Fantastic sci-fi classic that still holds up today. THEM! ranks alongside George Pal's War of the Worlds and The Day the Earth Stood Still as the best of the '50's classics.
The acting from top to bottom was first rate,and every character was well cast-Edmund Gwynn as the crotchety old professor,didn't let a bad case of arthritis stop him. James Arness played a man who knew he was a bit out of his league when it came to giant ants and radiation,but didn't stop him from doing his job. However,he comes across at times as a bit of a male chauvinist,obviously not used to meeting a strong,intelligent woman who didn't need or want protecting. Joan Weldon was that woman,and I can't think of any other '50's actress who could have taken on the role as well. James Whitmore as the grizzled cop looking to revenge his partner but not losing his head or going rogue is fab,and his death scene is very poignant.
And then all the "cameos" William Schallert,Leonard Nimoy,Fess Parker,Allen Jocelyn,and Richard Deacon,they're all there!
I am glad to see this classic has not been "honored' with a crappy re-make,as too many of the '50s SciFi classics were. Only The Thing by John Carpenter out-did the original.
The acting from top to bottom was first rate,and every character was well cast-Edmund Gwynn as the crotchety old professor,didn't let a bad case of arthritis stop him. James Arness played a man who knew he was a bit out of his league when it came to giant ants and radiation,but didn't stop him from doing his job. However,he comes across at times as a bit of a male chauvinist,obviously not used to meeting a strong,intelligent woman who didn't need or want protecting. Joan Weldon was that woman,and I can't think of any other '50's actress who could have taken on the role as well. James Whitmore as the grizzled cop looking to revenge his partner but not losing his head or going rogue is fab,and his death scene is very poignant.
And then all the "cameos" William Schallert,Leonard Nimoy,Fess Parker,Allen Jocelyn,and Richard Deacon,they're all there!
I am glad to see this classic has not been "honored' with a crappy re-make,as too many of the '50s SciFi classics were. Only The Thing by John Carpenter out-did the original.
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