Tarantula (1955)

Director:

Jack Arnold

Writers:

Jack Arnold (story) and
Robert M. Fresco (story) ...

Release Date:

14 December 1955 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Even Science was stunned!

Plot:

A spider escapes from an isolated desert laboratory experimenting in giantism and grows to tremendous size as it wreaks havoc on the local inhabitants.

Plot Keywords:

Panic | Mutant | Serum | Monster Movie | Giantism

Cast

John Agar	...	Dr. Matt Hastings
Mara Corday	...	Stephanie 'Steve' Clayton
Leo G. Carroll	...	Prof. Gerald Deemer
Nestor Paiva	...	Sheriff Jack Andrews
Ross Elliott	...	Joe Burch
Edwin Rand	...	Lt. John Nolan
Raymond Bailey	...	Prof. Townsend
Hank Patterson	...	Josh
Bert Holland	...	Barney E. Russell
Steve Darrell	...	Andy Andersen

Runtime:

80 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Germany:12 (re-rated) (video) | West Germany:18 | USA:Approved (PCA #17651) | Australia:PG | UK:PG (re-rating) (2006) | UK:X (original rating) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Dead Man's Point, Lucerne Valley, California, USA

Company:

Universal International Pictures (UI)

Trivia:

The tarantula was an actual live spider. Air jets were used to make it move in the desired way over a miniature landscape.

Goofs:

Continuity: The positions of the books on the table when the tarantula attacks the house with the heroine in it.

Quotes:

Prof. Gerald Deemer: The disease of hunger, like most diseases, well, it spreads. There are 2 billion people in the world today. In 1975 there'll be 3 billion. In the year 2000, there'll be 3,625,000,000. The world may not be able to produce enough food to feed all these people. Now perhaps you'll understand what an inexpensive nutrient will mean.
Dr. Matt Hastings: Well, not many of us look that far in the future, sir.
Prof. Gerald Deemer: Our business is the future. No man can do it on his own, of course. You don't pull it out of your hat like a magician's rabbit. You - well, you build on what hundreds of others have learned before you.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Movie Orgy (1968)

A sci-fi classic!

I watched this movie a hundred times while growing up and I've seen it at least a hundred more times as an adult! Great story. To me it's the greatest big bug movie ever made. Interesting side story of the effects of the nutrient on humans, also. I fell in love with Mara Corday after the first time I saw this as a young child and I still think she was one of the great beauties of the screen. I think the main reason the film holds up today is the special effects are still quite impressive and there is nothing that todays audience would find hokey or cheesy. The only thing that "Bugs" me is the sound effect of the tarantula growling as it attacks. But thats just nit-picking. Its also fun spotting a young Clint Eastwood. Great sci-fi and great entertainment! A film viewing must!