Curse of the Black Widow (1977) (TV)

User Rating:

5.1/10   

Director:

Dan Curtis

Writers:

Robert Blees (screenplay)
Robert Blees (story)

Release Date:

16 September 1977 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Crime | Mystery

Plot:

Tony Franciosa plays a detective who's on the trail of a murderer whose mutilated and predominantly male victims are found encased in silken cocoons...

Plot Keywords:

Spider | Victim | Twins | Murder | Death

Cast

Anthony Franciosa	...	Mark Higbie
Donna Mills	...	Leigh Lockwood
Patty Duke	...	Laura Lockwood / Valerie Steffan
June Lockhart	...	Mrs. Lockwood
June Allyson	...	Olga
Max Gail	...	Ragsdale
Jeff Corey	...	Aspa Soldado
Roz Kelly	...	Flaps
Sid Caesar	...	Laszlo Cozart
Vic Morrow	...	Lt. Gully Conti
Michael Delano	...	Carlo Lenzi
Robert Burton	...	Jeff Wallace
Bryan O'Byrne	...	Oakes - Zoo Watchman
Rosanna Locke	...	Jennifer
Robert Nadder	...	Hank - Morgue Attendant

Also Known As:

Love Trap (USA) (reissue title)

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Norway:15 (video rating) | USA:Unrated

Company:

ABC Circle Films

Goofs:

Continuity: When Mrs. Lockwood is walks to the house to look for Laura, she is wearing black flat shoes. When she enters the house, she is wearing black high heel pumps.

Quotes:

[Detective Higbie and Flaps have found the body of Mrs. Lockwood]
Mark Higbie: I thought she was dead...
Flaps: She is now.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Svengoolie: Curse of the Black Widow" (1997)

Jaw-dropping made-for-TV Dan Curtis nonsense

Take Patty Duke, Donna Mills, June Allyson and June Lockhart. Add schizophrenia, were-spiders (similar to -wolves, but with eight legs), 1977 Los Angeles and Dan Curtis. Sprinkle with a bit of nepotism (Tracy Curtis, daughter of director Dan, has 15 seconds showing off on a balance beam that's grafted on like a third arm), add a pinch of bad cinematography and annoying commercial fade-outs, and bake well for what seems like forever.

Garnish with stereotypical "Injuns", gay morgue directors and sassy streetwalkers, then soak in brine for two hours. Prop dialogue firmly on stilts and spit in its eye. That's this movie. I loved it.

Right down to the meaty, slappable smile of the implausible leading man, every detail seemed just a bit ... off. And happily so. If this one doesn't generate derisive howls of laughter at your next homocockail soiree, sweetie, you need to redecorate or something.