Review of Spider Baby (1967) by Sylvester K — 04 Aug 2015

Jack Hill's Spider Baby Or The Maddest Story Ever Told is a claustrophobic thriller that isn't as effective on the atmosphere as it could have been. The credits dub this, "the maddest story ever told", a promise that's on the way to being fulfilled in the opening scene alone, when Virginia traps and kills a deliveryman in her makeshift web. She's one of three siblings who suffer from a unique genetic disorder that causes them to regress back to childhood, while retaining the physical strength and sexual maturity of adults.

Lon Chaney Jr gave one of his most memorable late performances as Bruno, their guardian and protector, who has managed to cover up their crimes until two distant relatives lay claim to their house. When they insist on moving in, Bruno has his fingers crossed that the children will behave towards their guests.

Jack Hill's first solo feature is a film which features an interesting twist on the psychotic killer theme, a somewhat original idea for it's time and an excellent (but largely unknown), cast. It's an entertaining piece of exploitation cinema, in which if given the budget and a better production this would have been a lot better than what it is.