The Spider [1958]

Samuel Z. Arkoff started producing movies with his partner James Nicholson in 1954 when they set up American International Pictures and capitalised on the trend of teenagers being the main cinema audience of the time. AIP made pictures about teenagers for teenagers and The Spider has all the essential ingredients for a drive-in horror classic. High schoolers as the primary cast driving really cool cars, together with sceptical adults (the disbelieving sheriff), a rock’n’roll band (to wake up the spider) and a big scary monster (the spider.) Whether the spider is a freak of nature or a mutant is never determined as it escapes leaving many more questions. Why did they hold a dance with a spider in the corner of the school hall? Shouldn’t they be hunting for the spider’s possible offspring? What has it been living off the past few years? How will they stop it? Now you can find out in The Spider!

The Spider is co-written by George Worthing Yates who also wrote Earth vs the Flying Saucers and Them!, and directed by Bert I. Gordon, nicknamed Mr Big for his initials and his fondness for the big monsters in his films. His special effects of producing giant monsters on screen were achieved by ingeniously using rear projection enlargements.

Special Features
50 minute audio interview with Samuel Z. Arkoff, recorded in 1991 at the National Film Theatre which is accompanied by pictures taken at the time.
Nine original Theatrical Film Trailers of movies from the Arkoff Film library including: The Spider, Day The World Ended, How To Make a Monster, The She-Creature, The Brain Eaters, Voodoo Woman, The Undead, Blood Of Dracula and Reform School Girl.

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