Tarantula (1955) Movie Review & Film summary, Cast

Director Jack Arnold and producer William Alland’s follow-up to their Creature from the Black Lagoon isn’t quite in the same class, and certainly doesn’t match the mighty Them! for giant bugs in the desert spectacle. But it’s still very much in the top bracket of ‘50s monster movies, with a well-constructed plot, a strong sense of atmosphere, and effectively minimalist special effects – the images of a gigantic eight-legged freak crawling its disturbingly graceful way across vast tracks of desert and prairie, consuming hillbillies and horses alike, are quite impressive. Leo G. Carroll, in one of his most celebrated roles, delivers a suitably distracted performance as a man barely attuned to the real world. Mara Corday, later Playmate of the Month October 1958, is fair as the female scientist present to add non-arachnid disturbing limbs, and the only patronising dialogue to come her way is intended ironically. Nestor Paiva has a different sort of part to his usual accented grotesques, making his mark as the cynical sheriff. In the end, Clint Eastwood comes to the rescue. As ever. Unlike The Day of the Triffids, it’s certainly memorable beyond providing a lyric in a Rocky Horror song.