ROFL @ "Aracnophobia" Movie.

[Mina]

I didn't like Arachnophobia, but I love Eight legged freaks. I just recently saw Kingdom of the Spiders with Shatner as well. I didn't like how many of the Ts it looked like got killed in the movie but I was impressed that someone taught both Shatner and the female lead the correct way to pinch pick up a T.

 

[VESPidA]

So when is somebody going to make a movie that doesn't demonize spiders? :evil: Like, make the spider the hero for a change - well, of course, there's Charlotte's Web ... okay, I withdraw my question.

Though I wish the general public didn't harbor so many misconceptions about tarantulas, I do believe that their negative publicity in movies like 'Arachnophobia' have done them well to stay remotely under the radar of dumb celebrities (for example), who would then want them as 'pets' without having done their research first. Couldn't you just see Paris Hilton trying to put a dress and tiara on one and parading it around?!?

This phenomenon was widely seen after the release of '101 Dalmatians', with many families then wanting a dalmatian puppy without knowing anything more about the species (such that dalmatian aren't really the best with kids). And the all-too-often result: over-breeding, explosions in populations, and owners dumping their animals when they no longer fit into their lives (a quick look at any craiglist's animal section is enough to depress you).

But I did love the movie, and recently purchased it. Still need to see 8 legged freaks.

I also LOVED that tarantula in Home Alone... s/he was the best

 

[The Spider Faery]

Haha, this brings back memories. I saw Arachnophobia when I was 12 years old. It was my idea to rent the movie because we had a sac of baby spiders that hatched in our house. My family and I watched it the night before the exterminator was to come...Then when he came the next day we mockingly said to him "I'm bad", since that was the exterminator in the movie, John Goodman's, most memorable line, and he knew what we were referring to and got a laugh.


I just watched it again for the first time since then and now I view it as a comedy in some parts, especially in the beginning (that backyard party was pretty funny) and a scary movie in others. Not scary because I'm afraid of some giant tarantula obviously. I'm aware that none of the T's currently known to humans are deadly to us; however, there's always that part of the human psyche that fears the unknown, and since the spider in the movie was said to be a newly discovered species, it lends itself to cryptozoological ideas of what could be.

 

[Sathane]

Ah, yes. You are right. Eight Legged Freaks is the one I was referring to. Now I have to go see Arachnophobia. lol

I think that you are thinking about Eight Legged Freaks (giant spiders), not Arachnophobia(normal sized super venomous spiders).

 

[ZergFront]

Haha!

That movie used to give me nightmares, now it just kind of entertains me. Thought the whole "angry female spider getting revenge for her killed beau" at the beginning was really cheesy but it was a good movie for that time. How come all the previous victims seemed to die at first bite and the hero ends up living through it with big welts? :?

My new favorite is "Eight Legged Freaks." Gotta love the grunts and shrieks they have the giant spiders make.

Also, spiders really do HATE perfume(got idea from said movie)! I used to use it as a barrier to keep them from escaping containers but I don't know if it has ill -effects so I don't anymore. A tiny dab of Crisco around the inside of the container works just fine (even in keeping a wolf spider in an opened container).

 

[The Spider Faery]

How come all the previous victims seemed to die at first bite and the hero ends up living through it with big welts? :?

The hero didn't actually get bitten. The welts were from his falls.

There's something I missed though and that's how the spider mated with a house spider if it was found to have no sex organs and reproduce asexually?

Other than that, I still think Arachnophobia's a pretty entertaining movie. Believable enough yet imaginative enough.

I didn't make to the end of Eight Legged Freaks. I thought it was too hokey.

 

[Paramite]

Species please?!!! I have yet to find any so called "bird eating spider" to be difficult to handle (actually, they're quite easy being so much slower than, say, arboreals). Moreover, their bite might cause some mechanical damage but the venom is nothing whatsoever to worry about. I'd be much more concerned about a big Pokie giving me a kiss.

The spider in the opening scene is a small T. blondi. Probably around 6 inches.

 

[Neophyte]

I watched half of this movie and fell asleep. ._.

 

[Tarantulysis]

Eight legged freaks is my favorite. My four year old daughter agrees. Even after seeing those things jumping on people she still goes out to the yard and picks up a few!(btw, she picked that movie out of hundreds in my collection to watch even after I told her it was scarry!She's alot like me at that age!)

