50 Tons of Creeping Black Horror!

JACK ARNOLD'S other worthy contribution to 50's CREATURE FEATURES is still a fair-sized Friday midnight-looker. Leo G.Carroll ...formerly Cosmo Topper;& MAN from UNCLE'S Number-1 Section-1 Alexander Waverly...is excellent as irritated--later IRRADIATED-- scientist who makes excellent modern double for Mr. Sardonicus after his experiments with nuclear isotopes go...as they say...awry. The Bad TARANTULA is 10 stories high;hungry;and moves-out like an XK-E. John Agar is A-OK as stalwart hero ;and intrepidly high-healed,impecably coiffed/made-up Maria Corday,is his main-man buddy. Real"hero" of TARANTULA is Arnold's superb CREATURE from the BLACK LAGOON-like lighting and chiaroscuro photography to create atmosphere that's genuinely menacing.
TARANTULA is BXW,B-movie masterwork.There's no sex;no cursing;and no violence or gore. By controling his SFX;his actors;and "if you go out in the desert today eerie ambience",he's got himself a classic monster movie that may or may not be 50 tons of creeping black horror but is unqualified matinee-memory fun.

A 1950'S CLASSIC!

Sometimes I really wish I had been born 15 years earlier so I would have been able to enjoy great films like "Them" and "Tarantula" at a drive-in movie. That really would have been fun. Tarantula has always been one of my favorites in the Giant insect genre of films and I rank it right up there (almost) with "Them".

Professor Deemer is working on an experimental nutrient to solve the worlds hunger problem. During a fight with an assistant, a Tarantula that had been injected with the experimental formula escapes and begins to mutate, growing large and larger. Soon the giant arachnid is out feeding on livestock, ranchers, and just about anything else that gets in its way. A local doctor played by the great John Agar eventually is able to determine that white stuff found at the site of the attacks is spider venom. Soon the local police and residents take on the giant spider but bullets and even dynamite don't slow it down. Finally its decided to call in the Air Force where we get a brief glimpse of Clint Eastwood in an early, uncredited role as an air force pilot.

Sure the special effects are cheesy by today's CGI standards but this is still a great movie and wonderful fun. The type you want to watch on a summer night at the drive in with a big bowl of popcorn.

CLASSIC SCI-FI THRILLER*****DVD PLEASE ********

So when is this great old film coming out on DVD?????? Many of us are eagerly waiting for this one to add to our library. I put this one right up there with "The Day the Earth Stood Still" & "Creature From the Black Lagoon". These are always great for repeat viewings on Sunday afternoons..