies in Blu-ray and 4K Blu-ray, visit the Movie Fans Worldwide Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/322857711779576
Recently in the City of Muntinlupa, the City Government approved an ordinance establishing a moratorium on the collection of the amusement tax on Filipino films (note: movies produced by Philippine companies/organizations) within the city for the next three years, as reported by the Manila Bulletin. The ordinance was signed into law by Mayor Ruffy Biazon.
In short, local companies here in the Philippines whose films are shown in theaters within the jurisdiction of Muntinlupa City could earn more as the amusement tax won’t be imposed for most of the year for the next three years while the cinema operators themselves can benefit along the way.
I say most of the year because the moratorium does not cover the time period of December 25 to January 7 which is precisely the time when the annual Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) happens.
To put things in perspective, read the excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report posted below. Some parts in boldface…
Muntinlupa Mayor Ruffy Biazon and the City Council approved an ordinance granting a three-year moratorium on the collection of amusement tax from Filipino films in the next three years.
The Muntinlupa City Council passed and Biazon signed Ordinance No. 2024-229 “Declaring Moratorium on the Collection of Amusement Tax for Filipino Films in the City of Muntinlupa from January 08 to December 24 of every year for the next three (3) years.“
Under the existing Local Government Code, “The province may levy an amusement tax to be collected from the proprietors, lessees, or operators of theaters, cinemas, concert halls, circuses, boxing stadia, and other places of amusement at a rate of not more than ten percent (10%) of the gross receipts from the admissions fees.”
In February, the Metro Manila Council adopted the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Resolution No. 24-11 “Declaring a Moratorium on the Collection of Amusement Tax for Filipino Films in Metro Manila from January 08 to December 24 of Every Year for the Next Three Years.”
In the Muntinlupa ordinance, it was stated that the MMDA resolution “was adopted to recognize the importance of the local film industry in promoting cultural and economic development and in response to the appeal of the local filmmakers to boost the film industry after the impact of the COVID-i9 Pandemic on the production and exhibition of Filipino Films, and the dominance of foreign films.”
Under the ordinance, all cinemas in Muntinlupa can avail of the moratorium on the collection of amusement taxes for Filipino films from Jan. 8 to Dec. 24 of every year for the next three years.
When it comes to the state of cinemas within Muntinlupa City, Commercenter has four screens and I noticed over the past two months that only 2 or 3 were operating during my visits there. Over at Festival Mall, their 4-screen modern cinemas are fully operating but their original cinemas (located several feet away by foot on the same floor) are still dark and depressing as only 2 or 3 screens (out of ten screens) were operating almost all the time.
As for the cinemas in Alabang Town Center, they seem to be operating normally and continue to attract a steady amount of moviegoers.
Going back to the approved moratorium, it remains to be seen if it could lead to a potential reduction of ticket prices in relation to Filipino movies within Muntinlupa. Even if ticket prices get reduced, would it be enough to convince people to come to the Muntinlupa cinemas and buy tickets for the cinematic experience. There is also the factor of the quality of Filipino movies showing in Muntinlupa movie theaters plus the factor of foreign movies.
As a resident of Alabang who saw lots of movies in the local cinemas, I noticed that Muntinlupa City is lacking when it comes to hosting film festivals (note: the annual MMFF does NOT count). Special events about movies focusing on variety, quality and artistry being held in Muntinlupa can help cinema operators attract moviegoers as well as the enthusiastic film buffs.
Perhaps the City Government or barangays could someday organize a special event of short films made by Muntinlupa-based filmmakers and have such films screened in local cinemas. Organizing another film festival showcasing films by independent filmmakers from around the country and having them screened in theaters within the city could help too.
Still on the topic of Filipino movies, when will the time come when the major local movie producers will have premieres of their new movies held in cinemas here in Muntinlupa and give locals the chance to see their favorite movie stars in person?
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What do you think about the 3-year moratorium approved by the City Government of Muntinlupa? Do you think that cinemas in Muntinlupa are losing money? Do you think the newly approved moratorium could be disadvantageous to the City Government in terms of revenue?
