Customer Reviews

Earth Vs the Spider [VHS]

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

 

 

While searching for her lost dad in a big cavern, Carol (June Kenney) and her friend Mike (Eugene Persson), accidentally find a scientific marvel in the form of a HUGE spider. Little do they know that this spider may soon choose to leave its huge silk web in the dark cavern, and start on a venture to taking over the nearby community of people. If that happens, it will probably take more than gun shots or bug spray to get rid of this terrorizing creature.

"Earth Vs. the Spider" is one of those old classic horror movies (it was made in 1958) that feature an everyday creature that a lot of people are scared of (a spider in this case). It's a black & white film that is interesting, compelling, and real enjoyable. The spider has good special effects for the time, all the actors/actresses in the movie do a convincing job of acting, and everything else about the movie is just like it should be. If you're a fan of caverns or caves, you'll be seeing a lot of footage inside a towering cavern.

If you like the classic spook shows such as the ones in which Godzilla goes up against another creature, or "Creature From The Black Lagoon," I recommend getting "Earth vs. the Spider." You won't regret it. It's just good old basic and classic horror, and it's good.

Earth Vs. the Spider, and you've got to love the dramatic sound of that title even if it isn't remotely accurate, came out in 1958 on the downside of the giant bug craze that began with "Them" in 1954. The film was directed by legendary B director Bert I. Gordon who directed such B movie classics as "The Amazing Colossal Man", "War of the Colossal Beast" and "Picture Mommy Dead".

This is yet another mutated by radiation giant bug movie that is inferior to 1955's Tarantula in every way but still kind of a fun film, if for nothing else the sheer ridiculousness of the whole thing. A couple of teenagers are out searching for one's missing father and come upon a cave which is the lair of a giant spider. The kids escape and return with local law enforcement officers as well as a teacher and spray it with DDT, apparently killing it. But the monster is just unconscious and it's put on display in the high school gym. While practicing for a school dance a band's rock music awakens the spider from it's slumber and of course it goes on a rampage before it's eventually cornered and destroyed back in its cave lair.

OK, it's pretty lame in terms of effects...bad models, and trick photography of real tarantulas which are obviously very different in appearance. Plus bad perspective of the spider as it seems to change size from shot to shot. But part of that is the charm of Bert I. Gordon. The acting is of course lame by the mostly no-name cast. One note is that the school janitor is played by Hank Patterson who went on to play Fred Ziffel in Green Acres as well as a recurring role for several years in Gunsmoke.

Bad in a fun way!

A giant spider is found in a cave. After it is supposedly killed, it is brought back to civilization where it is revived by rock and roll music (egads! The evils of rock and roll!) Alright, so you've probably guessed this is a pretty campy old monster movie. There are scenes of a spider climbing over shoe-box houses, the beast's web is just lengths of rope, there is a full-sized prop which looks nothing like a spider's leg, and even in black-and-white it's pretty obvious there are different tarantulas being used at different points in the film. But so what? This is a highly enjoyable film, great fun, has a witty script and is well worth watching.

I came across this gem on AMC and just had to buy it.
one of the best Giant spider movies of all! (second only to Tarantula)A young high school girl, her boyfriend and a town of oridinary joe's battle a super-sized spider. the special effects are dazzeling for its time. the only dorky think is the spider's shrieking :).
all the spider flicks coming out in out anticipation of the theatrical movie Eight-legged Freaks! have paled in comarision to this one.
am i the only one truly sick of fake looking, cartoony CGI?
oh well, stick to the originals! Ta for now!

Typical 50s special? effects. A new redue would be great! Want real spider effects get Eight Legged Freaks! We need more spider movies! How about a black widow and forget tarantulas,their not scary any more.

A fantastic movie ! But, did you know that the actor playing the high school science teacher,Mr. Kingman, was Ed Kemmer? Did you know that Mr. Kemmer was a P-51 pilot in WW 2? Did you know that Mr.Kemmer was shot down and imprisoned in a German pow camp? Did you know that Mr. Kemmer picked up his acting skills while performng with the prison drama group?
Are you aware that Mr.Kemmer was invovled in the real life prison escape depicted in the legedary movie, "The Great Escape"?
Futhermore,are you aware that it was Mr.Kemmers own escape attempt that was portrayed by none other than Steve McQueen? Thats right, the motorcycle jump and all, were apparently true.
So the next time you watch this truly excellent example of an American 50's era sci-fi movie,(I love those damn giant bugs!)
take a moment and pay a little more attention to Mr.Kemmer.
A true American hero,having a blast playing a role in a bizarre movie.