"Them!" (1954) is arguably the best of the giant bug movies, and deservedly so. The script is well written, with no padding as is often found in genre movies of this era. Exposition is kept to a minimum and dropped in as needed without halting the story, and the expected love interest maintains a professional relationship with the leading man, and never becomes the damsel in distress. Suspense is built from the opening scene all the way through the end, and the first 15 minutes or so almost have a documentary feeling to them. The cast is excellent, and the special effects, which are a marvel for 1954, still hold up rather well.
As a side bit of trivia, it was Fess Parker's brief performance in this movie that made Walt Disney choose him for the role of "Davy Crockett."
This is one of my favorite movies. About ten years ago I got to see it at a classic 1950's theater, the Englewood Theater in Independence, Missouri.
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