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.
Welcome back, fellow geeks, Blu-ray collectors and movie buffs! Decades ago, animator and director Ralph Bakshi made significant contributions to the art of hand-drawn animation with features that made it to cinemas such as The Lord of the Rings (1978), Wizards (1977), and Fire and Ice (1983) to name a few.
Along the way, Bakshi became identified with rotoscoping which is a technique that involves drawing or painting over an element in live-action footage frame by frame (as to create a matte or a realistic animation).
Speaking of Bakshi’s past work as well as rotoscoped animation, Sony Pictures recently released the film American Pop (1981) on Blu-ray disc format and I am happy to say that I now have a copy of it for my Blu-ray collection. This is also my first-ever Blu-ray of a Bakshi-directed animated movie.
A close look at the cover of my Blu-ray copy of American Pop.
To begin with, posted below are the specs from the Blu-ray.com page…
Video
Codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Audio
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit)
Subtitles –English SDH
Discs -Blu-ray Disc, Single Disc (1 BD-25)
Playback – Blu-ray: Region A
In my personal experience, the first time I ever saw American Pop was not in the cinema but on TV here in the Philippines way back in 1993. Back then, I found the film’s combination of music with mostly rotoscoped animated scenes (there were also some live-action shots, archived footage and some very unique pieces of art shown). I was not able to replay Bakshi’s movie until recently.
So after more than thirty long years, I finally got to replay American Pop on Blu-ray and I can say I enjoyed it even more. To see the rotoscoped animation and varied music play in front of me in high-definition is an even more immersive viewing experience than the previous time I saw this film. Another advantage of high definition is being able to see tiny visual details that I was unable to spot long ago. Oh yes, the fine artworks used on the backgrounds in specific parts of the movie now look a lot more engaging to look at.
A look at the rear of American Pop Blu-ray.
What I regret to say here is that American Pop Blu-ray absolutely has no special features included. Not even a movie trailer! I can only guess that Sony Pictures did not bother to exert efforts to conduct new interviews with Ralph Bakshi and the cast members, nor did they even try to secure any media features or previews of the movie before its theatrical release. It’s not clear if Sony will someday come up with a collector’s edition Blu-ray of this 1981 Bakshi film.
For the dedicated Ralph Bakshi fans as well as enthusiastic film buffs and collectors of movies on physical media, American Pop Blu-ray is recommended as the film itself is more than enough to outweigh the lack of special features. American Pop is more lively than ever to watch and listen as it is now in high-definition.
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.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at The Blob, a sci-fi horror movie released in 1958 starring Steve McQueen and Aneta Corsaut, written by Kay Linaker and Theodore Simonson, and directed by Irvin S. Yeaworth, Jr. (Irvin Yeaworth for short). This was a low-budget local-level production by Valley Forge Films, Fairview Productions and Tonylyn Productions.
The Blob movie poster.
Early story
The story begins somewhere within a small town in Pennsylvania. During one evening, teenagers Steve Andrews and Jane Martin spend a romantic time together in a car only to be disturbed when a meteorite from outer space crashes nearby. This easily sparks Steve’s curiosity as he decides to drive to find the spot of the crash taking Jane with him.
Meanwhile, an old man who happened to be living near the spot of the crash went out of his home and finds the meteorite first. Out of curiosity, he pokes the meteorite with a stick which slowly causes it to break open revealing a gelatinous substance (the blob) inside. He uses the stick on the substance, lifts it up and examines it closely. Against gravity, the substance suddenly moves up the stick and wraps itself on the old man’s hand causing him to become desperate to remove it. He failed.
As Steve drives down the road, the old man with the blob suddenly crosses down their path. The old man tells Steve to take him to a doctor…
Quality
Steve McQueen (3rd from left) as teenager Steve Andrews with Earl Rowe (2nd from right) as Lt. Dave and other over-aged actors playing teenagers.
I can say that I really like this old movie which has always been an independent, low budget production that made a solid contribution to the sci-fi genre and pop culture in general.
