IMDb > Tarantula (1955)
Tarantula
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Tarantula (1955) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

User Rating:
6.4/10   4,506 votes »
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Down 7% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Jack Arnold
Writers:
Robert M. Fresco (screenplay) and
Martin Berkeley (screenplay) ...
(more)
Contact:
View company contact information for Tarantula on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
14 December 1955 (USA) See more »
Genre:
Horror | Sci-Fi See more »
Tagline:
Even Science was stunned! See more »
Plot:
A spider escapes from an isolated desert laboratory experimenting in giantism and grows to tremendous size as it wreaks havoc on the local inhabitants. Full summary » | Full synopsis »
Plot Keywords:
See more »
NewsDesk:
(18 articles)
Mad Max's Weekend Movie Guide: 'Texas Chainsaw' & More
 (From NextMovie. 4 January 2013, 7:00 AM, PST)
Forgotten B&W Horror #12: Monster on the Campus
 (From Obsessed with Film. 16 October 2012, 3:02 AM, PDT)
Forgotten B&W Horror #11: Tarantula
 (From Obsessed with Film. 23 September 2012, 4:00 AM, PDT)
User Reviews:
Fun monster movie with serious undercurrent... See more (90 total) »

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

John Agar ... Dr. Matt Hastings
Mara Corday ... Stephanie 'Steve' Clayton

Leo G. Carroll ... Prof. Gerald Deemer
Nestor Paiva ... Sheriff Jack Andrews
Ross Elliott ... Joe Burch
Edwin Rand ... Lt. John Nolan

Raymond Bailey ... Townsend
Hank Patterson ... Josh
Bert Holland ... Barney Russell
Steve Darrell ... Andy Andersen
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Dee Carroll ... Telephone Operator (uncredited)
Edgar Dearing ... Second Tramp (uncredited)
Don Dillaway ... Jim Bagny (uncredited)

Clint Eastwood ... Jet Squadron Leader (uncredited)
Jack Hendricks ... Ranch Hand (uncredited)
Jane Howard ... Coed Secretary (uncredited)
James Hyland ... Trooper Grayson (uncredited)
Tom London ... Jeff (1st Tramp) (uncredited)
Bob Nelson ... State Trooper (uncredited)
Eddie Parker ... Paul Lund / Eric Jacobs (uncredited)
Ray Quinn ... State Trooper (uncredited)
Vernon Rich ... Ridley (uncredited)

Bing Russell ... Deputy (uncredited)
Robert R. Stephenson ... Warehouseman (uncredited)
Jack Stoney ... Helper (uncredited)
Billy Wayne ... Murphy (uncredited)
Rusty Wescoatt ... Driver (uncredited)

Robert J. Wilke ... Ranch Hand (uncredited)
Bud Wolfe ... Bus Driver (uncredited)
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Directed by
Jack Arnold 
 
Writing credits
Robert M. Fresco (screenplay) and
Martin Berkeley (screenplay)

Jack Arnold (story) and
Robert M. Fresco (story)

Produced by
William Alland .... producer
 
Original Music by
Herman Stein (uncredited)
 
Cinematography by
George Robinson (director of photography)
 
Film Editing by
William Morgan  (as William M. Morgan)
 
Art Direction by
Alexander Golitzen 
Alfred Sweeney 
 
Set Decoration by
Russell A. Gausman 
Ruby R. Levitt 
 
Costume Design by
Jay A. Morley Jr. (uncredited)
 
Makeup Department
Joan St. Oegger .... hair stylist
Bud Westmore .... makeup artist
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Frank Shaw .... assistant director
 
Sound Department
Leslie I. Carey .... sound
Frank H. Wilkinson .... sound (as Frank Wilkinson)
Edward L. Sandlin .... sound editor (uncredited)
Joe Sikorsky .... sound editor (uncredited)
 
Special Effects by
Wah Chang .... creator: tarantula puppet (uncredited)
 
Visual Effects by
Clifford Stine .... special photography
David S. Horsley .... special photographic effects supervisor (uncredited)
 
Stunts
Jack Hendricks .... stunts (uncredited)
Eddie Parker .... stunts (uncredited)
Jack Stoney .... stunts (uncredited)
Bud Wolfe .... stunts (uncredited)
 
Music Department
Joseph Gershenson .... music supervisor
Henry Mancini .... composer: stock music (uncredited)
David Tamkin .... orchestrator (uncredited)
 
Crew verified as complete


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Additional Details

Also Known As:
"The Giant Tarantula" - USA (informal title)
See more »
Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parents
Runtime:
80 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Black and White
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 See more »
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Recording)
Certification:
Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG (re-rating) (2006) | UK:X (original rating) | Germany:12 (re-rated) (video) | West Germany:18 (nf) | Australia:PG | USA:Approved (PCA #17651) | Argentina:16 (original rating) | Argentina:Atp (DVD rating)
Filming Locations:
Courthouse Square, Backlot, Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USASee more »
Company:
Universal International Pictures (UI)See more »

Did You Know?

Trivia:
Look for a young Clint Eastwood as the (uncredited) leader of the jet squadron that attacks the tarantula in the film's climax.See more »
Goofs:
Continuity: The position of the hypo changes as Leo G. Carroll handles it.See more »
Quotes:
Prof. Gerald Deemer:The disease of hunger, like most diseases, well, it spreads. There are 2 billion people in the world today. In 1975 there'll be 3 billion. In the year 2000, there'll be 3,625,000,000. The world may not be able to produce enough food to feed all these people. Now perhaps you'll understand what an inexpensive nutrient will mean.
Dr. Matt Hastings:Well, not many of us look that far in the future, sir.
Prof. Gerald Deemer:Our business is the future. No man can do it on his own, of course. You don't pull it out of your hat like a magician's rabbit. You - well, you build on what hundreds of others have learned before you.
See more »
Movie Connections:
Spoofed in Bees (1998)See more »

FAQ

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User Reviews

   (Review this title)
12 out of 14 people found the following review useful.
Fun monster movie with serious undercurrent..., 15 October 2006
Author: moonspinner55 from las vegas, nv

Ostensibly a quickie b-flick targeted at matinée audiences, "Tarantula" certainly isn't High Art but it does take a refreshingly serious tack on its story. Mad scientist in small desert town experiments with growth serum, accidentally unleashing one humongous spider on the terrified locals. Very nice atmosphere, decent special effects, not-bad performances. John Agar is the stalwart hero, and of course he's coupled with a pretty girl prone to screaming (Mara Corday as Stephanie, whom Agar affectionately calls 'Steve'). Probably more fun today for nostalgic adults than modern preteens, and certainly not as gripping as "Them!", but still a well-enough produced creep-show. Look fast for Clint Eastwood in an uncredited bit. ** from ****

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Tarantula (1955)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
'Everything that walks or crawls' ewmayer
The most ridiculous B-Movie solution? Polygraph
Make-up mr-murph
Feel Bad for the Spider mdami75602
The 'Tarantula' drinking game ConnerysToupee
On Svengoolie on ME TV 12/8/12 diamonddix1999
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