Locating a copy of this 1967-released film, ‘Spider Baby’, ended up with an Italian copy. Certainly the line ‘So bad, it’s good’ should give you suitable warning. It was originally filmed in 12 days in 1964 but released 3 years later.
The set-up allows you to pick from 5 languages, although you’ll probably find it easier to turn off the subtitles through your remote control.
The introduction tells of Merrye Syndrome. I looked it up and there’s no such thing, so it’s a fiction for the film. Basically, it’s a genetic disease that causes a person from the age of 10 to mentally regress. All of this off-shoot of the Merrye family have it.
The house the delivery man delivers to looks suspiciously like that used in ‘Psycho’, but a lot of films have used it over the years.
The Merrye family, the two kids, Elizabeth (actress Beverly Washburn – you see her as an adult in the original ‘Star Trek’ episode ‘The Deadly Years’) and Virginia (actress Jill Banner), are the last generation and are psychopathic and possibly cannibalistic. Their chauffeur Bruno (actor Lon Chaney, Jr.) sorts out the mess they make. You know, like dead bodies. Oh, there’s also their older brother Ralph (actor Sid Haig), whom Bruno regularly takes into the city for treatment. Oh, Virginia is the spider baby of the title, acting like a spider when she pounces on her victims, and she loves spiders. In the cellar are Aunt Martha (actress Joan Keller Stern) and Uncle Ned. Did I say they were a spooky family?
The letter the postman delivered tells of distant relatives, Aunt Emily Howe (actress Carol Ohmart) and Uncle Peter Howe (actor Quinn K. Redeker) and their lawyer Schlocker (actor Karl Schanzer) and his secretary, Ann Morris (actress Mary Mitchel) arriving separately that very day to dispossess the family of their home.
They stay for dinner. Bruno explains that the family are vegetarians, although the girls correct it by saying they don’t eat dead things.
As there are only two spare rooms, Emily and Schlocker stay the night while Peter and Ann go and look for somewhere to stay in the village. Schlocker has a look around the house late in the evening. About the only sensible thing he does is use a torch. The worst? He visits the cellar. Ann sees the result and flees, followed by the children. Well, teenagers really.
Meanwhile, Peter and Ann, finding no motel vacancies after spending too long dining, decide to return to the house for the night. The rest is spoiler, but it’s a real blast.
Lon Chaney carries much of the ‘ordinary’ dialogue and is rather good. The Merryes are just weird and would probably give the Texas Chainsaw family a run for their money in the dialogue department. If anything, it’s more amazing that the distant relatives and lawyer don’t register something wrong with them earlier, especially the two, Emily and Schlocker, who stay in the house.
There are two extras. ‘The Host’, running at 27 minutes, is from 1960, starring Sid Haig in a western, showing how versatile he was. It’s also directed and written by Jack Hill, who did likewise for ‘Spider Baby’. Looking at his credits, he’s been practically working up to the present day, and I suspect you’ve seen a lot of his films if you check. A fugitive (actor Sid Haig) comes to a Spanish village, ending up killing a bad gunman to get the rain falling again and release the settlers. It also has a horror spin at the end.
The second is the film trailer, running at a minute. Oddly, not too many spoilers.
If you want something spooky for Halloween, this would surely hit some of your targets.
Even if you watch it straight, there are still some funny moments. For a low-budget film, I can see why it’s become a cult favourite. Just don’t accept a dinner appointment.
GF Willmetts
October 2026
(pub: DigitalHome Movies, 1 DVD 81 minute b&w film. Price: varies. ASIN: FVC010)
Join the conversation (0)