‎Spider Baby (1967) directed by Jack Hill • Reviews, film + cast • Letterboxd

Spider Baby

1967 Directed by Jack Hill

The most gruesome horror ever shown!

The story follows a family of inbreeds who have been afflicted by a genetic disorder known as 'Merrye syndrome', named after the family in which the disorder developed. This malady causes its victims to enter a state of age regression that starts at the age of ten and continues throughout the remainder of the person's life, rendering them with the intelligence of a child. The final generation of the family has been entrusted to the care of the family chauffeur (Lon Chaney Jr), and all is well for these odd people until a greedy branch of the family decides that they want to relieve the family of its home. Mental illness has always, and will always be, a fascinating subject for horror movies as it probes into the unknown and Spider Baby makes best use of that fact.

Lon Chaney Jr. Carol Ohmart Quinn K. Redeker Beverly Washburn Jill Banner Sid Haig Mary Mitchel Karl Schanzer Mantan Moreland

81 mins More details at IMDb TMDb Report this film

Popular reviews

Review by Joe ★★★★★ 3

I've never seen a movie that strikes the tone this one does, an intersection between scary, funny, sexy, completely heartfelt, and totally disreputable. Lon Chaney's tearful late film monologue should be legendary if it isn't already. Same goes for Sid Haig's completely unhinged performance.
Review by matt lynch ★★★★

Lagrange point between "The Addams Family" and THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE.
Review by Naughty aka Juli Norwood ★½ 3

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Film #5 of the "Scavenger Hunt" Challenge!
Task #26 : An Exploitation film!
letterboxd.com/naughty/list/scavenger-hunt/

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Unfortunately I was immune to the charm others claim to have seen in this exploitation film! In my eyes the descriptive summary of the film was far more impressive than what unfolded onscreen! Most of the horrifying aspects of the film are either implied innuendo or happens off screen! What we are allowed to see doesn't amount to a hill of beans!

Highlights of the film would be a very young Sid Haig (Ralph) And the greatest wolfman ever Lon Chaney (Bruno) who quite frankly gave this film his all!
Review by Disgustipated ★★★★★ 3

Hooptober 5.0 - 2018 - Film #13

WTF- Spider Baby!

Spider Baby is a young woman. Who thinks she is spider. It sounds so stupid. But it is awesome.

Spider girl, Virginia, is holed up in a gothic mansion with her retarded older brother Ralph, her constanly whining sister, Elizabeth, and the chauffeur, Bruno, who acts as their de-facto guardian and tries to keep them together and safe from the outside world. Considering that Virginia has a habit of throwing a web over the odd visitor with and stabbing them to death, it's probably not a bad idea to keep them separated.

But their peace is rudely interrupted by extended family members, a lawyer and a secretary who come to…
Review by laird ★★★★ 4

Somewhere between this and Zombie Shark Cheerleaders (or whatever DTV horror comedy is currently in post production somewhere on Earth this minute) we as a culture forgot that a movie that has horror elements can also be funny without being overtly self-referential, jokey, and stupid (2011's THE WOMAN is a notable counter example). Everyone plays their part with a straight forward conviction that makes the humorous aspects even more absurd and enjoyable. Lon Chaney Jr in particular summons something deep, dark and true in his turn as the straight man to his ghoulish family.

Also, a great theme song *or* the greatest theme song of all time?
Review by M PJ ★★★★ 3

HoopTober Cinco: It’s October, Baby!
Film 29 of 31
Six films from before 1970

Exploitation-Spezialist Jack Hill sorgt für Halloween-Atmosphäre de luxe, indem er die alte Spukhaus-Nummer auf den Kopf stellt. Allein der von Lon Chaney junior eingesungene Intro-Song ist ein Fest (und verrät den ursprünglichen Titel): This cannibal orgy is strange to behold– And the maddest story ever told!

A madhouse indeed and therefore adorable, but I have to warn you, dear reader: Spider Baby won’t be your delight, if you suffer from hair bow phobia. Because they are huge!
Above all I appreciate the deeper insight into the American value system: In general hate is NOT nice, to cut the ear of an innocent post man is bad…

Recent reviews

Review by Mikeheathen ★★★★ 1

For a film this old, it holds up very well. Eccentric family doing extreme weirdness in an isolated old mansion? Sign me up.
Review by Mat Thomsen ★★★

Not at all what I expected based on the trailer. I thought this was more The Addams Family than Psycho. While very serious and a bit slow, there is lots to like here.
Review by DopeAssGhost ★★★½

This review may contain spoilers. I can handle the truth.

SPIDER BABY (1967)
"A caretaker devotes himself to three demented siblings after their father's death."

I'll be honest, I never saw this until just a few weeks ago, and I rewatched it today, and my overall opinion on it is about the same: this is one of the most maddening films of the 1960's era I've ever seen!
Spider Baby beats The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) by seven years in showing viewers the lifestyles of a dysfunctional, depraved, homicidal, and cannibalistic family. You see, the three fully grown-up Merrye children live in this decaying reclusive mansion under the watchful protecting eyes of their chauffeur, Bruno (played by Lon Chaney Jr.). The three children all have 'Merrye Syndrome', a genetic affliction…
Review by mercedeszaro ★★★★★

Imagine a darker version of the Addams Family.
Review by Caroline Rose ★★★★

Basically RAW for the Twilight Zone generation. Part of the Springfield, MO Alamo Drafthouse inaugural Dismember the Alamo.
Review by M PJ ★★★★ 3

HoopTober Cinco: It’s October, Baby!
Film 29 of 31
Six films from before 1970

Exploitation-Spezialist Jack Hill sorgt für Halloween-Atmosphäre de luxe, indem er die alte Spukhaus-Nummer auf den Kopf stellt. Allein der von Lon Chaney junior eingesungene Intro-Song ist ein Fest (und verrät den ursprünglichen Titel): This cannibal orgy is strange to behold– And the maddest story ever told!

A madhouse indeed and therefore adorable, but I have to warn you, dear reader: Spider Baby won’t be your delight, if you suffer from hair bow phobia. Because they are huge!
Above all I appreciate the deeper insight into the American value system: In general hate is NOT nice, to cut the ear of an innocent post man is bad…
Review by bonzo ★★★★

I want Virginia to stab me tbh
Review by iwaaan ★★★½

Meski bercerita mengenai 'psikopat', tapi tidak jadi mengerikan. Malah terasa hangat dan tokohnya lovable. Ada beberapa adegan yang cukup lucu.
Seperti versi lightnya Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Tanpa gergaji mesin.
Review by 2hogsup ★★★★★

Dismember the Alamo movie #4