Steve McQueen

"The Blob" (1958)

Better known now as the camp classic that introduced actor Steve McQueen to the world, "The Blob" retains a sort of queasy power, at least for me. When I was a kid, I used to spend summers on the Long Island Sound; in August, one could not go in the water ... morewithout a good chance of being stung by the red jellyfish that invaded the shoreline every year at that time. Now imagine being that young and watching a giant glob of crimson goo from space devouring everyone in its path. Like those jellyfish, the blob can't be reasoned with and is almost impossible to destroy, making it the stuff of nightmares. The 1988 remake was pretty good, too.

Goes well with: "The Blob" (1988), "Slither" (2006)

('The Blob'/Everett Collection)