Dec 25 2008
“Them!” (1954) ****
Starring: James Whitmore, Edmund Gwenn, Joan Weldon, James Arness, Onslow Stevens, Sean McClory, and Chris Drake.
“Them!” carved a ‘niche’ in two genres of film back when it was released in 1954 - The ‘nuclear monster’ movie and the ‘big bug’ movie. It was also a huge moneymaker back when it was released. “Them!” depicts mankind’s encounters with nests of radiation-mutated elephant-size ants.
Sgt. Ben Peterson of the New Mexico State Police is investigating the mysterious disappearance of a FBI agent and his family who are all on vacation. They’re only able to find the little girl who is wandering across the desert of Alamogordo, New Mexico - The girl is unable to speak due to a state of shock she has fallen into. They then find the family’s trailer destroyed by some great force with odd footprints surrounding it.
The scene attracts the attention of father/daughter entomologists Dr. Harold and Pat Medford, whom seem to have a theory about what’s going on but won’t elaborate until they run a few tests on the mute little girl - which includes having her smell the contents inside a vial of formic acid, thus freeing her from her state of withdrawal and shouting aloud “Them! Them!”, and so this mind-boggling tale of horror and science fiction begins.
It’s not long before the heroes encounter their first sighting of the vicious, elephant-sized mutated ants. They were able to bring the beast down with a Thompson submachine gun and also learn that revolvers have very little effect on the creatures. The first nest in the desert is easily tracked down and destroyed by the US army, led by General O’Brien (Onslow Stevens), with large amounts of poisonous gas. However, their plan fails when two young queen ants hatch and fly off to establish some new turf for their breeding ground.
This creates problems for the US government, forcing them to monitor and hide reports of an onslaught of unusual sightings such as ‘flying saucers’. Meanwhile, Peterson and co. race against the clock to track down and destroy the two egg-layers which have, in fact, split up.
“Them!” is a very unique blend of horror, science fiction, and detective-like mystery. Don’t be mistaken, this film is no “Eight Legged Freaks” here, it’s a smart classic that is ripe for remake material, if it is done the right way with the right people and the right script. “Them!” is the “Arachnophobia” of the 50s, however, on a much… grander… scale if you know what I mean.
RATING: ****
