Tarantula
Dir: Jack Arnold
1955
****
Of all the classic 50's monster B-movies, Jack Arnold's Tarantula remains one of the simplest and realistic. Radioactive isotopes were quite the hazard in the 1950's and caused all manner of peril, giant spider being one of the worst. What I really like about this particular adventure though is that the accidental growth of the spider comes from an over-adventurous biologist, rather than from nuclear war or the intentions of a mad scientist. Steven Spielberg's Jaws is often credited with being the first horror blockbuster that best used the 'less is more' approach but I would argue that it was Jack Arnold's Tarantula. The build up is intense and the climax does not disappoint, so much so that I'm surprised they never made a sequel. I also to wonder why they didn't make the Guinea-Pig larger to defeat the Spider, surely Tarantula vs. Guinea-Pig would have broken box office records? Maybe it is best that Arnold had more integrity than I do, as although his 1957 film The Incredible Shrinking Man used the same idea, it turns it on it's head somewhat and explores a far more serious theme. Jack Arnold's films get better with each viewing, a Golden age of film making.