Customer Reviews

Curse of the Black Widow [VHS]

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Academy Award winner, Patty Duke, transforms herself for this tailor-made role in "Curse of the Black Widow". She is visiting her twin sister, Donna Mills, when a serial killer strikes. Tony Franciosa plays the central character who is trying to untangle the web of horror.
This movie has all the feel of 1977. The music and characters reflect the era well. There's a large cast and snappy dialogue. There's plenty of suspense and startling moments.
I viewed the VHS digitally mastered collector's edition. It's like it claims, "optimum picture and sound."

Dan Curtis, the man responsible for Kolchak: The Night Stalker, Trilogy Of Terror, and other horror classics from 70s Television delivers a horror filled masterpiece with "Curse Of The Black Widow." It plays out much like an episode of Kolchak, so fans of that series will love this movie.

I've always been up for an on going spider situation. This time there is no clown. Except maybe behind the camera, heh, heh. This is the usual Dan Curtis formula. Body turns up drained of blood. Murders go back years. Cops don't want to look foolish, they surpress information, etc. An intrepid reporter/private detective who won't take no for an answer. Old cob webbed houses that are soon to have either a broken window or a fire insurance claim. Some comedy. It stars Tony Franc...damn it, I can never say that name. Maybe film producers had the same problem which is why he sunk all the way down to this. "Who cares what he's called....hire him! Tell him it's a dollar an hour."

Direction is sloppy. Actors either don't know their lines or are misguidedly using the method. Have to love the plot, though. Honestly, it's appalling the rubbish I watch.

This should be released on DVD with a free green spider pendant. It's bound to be green. They never get these things right.

I really liked this movie when it was on TV. I couldn't remember the full name until I found it here on Amazon.com. I purchased a copy and love it. It does look different now that I am older....but I still love it.

Dan Curtis , of "Dark Shadows" fame ,made this TV movie as a contractual obligation to ABC-TV and it was originally to have involved the great Harlan Ellison as a writer .The project was then known as Dark Destroyer but sad to say absolutely nothing remains of Ellison's proposed involvement in the project
The story is perfectly functional for the type of movie it is -a woman finds that during the cycle of the moon she turns into a giant blood drinking spider,the result of an ancient Native American curse
Tony Franciosa is good as a private investigator caught up in the plot and there is sturdy ,professional support from Jeff Corey as a shaman and from Vic Morrow as a cynical cop .
The weaknesses of the venture are an impoverished script and some woeful special effects which stop it rising above the mundane .
Watchable if you are not in too demanding a mood