 

[Londoner]

"Arachophpbia" and "Eight Legged Freaks" are fun movies, but my favourite for pure cheese and hammy acting is the 1950s B-movie "Tarantula". Even though there's only one giant spider and it's in black and white, it's still great for a giggle. There's even a cameo at the end from Clint Eastwood who plays one of the USAF pilots sent to destroy the spider (I didn't know he was in it 'till someone told me and I had another look. You only see his eyes as the rest of his face is covered by an oxygen mask and he even has a couple of lines lol).

 

[pouchedrat]

I was putting my movies away late last night (we just recently moved and I was unpacking... let's just say we have an entire WALL of DVD's) and found my copy of Arachnophobia on VHS in the pile of DVD's. My man hasn't seen it yet, but I should show it to him since as it is he's a bit scared of my T's, lol (and they're all slings!!)

 

[Bill S]

I've got "Arachnophobia", "Eight-Legged Freaks", "Tarantula" and "Kingdom of the Spiders" all in my DVD collection. "Eight-Legged Freaks" is probably my favorite of them, but "Tarantula" follows close behind. There are still a couple more spider and scorpion movies I need to add to the collection, but I think I've got the best ones. Anyone here have recommendations on others to acquire?

 

[pandinus]

I've got "Arachnophobia", "Eight-Legged Freaks", "Tarantula" and "Kingdom of the Spiders" all in my DVD collection. "Eight-Legged Freaks" is probably my favorite of them, but "Tarantula" follows close behind. There are still a couple more spider and scorpion movies I need to add to the collection, but I think I've got the best ones. Anyone here have recommendations on others to acquire?

Ray Harryhausen's "black scorpion" is a must for the bug film afficianado. I also reccomend "The giant spider invasion" several different T's a giant tarantula that looks to be made of pipecleaners, and the skipper from gilligan's island. my favorite line "Youre so stupid you wouldnt know rabbit turds from rice crispies."





John

 

[natebugman]

You should check out "Earth vs. the Spider". Another black and white classic with a giant tarantula, although not as big as the T in "Tarantula". Make sure you get the 1958 version because the 2001 "remake" is about a guy turning into a spider after being bitten and I found it to be lame.

More recently, there was "Spiders" and "Spiders II". I found the 1st one entertaining, but cheesy. The second wasn't as good in my opinion.

Almost forgot "Tarantulas: The Deadly Cargo". I think it was a tv movie originally, but I found it in a $5 bin at Walmart. Lots of tarantulas killing people attacking a small town, I think. I haven't watched it in awhile and these plots tend to run together.

 

[Drachenjager]

T Couldn't you just see Paris Hilton trying to put a dress and tiara on one and parading it around?!?

Actually I would love to see her try to put a dress on a big P. ornata or a H. lividium. It would be good of her. therapeutic if you will.

This phenomenon was widely seen after the release of '101 Dalmatians', with many families then wanting a dalmatian puppy without knowing anything more about the species (such that dalmatian aren't really the best with kids).

FYI Dalmatians are a BREED , they are the same species as a chihuahua or a bull mastiff.
However, the name of the breed should be damnation instead.

 

[VESPidA]

^^ ha, good catch. i have no idea how i wrote that.... i was merging sentences from an email i had sent a friend a while back, and must have missed that on revision. thanks!

 

[fartkowski]

I really enjoyed Arachnophobia, but my favorite has to be Spider Baby.
Amazing movie.

 

[VESPidA]

^^ wow, i just read the storyline and that sounds intense! i'll have to check that out

 

[TheSwami]

A little late seeing this thread But it's great!
But wanted to add my list of Spider Movies to the mix.
Let me know if I've missed any...

TARANTULA 1955
EARTH VS. THE GIANT SPIDER (aka THE SPIDER) 1958
HORRORS OF SPIDER ISLAND 1960
SPIDERS VENOM 1971
GIANT SPIDER INVASION 1975
KISS OF THE TARANTULA 1976
KINGDOM OF THE SPIDERS 1977
TARANTULAS: THE DEADLY CARGO 1977
ARACHNOPHOBIA 1990
SPIDERS 2000
SPIDERS 11 2001
EARTH VS. THE SPIDER 2001
EIGHT LEGGED FREAKS 2002

I didn't count SPIDERMAN and his sequels tho...

 

[VESPidA]

a must-see!

I really enjoyed Arachnophobia, but my favorite has to be Spider Baby.
Amazing movie.

just bought and watched it and... WOW. what a great film! the characters are fantastic (loved the little B. smithis too lol) and so well played.

Virginia: I caught a big fat BUG right in my spider web! And now the spider gets to give the bug a big STING...

haha love it