- For the MST3K episode, see MST3K 313 - Earth vs the Spider.
Earth vs the Spider is a 1958 giant spider film directed by Bert I. Gordon. It was co-written by László Görög and George Worthing Yates from a story by Gordon.
Plot[]
Teenager Carol Flynn and her boyfriend Mike go out searching for Carol's father after he doesn't come home one night. They encounter a giant spider in a cave near the man’s wrecked car. When the kids come back with the sheriff, the spider is seemingly killed by DDT, and its body is then stored in the local high school gymnasium. A teenage rock and roll band starts rehearsing in the gym, and their loud music revives the arachnid, which sends it rampaging through the town.
Carol and Mike go back to the cave to look for a bracelet that she dropped (the birthday present from her father). The over-sized arachnid then returns to its lair and the sheriff dynamites the cave entrance, unwittingly trapping the two teens inside with the spider. Rescuers open a small hole above the cave and send down a device that the teens use to electrocute the spider.
Cast[]
- Ed Kemmer as Professor Art Kingman
- June Kenney as Carol Flynn
- Eugene Persson as Mike Simpson
- Gene Roth as Sheriff Cagle
- Jack Kosslyn as Mr. Fraser
- Merritt Stone as Jack Flynn
- Sally Fraser as Helen Kingman
- Hank Patterson as Hugo
Notes[]
- Parts of the movie were filmed on location at Carlsbad Caverns. Other parts were filmed on a sound stage with matte effects to make it look like Carlsbad Caverns using a variety of scenic photographs. Bronson Canyon was also used.
- The last of Bert I. Gordon's "giant special effects" features from the 1950s. He would not do another until Village of the Giants in 1965.
- Special effects artist Paul Blaisdell had created a small makeup appliance ("about the size and weight of a postage stamp") meant to go on the live tarantula's back to make it look like it had "eerie, catlike" eyes, but this was never used.
- In one scene, a teenager is seen with issue #1 of the magazine Famous Monsters of Filmland.
- During a scene where Mike his shown working at his father's movie theater, he refers to Attack of the Puppet People, another film directed by Bert I. Gordon.
- In 2001, a made-for-TV movie starring Dan Aykroyd was produced entitled Earth vs. The Spider. It has no narrative or thematic connection to this film beyond the main character having the last name "Kemmer".
- A brief scene of the spider's rampage was used in the 2002 Disney animated feature Lilo & Stitch. Actor Tia Carrere voices the character Nani in that movie and its spin-off productions.
MST3K Connections[]
- Director, writer, producer, and special effects technician Bert I. Gordon was also director, writer, producer, and special effects technician for King Dinosaur, The Amazing Colossal Man, War of the Colossal Beast, The Magic Sword, Tormented, and Village of the Giants, as well as director, producer, and special effects technician for Beginning of the End.
- Writer László Görög was also writer for The Mole People.
- Writer George Worthing Yates was also writer for The Amazing Colossal Man, War of the Colossal Beast, and Tormented.
- June Kenney also portrayed Asmild in The Saga of the Viking Women and Their Voyage to the Waters of the Great Sea Serpent and Betty Scott in Bloodlust!.
- Eugene Persson also portrayed Pete Garwood in Bloodlust!.
- Gene Roth also portrayed Sheriff Kovis in Attack of the Giant Leeches, Mr. Nelson in Tormented, and the New York train conductor in The Rebel Set.
- Hal Torey (Mr. Simpson) also portrayed the Health and Welfare Department Head in War of the Colossal Beast.
- June Jocelyn (Mrs. Flynn) also portrayed Nurse Wilson in The Amazing Colossal Man, the Symbol Maker's Wife in Teenage Cave Man, and Mrs. Edwards in War of the Colossal Beast.
- Sally Fraser also portrayed Joan Nelson in It Conquered the World and Joyce Manning in War of the Colossal Beast.
- Troy Patterson (Joe) also portrayed Captain Tony in Bloodlust!.
