Really Surprised!

Brilliant and touching

Unshakable, witty and deeply felt, the film will be paying emotional dividends for a long, long time.

The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

"Tarantula" is a combination of a science-experiment-gone-wrong movie with a monster movie. Though tame by today's standards (it shies away from any graphic violence), it still boasts nearly-excellent optical effects, nearly-seamless trick photography, and creepy "deformative" makeup. A talkative first half gives way to an eventful second. **1/2 out of 4.

The story is typical of its time and not interesting at all: atomic science goes wrong, humanity is revealed to be small and helpless in the face of forces it does not comprehend. It's funny how everything on the human end of horror is what we jeer at in bad slasher movies; the slow and lumbering threat fails to convince, and that is painfully underscored by having victims trip and fall over, cars that don't start, etc.The monster end is of some (limited) appeal. A real spider was used, it helps a great deal.The way it is incorporated into the human landscape is mostly good: imposing shots of beast and desert, both of equal stature and balanced; perspective play for tension - 'big' humans in the foreground, 'small' spider in the background, and reversed; pov camera from the spider's mouth for the kills.The product of haywire technology is destroyed by even more haywire, destructive technology; napalm. The town solemnly watches as the creature is engulfed in flames. In about ten years time, the town would be a Vietnamese village.

This is one of those films which you see the poster, hear the gist of it and think, "yeeeeahhh!" because you already have an idea of what enjoyment you'll find in the film. The plot of the film is pretty predictable: science + nature = disaster. That's a somewhat common theme in other films too. A real tarantula is used to portray the monster (with occasional use of animatronics). Using trick photography and miniature sets at times this is achieved. This works well as tarantulas are creepy and unnerving even as nature intended so seeing one portrayed so massively really works. Even by today's CGI standards it looks unnerving.The characters aren't really important here but they fill their roles satisfactorily. The story could do with a little more and the writing too. Just a touch more to flesh out the story and such.I recommend this mainly to those who like spider-based films (e.g. Eight Legged Freaks, Arachnophobia, etc) and fans of "big creatures vs. man" films.

In Desert Rock, Arizona, a disfigured man is found dead and identified by Professor Gerald Deemer (Leo G. Carroll) as his assistant and friend Dr. Eric Jacobs, who would suffer from acromegalia. The country doctor Matt Hastings (John Agar) is puzzled with the mysterious disease and decides to investigate further about acromegalia. Professor Deemer omits that Dr. Eric Jacobs and Dr. Paul Lund were researching with him a nutrient to increase the food supply in the world and they have been affected by the experiment. Soon Paul Lund, who has also been affected and is mad, breaks and sets the laboratory on fire and a huge tarantula escapes.Meanwhile, the gorgeous Stephanie "Steve" Clayton (Mara Corday) arrives in town to work with Dr. Jacobs, and Dr. Hastings drives her to Professor Deemer's house in the desert. She is hired by Deemer and she finds that he is sick. When cattle bones are found in a farm, Hastings collects material and flies to a laboratory, where he learns that the sample is of tarantula's venom. But the scientist does not believe that one tarantula could ever produce such quantity of venom. The doctor returns to Desert Rock sure that the species is part of Prof. Deemer's experiment and the locals are threatened by the dangerous tarantula."Tarantula" is a typical sci-fi of the 50's and a surprisingly good film. The screenplay is very well written and the movie is supported by good direction, performances, cinematography and special effects. My vote is seven.Title (Brazil): "Tarântula!" ("Tarantula!")