Them! (1954): The attack of the giant ants
1954 • Gordon Douglas • 1.78:1 • Jump to Gallery ↓
Them! (1954) is directed by Gordon Douglas. It begins with a series of unexplained incidents in the New Mexico desert. These incidents lead the authorities to uncover a colony of giant ants that were created by nuclear testing. A coordinated military-scientific response is mounted in an attempt to locate and eradicate the threat before it spreads. The investigation escalates from a localised mystery to a national emergency.
Produced during the early Cold War cycle of American science fiction in the aftermath of the Atomic Age, Them! reflects contemporary anxieties about radiation, mutation and the hidden consequences of technology. Positioning itself at the intersection of procedural crime film and creature feature, the film borrows structural rigour from film noir and police dramas rather than relying solely on spectacle.
Nevertheless, the film focuses on giant ants, realised through full-scale mechanical props rather than optical compositing or miniatures. Built with articulated limbs and mandibles, their movement is deliberately segmented and mechanical, emphasising weight over fluidity. They function less as characters than as a form of systemic disruption, an emergent threat beyond human comprehension.
Technical Specs:
- The Story: After a series of mysterious deaths in the New Mexico desert, a local cop, an FBI agent, a scientist, and his daughter discover the terrifying cause: giant, irradiated ants spawned by nuclear testing. As the monstrous creatures multiply, the team must race to stop them before they destroy civilization.
- Actors: James Whitmore, Edmund Gwenn, Joan Weldon, James Arness, Onslow Stevens, Fess Parker, Olin Howland.
- Director: Gordon Douglas
- Year: 1954
- Cinematographer: Sidney Hickox
- Origin: American Cinema
- Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
- Genre: Sci-Fi / Horror / Creature Features
