Review of Spider, The

Introduction

As producer Samuel. Z Arkoff explains in the interview on this disc, the fifties were lean years for cinema in the United States. Competition from television meant that the film industry was a shadow of its former self, but Arkoff found a niche in the market. The post war ascendancy of the teenager meant that a new demographic existed to be catered to. With traditional Hollywood still making movies with established and by now aging stars, Arkoff saw that by making cheap and cheerful films directly for that market, he`d be on to a winner. It was just a matter of marketing and with titles like `I Was A Teenage Werewolf` or `War Of The Colossal Beast` he`d easily pique interests. I get to review, The Spider, or as it was originally known, Earth vs. The Spider and see just how much marketing over substance it actually is.

A giant mutant spider is on the loose in small town America. When a girl`s father fails to return home one night, she and her boyfriend go searching for him. When they find his wrecked pick-up by an ominous cave, they naturally go in to investigate. Inside they are stunned to find the lair of a hideous giant spider. Escaping its nefarious clutches, they manage to alert the town`s sheriff with the aid of their science teacher. Generous application of everyone`s favourite chemical DDT manages to kill the creature, or so they think…

Video

These movies were made on a budget and were kept cheap and cheerful. You won`t be surprised to read that The Spider comes with a 4:3 monochrome transfer. The picture itself is in fair condition, with little print damage, clear and with good contrast, though it does tend toward the soft side of things. It`s worth comparing it to the trailer on the disc to see in how much of a good condition the film is in.

Audio

A simple DD 2.0 mono track naturally accompanies this film and the dialogue such as it is, is audible throughout. No fifties horror movie would be complete without the eerie strains of a theramin and The Spider is no exception. Oooh, creepy! If you select Play or Chapters, you will first be taken to the subtitle menu before you can continue. Subtitles are available in German and Dutch

Features

With the disc comes a collection of 9 postcards with reproductions of various posters from American International Pictures. Some of these posters are very good, advertising films like The Brain Eaters, The She Creature and Voodoo Woman.

On the disc you will find 9 trailers lasting just under 2 minutes each, advertising more of the same.

Finally there is a 50-minute audio interview with producer Samuel Z. Arkoff. This is presented with a looped slideshow of images of the producer and is very interesting. He goes into the history of 50`s cinema and also his own personal story. He also has some interesting comments regarding the state of modern cinema (at the time of the recording) As I said this is an entertaining and in depth piece, but it is blighted somewhat by the variable audio quality.

Conclusion

Schlock, Horror! I`m trapped in b-movie hell. Fortunately it`s only for 72 minutes as these cheesy fifties horror flicks never lasted that long. These films operated on PT Barnum`s principle of `once you have their money, you don`t give it back.` The way these films were marketed was practically guaranteed to get bums on seats. The lavish posters invariably featured a gravity defying buxom damsel in skimpy clothing being terrorised by a horrific monster. Fantastic claims for the films content were made on the posters. These films were sold on the promise of sex and violence, but the Hays code inevitably meant that they could never deliver.

Instead what you would normally see would be a reflection of fifties society. The inevitable monster would be symbolic of the red menace; teenage behaviour would be shown on two levels, rebellious teenagers having fun outside the view of responsible adults. But those same teenagers who would be indulging in (implied) sex, drugs and gasp! Rock and Roll would fall prey in their inattention to the evil monster. The very same authority figures they buck would have to save their bacons and the whole film would be a subtle message not to question the status quo. The Spider is a perfect example of this.

As a film, The Spider is dire. The plot, the acting, the script are indicative of the low budget. The effects are not much better and where a few years ago, I would have found a tacky b-movie like this hilarious, now it serves as little more than a cure for insomnia. Yet as a piece of history, the Spider is fascinating. It`s an object lesson as to how hyperbole has been instrumental in filling cinema seats for over fifty years. These films were masterpieces in marketing and there is a sort of kitsch value in the postcards and the trailers, which I find preferable to the film itself. The interview with Samuel Z. Arkoff is the best thing on the disc and it kept me awake where the film failed to.

If you are a fan of fifties b-horror than this disc is worth your while, with a clean print and an interesting collection of extras to its credit. However I can`t find it in myself to recommend it at all.

Still take the initial premise, add a half-decent script and some a-list actors and more importantly an eight-figure special effects budget and you`ll have a summer blockbuster on your hands.