Them! (1954) | |
| Director(s) | Gordon Douglas |
| Producer(s) | David Weisbart |
| Top Genres | Horror, Science Fiction |
| Top Topics | Monster |
Featured Cast:
Them! Overview:
Them! (1954) was a Science Fiction - Horror Film directed by Gordon Douglas and produced by David Weisbart.
SYNOPSIS
Atomic radiation once again transforms tiny harmless creatures into gigantic holy terrors. Probably the best of the '50s Cold War paranoia phenomenon, this top-notch thriller presents giant ants spawned by nuclear testing using the sewer systems of Los Angeles like a vast ant farm. Ant expert Gwenn and his daughter Weldon direct the efforts and Whitmore makes sure they go in but they don't come out. Stellar effects and dignified performances make this better than average.
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Quotes from
Robert Graham:
Is's the only job you ever had?
Railroad Yard Watchman: Yes, sir. I've been with the railroad thirty years and never a blot against my record.
Robert Graham: Well, the yard cop seems to think you made a deal not to see that car broken into.
Railroad Yard Watchman: Pfah! What kind of sense does that make? Is sugar a rare cargo? Is there a black market for it? Did you ever hear of a fence for hot sugar? If I was gonna make a deal with crooks to steal somethin', it wouldn't be for forty tons of sugar. And I'll swear I didn't hear a thing Friday night.
Robert Graham: And I thought today was the end of them.
Dr. Harold Medford: No. We haven't seen the end of them. We've only had a close view of the beginning of what may be the end of us.
Brig. Gen. Robert O'Brien: [making a public broadcast] A couple of months ago in the desert of New Mexico, gigantic ants were discovered. These ants are similar in appearance and characteristics to the household and garden pests you are familiar with, except that they are mutations ranging in size from nine to twelve feet in length. The New Mexico colony was destroyed, but two queen ants escaped. One has been accounted for and destroyed. The other has not yet been found but is now known to have established a nest somewhere in the storm drains beneath the streets of Los Angeles. It is not known how long this nest has been established or how many of these lethal monsters have hatched. Maybe a few, maybe thousands.
read more quotes from Them!...
Railroad Yard Watchman: Yes, sir. I've been with the railroad thirty years and never a blot against my record.
Robert Graham: Well, the yard cop seems to think you made a deal not to see that car broken into.
Railroad Yard Watchman: Pfah! What kind of sense does that make? Is sugar a rare cargo? Is there a black market for it? Did you ever hear of a fence for hot sugar? If I was gonna make a deal with crooks to steal somethin', it wouldn't be for forty tons of sugar. And I'll swear I didn't hear a thing Friday night.
Robert Graham: And I thought today was the end of them.
Dr. Harold Medford: No. We haven't seen the end of them. We've only had a close view of the beginning of what may be the end of us.
Brig. Gen. Robert O'Brien: [making a public broadcast] A couple of months ago in the desert of New Mexico, gigantic ants were discovered. These ants are similar in appearance and characteristics to the household and garden pests you are familiar with, except that they are mutations ranging in size from nine to twelve feet in length. The New Mexico colony was destroyed, but two queen ants escaped. One has been accounted for and destroyed. The other has not yet been found but is now known to have established a nest somewhere in the storm drains beneath the streets of Los Angeles. It is not known how long this nest has been established or how many of these lethal monsters have hatched. Maybe a few, maybe thousands.
read more quotes from Them!...
Facts about
Relating to the "S.S. Viking" incident, there was no cruiser named "U.S.S. Milwaukee" in commission in the United States Navy at the time this film was made. The last ship so named was an Omaha-class light cruiser (CL-5) which was commissioned in 1923 and scrapped in 1949 after service in World War II in both the U.S. and Soviet navies. The next ship named "Milwaukee" would be a Wichita-class replenishment oiler (AOR-2) that would be in service from 1969 until her decommissioning in 1994. Her name was stricken from the Navy's list in 1997, and at the time of this writing (2007), she is awaiting final disposal at the James River Reserve Fleet, Fort Eustis, VA.
WILHELM SCREAM: Can be heard four times in the film. When the giant ants attack the crew of the ship at sea, when James Whitmore's character Police Sgt. Ben Peterson is throttled to death by a giant ant, when a soldier is struck by the falling debris in the sewer and when James Arness gets separated from the rest of the Army and ants try to attack him. The ceiling falls in and while he reloading his weapon, an ant tries to attack him. There's also a scream off-screen from Peterson's partner, Ed Blackburn when he investigates the sounds made by the ants.
Shortly after the helicopter reconnaissance, a meeting opens with an army officer looking through a Stereo Realist red button viewer. He is evidently looking at 3-D slides taken by Dr. Pat Medford. A second viewer is on the table next to Dr. Medford. This was rather clever product placement, considering the film was originally slated to be shot in 3-D format.
read more facts about Them!...
WILHELM SCREAM: Can be heard four times in the film. When the giant ants attack the crew of the ship at sea, when James Whitmore's character Police Sgt. Ben Peterson is throttled to death by a giant ant, when a soldier is struck by the falling debris in the sewer and when James Arness gets separated from the rest of the Army and ants try to attack him. The ceiling falls in and while he reloading his weapon, an ant tries to attack him. There's also a scream off-screen from Peterson's partner, Ed Blackburn when he investigates the sounds made by the ants.
Shortly after the helicopter reconnaissance, a meeting opens with an army officer looking through a Stereo Realist red button viewer. He is evidently looking at 3-D slides taken by Dr. Pat Medford. A second viewer is on the table next to Dr. Medford. This was rather clever product placement, considering the film was originally slated to be shot in 3-D format.
read more facts about Them!...
