Can you Identify this species of tarantula in this movie?

[dtknow]

radicalmentia is probably correct on the use of multiple tarantulas. Even dog movies are known to use multiple dogs to play the key character who knows infinitely more stunts than a single dog could ever be taught.

 

[Mushroom Spore]

how do you know it wasn't harmed, you can't say that for sure.

As silly and off-topic as this argument is, I'm sure it can be solved by just having someone check the credits for Ye Olde "No Animals Were Harmed In The Making Of This Picture" Disclaimere.

 

[willyomt]

Home Alone T

I remember thinking when I watched this movie in the theater when it first came out, that the spider looked an awful lot like a B. albopilosum. It looked too dark to be a rose hair.

Apparently, I'm the only one who thinks so?????????

 

[B-fish]

do you mean your the only one thinks its to dark to be a chili rose, same here it iwas way way to dark to be a rose hair!! I wasn't trying to start an agurement

 

[hairmetalspider]

when the little boy picked it up that definetly wasn't safe handling, then when it was on the guys face and he picks it up and throws it that is just uncalled for, A.seemani when he throws it you see the underside of the T and it looks just like an A.seemani

I'm probably one of the most defensive people as far as animal rights go, but you do realize movies have special effects right? They go through and cut,clip, edit the movie. Which VERY well may mean, and probable is wih animal cruelty laws, that the "tarantula" that was thrown off wasn't real and edited in.

They can do some amazing things in the cutting room.

 

[Ace_Man]

It's not illegal to kill a tarantula in a movie. In the scorpion king, they actually were stepping on them and it was real. They figure it's just a 'bug' an not an 'animal'.

 

[saminthemiddle]

you're wrong there Ace_Man, the studios practically have to account for the fleas on the dog's back. As for spiders, they very much have to account for them.

 

[Olan]

I remember after seeing the movie in the theaters I was absolutely convinced it was a A. seemani.

 

[WyvernsLair]

i see the "thrown" spider as being an A. seemani. orange abdomen and noticable leg stripes. Now the spider on the stairs could have been something else. too dark to tell.

 

[kupo969]

Look closer when it's on the stairs. I has stripes on it's knees.

 

[beanb142002]

By the way, I read some where that Macaulay Culkin did not pick up the spider. Another kid stood in for him.

 

[fartkowski]

Not too sure what type of T it was, but when Marv screamed, it was my favorite part of the movie

 

[Roy1982]

It is a Costa Rican zebra tarantula, also known as the striped-knee tarantula (Aphonopelma seemanni).

Source #1 : http://homealone.wikia.com/wiki/Tarantula
Source #2 : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aphonopelma_seemanni

 

[Yorkshire]

Just watched this Christmas classic today with my kids. In my mind this was always a B. Hamori, probably because of the power of Hollywood and it being their standard 'go to' T species.

Obviously A. seemani now I know other species of T are available...

 

[Draketeeth]

I read somewhere where they did not insert the scream audio until after the scene was shot.

I'd heard that too. They tried the scream while it was on his face, but the spider crunched up terrified, so they had to wait until it calmed down again, and inserted the scream after shooting.

 

[Wayfarin]

I'd heard that too. They tried the scream while it was on his face, but the spider crunched up terrified, so they had to wait until it calmed down again, and inserted the scream after shooting.

According to Daniel Stern, the scream was real. The animal handlers told him that the tarantula had no ears and couldn't hear. They told him that it would not mind unless he made sudden movements.
To say that a tarantula cannot hear is a bit dramatic, but they are only sensitive to low-frequency vibrations. Stern's scream certainly isn't low-frequency.
As for throwing the tarantula, he may have actually only thrown a prop, since he mentioned that the scene was originally going to be done with a prop. And even if it was real, the tarantula was only thrown a short distance onto Pesci's soft belly.