Them! - A Drive-In Classic

By Amy Cottrell

Them! was released in 1954 and is still regarded as one of the best films in the giant insect genre.

(Those who are drive-in or science fiction fans know that, yes, there really was a giant insect genre.)

In addition to monstrously sized ants, this movie also featured a common theme of the time - mutation due to atomic radiation.

Academic types could write lengthy essays on the subtext of the Cold War in films like these, but those of us who love Them! only regard it as fine filmmaking from a simpler time.

Warner Brothers scored its biggest blockbuster of 1954 with Them!. Starring James Whitmore and James Arness,

Them! tells the story of American atomic bomb testing gone horribly wrong (isn’t that always the case in films like this?). After a string of mysterious killings in the New Mexico desert, authorities are called in to investigate.

To everyone’s horror, the culprits turn out to be giant ants, mutated by nearby military testing.

What ensues is complete chaos, as the colossal ants begin to spread and threaten mankind’s very existence.

Them! featured some very impressive special effects for its day, even earning an Academy Award nomination for the work.

In fact, when compared to other atomic horror films of the time, the effects still hold up well today.

A combination of rear projection, stock footage and large puppets worked exceedingly well, making it an instant classic in the 1950’s.

Trivia fans should note that a young Leonard Nimoy appears in the film as a soldier. A small part, it wasn’t even credited at the end of the movie.

Them! continues to inspire filmmakers and new generations of fans. Director Joe Dante (Gremlins) made a great homage to the film in 1993’s Matinee.

Today, the sci-fi classic can be purchased on DVD with bonuses, including behind-the-scenes footage and a documentary on the making of the giant ants.

Them! is a piece of cinematic history and a reflection of what scared Americans during the (not so) simple days of the “Red Scare”.

 

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