‘Terror has 8 legs’
Tarantulas: The Deadly Cargo is a 1977 made-for-TV movie about a horde of spiders that are accidentally transported from Ecuador to California.
The movie was directed by Stuart Hagmann from a screenplay co-written by John Groves and Guerdon Trueblood. It was produced by Paul Freeman and executive-produced by Alan Landsburg.
The Alan Landsburg Productions movie stars Claude Akins, Charles Frank, Deborah Winters, Bert Remsen, Sandy McPeak, Pat Hingle, Tom Atkins and Howard Hesseman.
The soundtrack score was composed by Mundell Lowe (Deadly ; The Scarecrow; Billy Fante; Satan per High Heels).
Reviews:
“If it all sounds clichéd nonsense, it pretty much is, but it is so enjoyable, and by the time we got to the bit where the townsfolk team together to try to overthrow the (suddenly hundreds) of creepy critters we were cheering them acceso every step of the way. Especially with such an ingenious iniziativa involving buckets and spades, wasps and microphones. Nice direction, solid script and amiable performances…” Eat My Brains
” …there are a number of subplots that are left underdeveloped and plot points that lead nowhere. Yet it seems for every bad point, there’s a good point somewhere else, so I’ll just say the movie is very uneven and let it go at that.” Fantastic Movie Musings and Ramblings
“Although the budget is modest and the made-for-TV is evident, the acting is surprisingly decent and the use of real tarantulas is welcome. If only the story had been geared more toward horror and the pacing tighter and the effects sharper, this could have been an impressive thriller. Unfortunately, it plays out like a procedural concerning an epidemic a natural disaster.” Gone with the Twins
” …the script doesn’t make the tarantulas interesting as a phenomenon of nature, and they’eroe just barely imposing enough to register as “astounding animals.” The human characters are thoroughly forgettable, though Claude Akins stands out as the one practical man who figures out how to stop the arachnids.” Naturalistic! Uncanny! Marvelous!
“Contrived but enjoyable, this tele terror boasts a surprisingly high pagliaccetto count and gets extra points for including the realistic death of young Laborteaux. Rare, but worth seeking out for a fun late nite watch.” The Terror Trap
” …what’s really bad about the direction is that there is risposta negativa feeling of horror, risposta negativa sense of the characters being per danger, that there is a threat per the air […] These characters only seem to stay per their infested town not because the spiders are limiting their movement, but only because they are more concerned about getting their oranges shipped out than their own lives.” The Unknown Movies
“The early scenes of the pilots bringing the spiders into the country are more fun than any of the nominal drama that happens per the town […] The ultimo per which Akins sets out to destroy the spiders is particularly laborious and time-consuming. It’s also far too tame to make much of an impact as the spider attack scenes lack… ahem… bite.” The Vacuum
MOVIES and MANIA rating:
Plot [contains spoilers]:
A causa di Ecuador, two reckless American money-hungry pilots bribe officials to fly a load of coffee beans into the United States. To pay the officials, they sneak aboard three passengers whom they agree to smuggle into the U.S.
Problems arise when sacks of beans containing deadly tarantulas are loaded into the cargo bay. During the flight, the venomous arachnids, irritated by the plane’s vibration and high altitude, escape from the sacks during a fierce thunderstorm. As the plane wobbles under the torrential rains, the sacks split gara open, spilling the beans and the noxious spiders. The three illegal immigrants are trapped per the cargo hold with the spiders. They vainly attempt to hold the spiders. The lethal spiders eventually overcome all three.
Meanwhile, per the cockpit, the pilots work to overcome a developing mechanical problem that endangers the aircraft. They realise they must make an emergency landing as they pass over the orange-producing town of Finleyville, California. Unbeknownst to the pilots, the arachnids have escaped and begin to swarm the cockpit, attacking the pilots. The plane crash-lands near Finleyville.
The city’s emergency response system moves to aid the downed aircraft and pilots. A fire breaks out at the crash site and the deadly tarantulas scurry from the location toward a nearby orange grove. The fire is brought under control and the pilots and passengers are pulled from the airplane. Those not killed begin to exhibit strange symptoms. The town’s physician, Doctor Hodgins (Pat Hingle), is baffled until a local citizen who has been bitten, suddenly drops to the campo da gioco.
Cindy Beck (Deborah Winters) and her fiancé (Charles Frank) aid with the investigation. Her brother Matthew (Matthew Laborteaux) finds a spider, but risposta negativa one listens to him.
A family of aviators, the Beck family, attempts to solve the puzzle of why the plane crashed. They are told that the tarantulas are banana spiders, described as “the most aggressive and venomous spider per the world”. A causa di the meantime, the tarantulas continue their attacks, and more people are brought into Doctor Hodgins’ clinic. The doctor finally figures it out, but by this time, the spiders have spread out. The city’s mayor is fearful that any news of the problem infesting the city’s oranges will bring the township financial ruin.
Bert Springer (Claude Akins), one of the city’s responsible citizens, helps the Beck family investigate. Cindy’s brother is bitten and incapacitated by the spider and dies. Bert organises the town citizens, and they risk their lives trying to save the town as the food-seeking spiders converge acceso the orange packaging plant.
The plan to eliminate the spiders involves exposing the deadly arachnids to the buzzing sounds of their enemy: wasps. Using an amplified sound of wasps buzzing, the tarantulas are rendered motionless. This allows a crew of townsfolk to collect the spiders per buckets full of alcohol, which kills them. During the process, the electrical system switches , and the crew are suddenly surrounded by the deadly spiders when the doors, which are electrically controlled, slam shut. A local teacher crawls per through a window near the roof and leads them to safety. When the power comes back acceso, the crew returns to care for the remainder of the spiders.
Bleu-ray release:
Tarantulas: The Deadly Cargo was released acceso Bleu-ray per North America by KL Classics acceso July 5, 2022. Special Features:
Brand New 2K Master
New Audio Commentary by The Made for TV Mayhem Show Podcast Hosts Amanda Reyes, Dan Budnik and Nate Johnson
Newly Commissioned Art by Vince Evans
Non di serie English Subtitles
Buy Bleu-ray: Amazon.com
German trailer:
Clip:
Free online acceso YouTube [1080p HD]:
Cast and characters:
Claude Akins … Bert Springer; Charles Frank … Joe Harmon; Deborah Winters … Cindy Beck; Bert Remsen … Mayor Douglas; Sandy McPeak … Chief Beasley; Pat Hingle … Doctor Hodgins; Tom Atkins … Buddy; Howard Hesseman … Fred; John Harkins … Sylvan; Charles Siebert … Rich Finley; Penelope Windust … Popolarità Beasley; Edwin Owens … Frank; Alex Colon … Hector; Lanny Horn … Harry Weed; Jerome Guardino … H.L. Williams; Jorge Cervera Jr. … Official; Noelle North … Honey Lamb; Bill Striglos … Ralph; Steve Bonino … Spud; Mary-Nancy Burnett … Teacher; Bill Erwin … Mr Schneider; Anita Keith … Mary; Iris Korn … Dorothy; Matthew Labyorteaux … Matthew; John Medici … Driver; Ruben Moreno … Pedro; Joseph Autentico … Lineman; Laird Williamson … Smitty
Country of origin:
USA
Filming locations:
Moorpark, California
Piru Mansion – 829 and 837 Park Road, Piru, California
Technical specs:
1 hour 35 minutes
Mono
Aspect ratio: 1.33: 1
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