To begin, this film has a simple plot about an alien creature in the form of a gelatinous blob from outer space which attached itself into an old man’s hand, grew a lot when the man made it to the doctor, and then started consuming people which made it grow so big, life in the town got disrupted and people found themselves in danger. Unsurprisingly, the blob itself does not dominate the narrative considering the limitations the filmmakers had on making special effects work plus they focused more on the characters to move the plot forward. Rest assured, however, that the production team went all out with their limited resources on making the monster look menacing in the final fifteen minutes. I should state that the special effects team did a convincing job with the way they made the blob move to specific directions.
Given the simple plot, it is not surprising to see the narrative focusing more on the characters particularly with teenagers Steve and Jane (both played by obviously over-aged actors Steve McQueen and Aneta Corseaut). The story clearly follows the two mentioned teenagers who have the best knowledge about the blob and what happened, and it just so happens that they are always at a disadvantage when asked by adults to prove things.
With a monster that large within the local community, you know that something must be done before it causes further damage and kills more people. The blob was portrayed to be unrelenting in consuming and killing people which causes it to grow even bigger and with no limits determined. The blob does not care at all about the pain and anguish of its victims which parallels the evil of Communism/Marxism/socialism/anti-Semitism in real life.
Jane (Aneta Corseaut) and Steve (Steve McQueen) with the local doctor (Stephen Chase) early in the film.
The interactions between teenagers (note: Steve McQueen and Aneta Corseaut are not the only over-aged looking actors playing youth) and the mature authorities (local police, parents, educator and house keeper to name some) dramatized a gap in which the youth lacked credibility while the adults remain difficult to convince. Very notably the backward car race early in the film symbolically reflects the Hollywood film trend of the 1950s in which American teenagers are portrayed to be troublesome and living without real purposes.
Going back to the protagonists Steve and Jane, the screenplay was designed to highlight what good teenagers can do when a crisis strikes the local community and why the adults should get over their doubts about the youth.
Given the structure of the script, there are a lot of talk scenes throughout and the progress of the blob growing as a menace within the plot helped break the monotony. While he is clearly too old to play a teenager, Steve McQueen here remains convincing as a youth who strives to achieve something worthy even as he lacks maturity. The same can be said about Aneta Corseaut whose character was designed to help Steve move forward apart from having romance with him. When her character feels troubled, Steve comes in to support her in return. If you ignore their mature looks and focus on the dialogue, you will find convincing lines of youth within Steve and Jane. The same can be said about the other teenagers.
Considering the low budget and the limitations of technology at the time, the man-made practical effects in this movie are still good.
I can say out loud that watching movies inside the cinema is always better than streaming. The best way to enjoy a movie at home, on the other hand, is with physical media like Blu-ray and 4K Blu-ray.
While McQueen and Corseaut performed well, there were some moments of stiff acting and lifeless delivery of lines of dialogue scattered throughout.
Those of you who are so used to fast-paced films with thrills and jump scares, you should temper your expectations as this movie moved at a slow-to-medium pace with very little horror elements and very little violence. As this was a low-budget local-level production, certain shots had to be made with very obvious creative shortcuts. Even though this movie was filmed on several locations in Pennsylvania, the filmmakers failed to establish a true sense of geography and this means no scenic shots.
Going back to the blob itself, its jello appearance may not look menacing at first and there were times when the lack of scale (note: they did not have equipment to achieved the depth-of-field visual effect) was noticeable. What I liked here is the way the blob was portrayed – unrelenting and totally immune to the emotions and concerns of people it encounters. The blob here somewhat reminds me of the T-800 in The Terminator (1984) in the sense that it simply would not stop to attack people, consume them and then keep on growing into one very large mass which causes a crisis on the small town community.
In case you are wondering, there were accidents that happened during the memorable scene of moviegoers running out of the cinema in the film. The tripping of some people were purely accidental.
When it grabs someone and starts to consume the victim physically, the blob does not care about the pain it causes on its prey. While it is clear that the movie’s script was written during the early stages of the Cold War, it is possible that the blob served as a symbol of Communism infiltrating America, endangering people and taking their lives (and liberties) away. That being said, the rampant Leftist influence and social violence in the minds of millions of Americans today makes this film socially relevant and the blob’s threat has gotten even more symbolic. Lastly, I should state that composer Ralph Carmichael managed to come up with music to emphasize the threat of the blob.
