THEM! is possibly the finest science-fiction movie of the 1950s along with Don Siegel’s INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS (1956). It’s interesting that THEM! came from one of the major studios because one of the reasons why it is so good is the slick production and above-average casting. This cautionary tale about the dangerous use of atomic weapons and their unfathomable aftermath has a very strong script (by Ted Sherdeman) and convincing performances, all expertly guided by the hand of director Gordon Douglas.
The title sequence in color was a nice touch; the powerful and eerie score by Bronislau Kaper sets the tone for what’s to come, and we’re immediately thrown into the plot with the discovery of the stunned little girl. The suspense mounts beautifully, with the various wrecked sites and the clues that are found, as we are gradually led to the first appearance of the giant ants. The Oscar-nominated special effects are very well done, and we are drawn into believing (through the sober and extensive technical detail of the script and the film’s own measured pace) that it could very well happen!
Various scenes stick in the mind but probably none more so than when the little girl (until then the only surviving witness to the monsters’ existence) is brought to her senses by the smell of formic acid, jumping out of her chair with a violent scream and recoiling in horror to a corner of the room, helplessly repeating the single phrase ‘Them!’ as if it held the key to Man’s future on Earth (which indeed it did)! It’s one of the classic moments in all of cinema. The climax in the Los Angeles sewers was also very effective but not overblown, like most of today’s effects-laden films.
I was a bit disappointed by the limited supplements provided on the DVD (especially considering that both James Whitmore and James Arness are still alive and should have been contacted for an interview or, better still, a full-length Audio Commentary). However, this was more than made up for by the film’s amazing transfer – one of the best I have ever seen for a black-and-white movie. Sound quality was adequate for its purpose, but I think it would have benefited nicely from a stereo remix (like IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE). A good word has to be put in also for the beautifully designed menus, which are slightly confusing at first but a lot of fun once you get the hang of it!
