Eight Legged Freaks (2002)

User Rating:

5.4/10   

Director:

Ellory Elkayem

Writers (WGA):

Ellory Elkayem (story) &
Randy Kornfield (story) ...

Release Date:

17 July 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Comedy | Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

Do you hate spiders? Do you really hate spiders? Well they don't like you either.

Plot:

A variety of horrible poisonous spiders get exposed to a noxious chemical that causes them to grow to monumental proportions.

Plot Keywords:

Spider | Pretty Girl | Barbershop | Spider Ostrich Fight | Diner

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

David Arquette	...	Chris McCormick
Kari Wuhrer	...	Sheriff Samantha Parker
Scott Terra	...	Mike Parker
Scarlett Johansson	...	Ashley Parker
Doug E. Doug	...	Harlan Griffith
Rick Overton	...	Deputy Pete Willis
Leon Rippy	...	Wade
Matt Czuchry	...	Bret
Jay Arlen Jones	...	Leon
Eileen Ryan	...	Gladys
Riley Smith	...	Randy
Matt Holwick	...	Larry
Jane Edith Wilson	...	Emma
Jack Moore	...	Amos
Roy Gaintner	...	Floyd

Also Known As:

Arac Attack (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sci-fi violence, brief sexuality and language.

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

USA | Australia

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

USA:PG-13 (certificate #38699) | Iceland:12 (video rating) | Iceland:14 (theatrical rating) | Malaysia:U | Portugal:M/12 | South Korea:12 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Austria:10 | Denmark:11 | Finland:K-11 | France:-12 | Germany:12 | Hong Kong:I | Netherlands:12 | Norway:11 | Philippines:PG-13 | Singapore:PG | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:14 (canton of the Grisons) | UK:12

Filming Locations:

Arizona, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

When the mayor sees all the people running towards the mall, he says the line: "If you build it, they will come!". It's inspired by the line : "If you build it, he will come." from Field of Dreams (1989) starring Kevin Costner.

Goofs:

Continuity: When the line goes dead while Deputy Pete is on the phone with the Sheriff, he has the receiver in his left hand, but when he goes to tap on the phone base, there are clearly two hands holding on to the base. When the shot goes back to his face, he is still holding the receiver with his left hand.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Harlan: Do you know fear?

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Troldspejlet: (#29.9)" (2003)

Soundtrack:

Dim Memory

A fun monster movie

Eight Legged Freaks (2002) is a surprisingly good movie. Basically the story of toxic-waste mutated spiders attacking an isolated desert town, this could have seriously sucked, but the film has a sense of humor about it. In a way, it reminds me of Gremlins and Tremors, two monster movies that also had a really nasty sense of humor about them. All of these films are essentially replicas of cheesy 50's movies, but done with modern special effects. The good effects do not in any way make these films any less cheesy, but they are fun. A good chunk of this film takes place in a mall, and there are some definite nods to both Aliens and Dawn of the Dead. A couple of the funnier moments have to be when an old man is stalked in a sporting-goods store while a Muzak version of "Strangers in the Night" plays in the background while a guy in a hockey mask with a chainsaw battles the spiders (Jason vs. Arachnids?).

Is the film plausible? Not in the slightest. Is it fun? Oh yeah! Mindlessly cheesy horror at its best. No nudity, light language, lots of violence, 8/10. Not a good idea for those scared of spiders.

PS The director (a young man from New Zealand) included the short that inspired this movie on the DVD release. It's worth watching too.