James Whitmore

James Arness

Joan Weldon

Edmund Gwenn

Onslow Stevens

Sean McClory

Sandy Descher

Chris Drake

Don Shelton

Fess Parker

Mary Alan Hokanson

Olin Howland

William Schallert

Ann Doran

Dub Taylor

Leonard Nimoy

Richard Deacon

Forbes Murray

Kenner G. Kemp

Charles Perry

Dorothy Green

Willis Bouchey

Mary Lou Holloway

Dick York

Bronislau Kaper

Gordon Douglas

David Weisbart

Ted Sherdeman

Thomas Reilly

Sidney Hickox

Stanley Fleischer

G.W. Berntsen

George Worthing Yates

Russell S. Hughes

Francis J. Scheid

Gordon Bau

Moss Mabry

Henry Vilardo

Robert Turner

Science Fiction

Horror

Them!

Warner Bros. Pictures

United States of America

English

army

monster

atomic bomb

mutation

radiation

new mexico

giant monster

martial law

giant insect

black and white

desert

psychiatric ward

ant's nest

general store

entomologist

giant ants

animal horror

storm drain

scientist heroine

southwest desert

state police officer

drunk ward

formic acid

traumatized child

mysterious footprint

cyanide grenade

atomic mutation

ant eggs

Great Classic Sci-Fi!  This movie came out 7 days after I was born!  Because of Nuclear testing. ( Of Course ) Everything happened in the 50's movies because of that, these tiny little creatures become as large as cars and bigger.  Ravishing the countryside looking for Sugar, of perhaps a M&M factory.  Of course people get in the way and are quickly dispatched in their giant pinchers.  Great cast also.  A Must see!

Often imitated, rarely bettered.

Weird deaths are occurring in the New Mexico desert, it is revealed to be the work of giant mutated ants born out of the "A Bomb" tests that took place there. Trouble escalates to the big city of Los Angeles when one of the giant queen ants escapes to L.A. and starts laying eggs that could lead to the end of mankind as we know it.

This is a cautionary tale about scientific tampering fused with a Cold War theme of destroying a threat to the country. Boasting some wonderful scenes such as the first desert encounter (cloaked in a sandstorm) and the final underground battle, Them! is a truly enjoyable viewing experience. It oozes the right amount of paranoia that became ever more prominent as the nuclear age began grow. The puppetry and special effects on show is of a very high standard for the time (well done Academy Award Nominee Ralph Ayres), and the direction from Gordon Douglas is one of the better efforts in the genre.

The tight story vanquishes any gripes about the plausibility factor, while the acting is, perhaps given the type of genre piece it is, of a surprisingly good standard. With James Whitmore, Edmund Gwenn, and Joan Weldon giving it a bit of oopmh. It went on to become Warner Brothers highest grossing film in 1954, and it's really not hard to see why. Because this firmly stands up as one of the better films of what is sadly a much maligned genre. 8/10

Joe Dante on THEM!

Them! (1954) - Trailer

Them!( 1954)

A horror horde of crawl-and-crush giants clawing out of the earth from mile-deep catacombs!

Overview

Top Billed Cast

Social

A review by Blackhorse

Written by Blackhorse on Mon May 13 2013

Media

Recommendations

Facts

Status

Original Language

Budget

Revenue

Keywords