Conclusion
In my honest opinion The Blob (1958) is still a good movie to watch and it deserves its place in film history as well as in the sci-fi genre of movies in general. While it had its shortcomings, this low-budget local-level production managed to be a worthy viewing experience and set the foundation for its movie franchise (note: a sequel was made in 1972 and the memorable remake of 1988 followed). To say the least, this movie paved the way for Frank Darabont and Chuck Russell to produce the 1988 remake that was very intense and a lot of fun to watch.
The Blob (1958) in Blu-ray disc format from The Criterion Collection. This is the best way to enjoy the movie at home.
The blob itself went on to inspire creative imitations (referred to as blobs or ooze) and new monsters in other forms of entertainment (note: the blob appears as one of the monsters in the 1982 Intellivision game Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Cloudy Mountain). Steve McQueen himself went on to become one of Hollywood’s elite stars in the decades that followed and this film should interest both die-hard fans and any film buff who wants to learn more about him.
For decades now, I have been living in Alabang and I witnessed how much Muntinlupa City modernized along the way. Bordering Barangay Ayala Alabang is Filinvest City (formerly called Filinvest Corporate City) which itself is home to several business or facilities such as the Filinvest Tent, Commercenter, Acacia Hotel Manila, Crimson Hotel, Westgate and, of course, the wildly popular place to be in – Festival Mall.
For the newcomers reading this, Festival Mall opened in May 1998 with its initial name Festival Supermall. Way back then, out of pure curiosity, I entered the mall for the first-time ever during its soft opening on May 1, 1998 (Labor Day here in the Philippines) as I was already looking for a new place and new discoveries at a time when I got tired of Alabang Town Center (ATC).
Being very new back then, Festival Mall’s presence of retailers or tenants was not yet dynamic as there were still businesses inside that could not open in time for the mall’s opening. I do remember walking down seeing lots of vacant retail spots covered with signs such as “opening soon”, “coming soon” and the like. Back in those days, the Philippine economy and society itself were dampened by the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis.
As the months passed by, more businesses opened and Festival Mall’s early attractions include the X-Site Amusement Center (which already had the indoor roller coaster) and, of course, the brand new cinemas which had several screens operating at a very spacious area on the top floor. I still remember seeing lots of people lining up for tickets and seats to watch Armageddon which ended up as the highest grossing movie of the world in 1998.
Indeed, for more than a decade, Festival Mall’s original cinemas became a favorite destination of mine to watch movies in Alabang and I definitely was not alone. I also remember the times when the said cinemas attracted a whole lot of moviegoers when the annual Metro Manila Film Festival’s (MMFF) opening day (every December 25) happened resulting in long lines. Watch the YouTube videos below…
As you can see in the above videos, Festival Mall’s original cinemas was a hot spot for moviegoers. It should be noted that the mall is strategically located in close proximity to the Alabang Viaduct and the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) which ensures visibility to motorists and accessibility to commuters on a daily basis. The old cinemas were also a hot spot for a variety of small businesses selling different kinds of food and drinks to moviegoers and others who just passed by.