- Howard Wright (Jake) also portrayed a medical research officer in War of the Colossal Beast.
- Bill Giorgio (Deputy Sanders) also portrayed a bus driver in War of the Colossal Beast.
- Hank Patterson also portrayed Henry in The Amazing Colossal Man and Dave in Beginning of the End.
- Jack Kosslyn also portrayed a lieutenant in the board room in The Amazing Colossal Man, the newscaster in War of the Colossal Beast, and the Ogre in The Magic Sword.
- Bob Tetrick (Deputy Dave) also had an unspecified role in War of the Colossal Beast.
- Merritt Stone also portrayed a policeman in War of the Colossal Beast, the king in The Magic Sword, and the clergyman in Tormented.
- Executive producer Samuel Z. Arkoff was also executive producer for The Amazing Colossal Man, It Conquered the World, Teenage Cave Man, The Saga of the Viking Women and Their Voyage to the Waters of the Great Sea Serpent, War of the Colossal Beast, Gunslinger, The Incredible Melting Man, Day the World Ended, Terror from the Year 5000, The She-Creature, and Squirm, as well as producer for Bride of the Monster, I Was a Teenage Werewolf, Reptilicus, The Time Travelers, The Land That Time Forgot, At the Earth's Core, and Circus of Horrors.
- Executive producer James H. Nicholson was also executive producer for The Amazing Colossal Man, It Conquered the World, Teenage Cave Man, The Saga of the Viking Women and Their Voyage to the Waters of the Great Sea Serpent, War of the Colossal Beast, Gunslinger, Day the World Ended, Terror from the Year 5000, and I Was a Teenage Werewolf, as well as producer for The She-Creature.
- Assistant producer Henry Schrage was also assistant to producer for The Amazing Colossal Man and War of the Colossal Beast.
- Composer Albert Glasser was also musical director and orchestrator for Rocketship X-M, as well as composer for The Amazing Colossal Man, Teenage Cave Man, The Saga of the Viking Women and Their Voyage to the Waters of the Great Sea Serpent, War of the Colossal Beast, Indestructible Man, Tormented, Beginning of the End, Invasion USA, and Last of the Wild Horses.
- Cinematographer Jack A. Marta was also cinematographer for War of the Colossal Beast and Beginning of the End.
- Assistant director John W. Rogers was also assistant director for War of the Colossal Beast.
- Set designer Walter E. Keller was also art director for War of the Colossal Beast and Beginning of the End.
- Sound recordist Al Overton did sound for It Conquered the World, Attack of the Giant Leeches, The Screaming Skull, and The Bubble, as well as sound mixer for The Phantom Planet.
- Sound effects editor Bruce Schoengarth was also associate editor for Robot Monster.
- Special effects technician Flora Gordon also did special effects for King Dinosaur (as well as wardrobe), The Amazing Colossal Man, War of the Colossal Beast, The Magic Sword, Tormented, Beginning of the End, and Village of the Giants.
- Costumer Marjorie Corso was also costumer for Teenage Cave Man, Bloodlust!, and The She-Creature, as well as wardrobe supervisor for Tormented.
- Editorial supervisor Ronald Sinclair was also editor for The Amazing Colossal Man, The Saga of the Viking Women and Their Voyage to the Waters of the Great Sea Serpent, War of the Colossal Beast (as well as editorial supervisor), Swamp Diamonds, Day the World Ended, and The She-Creature.
- Assistant editor Paul Wittenberg was also assistant editor for War of the Colossal Beast.
- Music editor Charles Clement was also music editor for Teenage Cave Man and War of the Colossal Beast, as well as post-production operations head for San Francisco International.
- Special designer Paul Blaisdell also designed the monster costumes in It Conquered the World, Teenage Cave Man, Day the World Ended, and The She-Creature, designed props used in The Amazing Colossal Man and Teenagers from Outer Space, and portrayed a corpse in The Undead.