Them! (1954)
Genre: Scifi / Horror
Duration: 94 minuten
Alternative title: Them
Country:
United States
Directed by: Gordon Douglas
Stars: James Whitmore, Edmund Gwenn and Joan Weldon
IMDb score:
7,2 (26.841)
Releasedate: 16 June 1954
Them! plot
"The Amazing New Warner Bros. Sensation!"
During a patrol in the desert of New Mexico, where the first American atomic bombs were tested, two policemen find a girl. She is in a state of shock because she has just seen terrible things. A trail of formic acid leads to a radioactively contaminated ant nest, whose radiation has turned the ants into gigantic monsters. It doesn't take long for panic to set in.
Actors and actresses
Sgt. Ben Peterson
FBI Agent Robert Graham
Dr. Pat Medford
Dr. Harold Medford
Brig. Gen. Robert O'Brien
Maj. Kibbee
The Ellinson Girl
Trooper Ed Blackburn
Trooper Capt. Fred Edwards
Alan Crotty
Reviews & comments
Vinokourov
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- 3143 messages
- 2909 votes
Make me a sergeant in charge of the booze 
Japan needed Godzilla to make the dangers of the nuclear business visible. America used a herd of oversized ants in 1954 to expose its dangers. After some nuclear tests in desolate New Mexico, a bunch of ants have mutated into life-devouring monsters! Everything in Them! smells like a B monster movie: the looks of the ants, government employees and scientists and of course a good portion of morals. Despite the short running time of 90 minutes, the story could have been told a bit more smoothly.
Still, this is one of the best science fiction films. The SF atmosphere and the intention with which this film was made are fine. The big attraction, destroying ants with flamethrowers, is also very cool to see. In short Them! is an above average monster movie!
Translated from Dutch · View original
Film Pegasus (moderator films)
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- 31272 messages
- 5512 votes
A lot of the older horror and SF wasn't taken that seriously in the early years. You notice in films like King Kong, Frankenstein, The Mummy or Dracula that they had to deal with a lack of budget and well-known names. But they still managed to create atmosphere. This Theme! fits nicely in the row and should certainly not be inferior in terms of atmosphere and story. If you don't get enough money to put into the securities (which would be out of date by now anyway) you better work with suggestion. Even though the ants occasionally come into view, the tension is built up nicely and with each scene with the sharp sound of the ants that tension is increased even further.
Them! certainly does not do a bad job and can rely on fairly believable acting. Edmund Gwenn who plays the part of the professor regularly reminded me of Anthony Hopkins. A few years before this film, he had already won an Oscar and two Golden Globes. I don't think it's easy to play in a SF movie. James Withmore, who plays the cop, also had a Golden Globe and Oscar nomination in his pocket. Just to say that in the film not necessarily all the attention went to the ants, but certainly also to the story and acting. That distinguishes the film from other monster films. Rightly the counterpart of Godzilla, but with a very own approach. And later also inspiration for many other monster movies such as the Alien series.
Translated from Dutch · View original
Mescaline
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- 7116 messages
- 3388 votes
I'm becoming more and more a fan of the 1950s horror/sci fi films, great old-fashioned atmosphere and even for that time quite funny special effects.
Horror films from this period often have to rely largely on the atmosphere, something that I sometimes miss in many contemporary horror films! I also sometimes found it funny to see how the researcher doesn't build a relationship with 1 of the men, in a remake I'm guessing they would have.
By the way, those ants made an annoying loud noise, I always had to turn down my TV.. 
Great fun with this nice video!
3.5*
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