Festival Mall at 25
This past May, Festival Mall turned 25 and its anniversary was highlighted with special events as well and publicity through the media. There were these Festival Mall 25th anniversary feature articles that got published in different newspapers almost simultaneously. In the commemorative article that got published in the Manila Bulletin, President and CEO of Filinvest Development Corporation Josephine Gotianun Yap was quoted which goes as follows in the excerpt below. Some parts in boldface…
“We would not be where we are today without the unwavering support of our customers, merchants, suppliers, and employees who have journeyed with us through the years. It is humbling to think that when we first opened the mall, we only had 30 stores and no anchor supermarket. But thousands of visitors came on our first day, attracted by our amusement centers, cinemas, and food court. And now the mall has 800 tenants and eight leading anchor stores. We value our collaboration with major retailers, which has enabled us to bring together SaveMore, Ace Hardware, Robinson’s Department Store, Handyman, Shopwise, H&M, Decathlon, and Landmark all under one roof. As we build on its strong foundations for the future, we see Festival Mall continuing to serve as a place where time stops for making memories with family and friends,”
As seen above, the Filinvest Development Corporation executive clearly referred to the original cinemas which was one of the early attractions of Festival Mall way back in 1998. As mentioned earlier, Festival Mall today has more modern cinemas located at the expanded area on the same floor but several meters away from the original cinemas. So how does Festival Mall’s original cinemas look like nowadays? Watch the video below…
Yes, indeed the mall’s original cinemas have turned depressing. There are much less customers who pass by the area and many of the businesses that operated within have closed down! As I personally found out, Festival Mall is still using a few screens at the old cinemas for moviegoers while leaving the many others closed and left in the dark. If you think about it carefully, what does the mall management have in mind with regards to all of those cinema seats, sound systems, projectors, screens and other pieces of equipment inside each and every closed screen of the original cinemas?
A closed screen at one end of the original cinemas of Festival Mall. Just imagine what is left of all the hardware (examples: projectors and speakers) and seats inside.
This was a premium place to watch movies at. It had more comfortable seats and better equipment that made the cinematic experience more immersive. It was here where I saw 2001’s Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within.
This is where I used to buy movie tickets for many years. For some time now, the selling of movie tickets here has stopped. To buy tickets, you have to go to the modern cinemas of the mall several meters away by foot at the same floor.
Apart from seeing more of the screens of the original cinemas closed down, the number of small-time businesses that sold different kinds of food and drinks are also gone which is depressing. Those businesses offered moviegoers different choices of what to eat or drink apart from the usual popcorn and drinks sold by the cinema’s concessionaires. I do remember a certain business joint that sold really good coffee (both hot and cold) that is also affordable.
There used to be different kinds of small business joints that sold a variety of food and drinks located on the floor spots at the original cinemas area. Those businesses have since closed down and left.
I remember the times I bought popcorn and drinks at this place before watching a movie. Now there are no food, no drinks and no people selling to customers anymore.
With the way things are right now, walking through the original cinemas area of Festival Mall is lonely and depressing to do. The area is almost lifeless and it easily is the saddest place inside the mall which itself has become a major attraction for shoppers and families. I can only wonder if Festival Mall’s management has any plan to revive the original cinemas area. Will they someday renovate at least a few of the screens and install brand new seats and other equipment to accommodate more moviegoers? Do they plan to attract new businesses to occupy the vacant commercial spaces and floor spaces near the old cinemas?
It would be nice to know if Festival Mall’s management or Filinvest itself has any plan to revive commerce at the original cinemas area which is now the saddest and loneliest part of the mall.
To be very clear with you all reading this, I never worked for a shopping mall nor have I ever worked in the movie theater business. I am a long-time resident of Alabang who often visits Festival Mall for purchasing needed items, dining and availing of services. Watching movies at Festival Mall used to be a big reason for me to spend time at the mall. I know for a fact that operating movie theaters is difficult and attracting people to watch movies on the big screen is tougher because of streaming. It does not help that the COVID-19 pandemic convinced people that watching new movies at home via streaming is the new standard which also made them think that movie theaters are unnecessary.
As a movie enthusiast, I can say out loud that watching a movie inside the cinema is still the best and most definitive way to enjoy watching. The movie theater experience can never be matched by streaming nor could the biggest HDTV at home could ever come close to the size and visual impact of a cinema screen. That being said, I can only hope that Festival Mall could someday revive the movie experience and commerce at their original cinemas area. They already have the modern cinemas at the expanded area but those are only 4 screens.
If you are living here in South Metro Manila and you have been to Festival Mall several times before, what do you think the mall management should do about their old cinemas? Is Festival Mall your favorite place to watch movies in? Do you think that hosting multiple film festivals – both foreign and domestic – each year would justify renovating the old cinemas of the mall?
Author Carlo Carrasco 