Arachnophobia is a rather entertaining if a little dated horror movie involving one of our biggest phobias; spiders. I myself hate spiders, no matter how little they may be, so I was watching this film behind a big box of popcorn when I first watched it. This film works well in latching onto ... Read review
Hollywood Pictures and Amblin Entertainment deliver an electrifying rollercoaster ride of ... more
a movie! Everyone is afraid of something... for Dr Ross Jennings (Jeff Daniels), his phobia is downright embarrassing. But when he moves his family to a small tow...
Hollywood Pictures and Amblin Entertainment deliver an electrifying rollercoaster ride of ... more
a movie! Everyone is afraid of something..for Dr Ross Jennings (Jeff Daniels) his phobia is downright embarrassing. But when he moves his family to a small town ...
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Production Year: 2000 - Horror - Director: Keenen Ivory Wayans - Original Language: English - Classification: 18 years and over - Starring: Carmen Electra, Anna Faris, Kurt Fuller, James Van Der Beek, Keenen Ivory Wayans
Advantages: Good acting from the cast Disadvantages: Lame music
Arachnophobia is a rather entertaining if a little dated horror movie involving one of our biggest phobias; spiders. I myself hate spiders, no matter how little they may be, so I was watching this film behind a big box of popcorn when I first watched it. This film works well in latching onto people's fears of spiders, with numerous close ups of the dreaded beasts, including a rather horrible close up at the end of the film. By todays standards Arachnophobia ... ...legged fiends. If you compare Arachnophobia to the recent Eight Legged Freaks then there really is no contest; this 1990 version is still the original and best spider movie.
The film starts in Venezuala, where researchers find some unusual and deadly looking spiders. As they begin to study the creatures one of the spiders escapes, killing a researcher and managing to get a ride back to the researchers home town in Canaima, California. ... more
Arachnophobia is a rather entertaining if a little dated horror movie involving one of our biggest phobias; spiders. I myself hate spiders, no matter how little they may be, so I was watching this film behind a big box of popcorn when I first watched it. This film works well in latching onto people's fears of spiders, with numerous close ups of the dreaded beasts, including a rather horrible close up at the end of the film. By todays standards Arachnophobia does look a little bit tame, but it's still one of the few films that successfully plays on people's phobias. Jeff Daniels, before his great performance in Dumb and Dumber, plays Dr Ross Jennings, a rather intelligent doctor who is first to realise that the town has been invaded by the eight legged fiends. If you compare Arachnophobia to the recent Eight Legged Freaks then there really is no contest; this 1990 version is still the original and best spider movie.
The film starts in Venezuala, where researchers find some unusual and deadly looking spiders. As they begin to study the creatures one of the spiders escapes, killing a researcher and managing to get a ride back to the researchers home town in Canaima, California. Canaima is where Dr Ross Jennings (Daniels) has just moved to with his family, and rather unluckily he is terrified of spiders. As the Venezuelan spider sets up home, more and more spiders are born, and are ready to invade the town. As healthy residents start being killed off one by one, it is up to Dr Ross Jennings to find the infestation and save the town from extinction.
This is a good solid chiller with a lot of scary moments, even if it does lag somewhat when the spiders aren't on screen. I'm a big fan of Jeff Daniels films, particularly Fly Away Home and Dumb and Dumber, and he gives a good performance here as the big shot doctor no-one listens to. I like the fact that Dr Jennings has a really bad phobia of spiders, so that he not only has to save the town from extinction but overcome his own problem. The scenes involving Dr Jennings at the end of the film are definately the scariest, with the spiders not only taking the town to ransom but invading people's homes, including Jennings. The scene in which the spiders creep into the bathroom as the family try to escape is one of the most chilling, and left me with goosebumps just watching it.
It isn't just Jeff Daniels acting that I enjoyed. John Goodman also puts in a great performance as exterminator Delbert McClintock, who's in full Ghostbuster mode as he tries to rid the town of spiders before its too late. Arachnophobia manages to keep the pace of the film going without it getting tedious, by using humour during some of the lighter scenes. This is definately a film that doesn't take itself too seriously, with director Steven Spielberg using black humour to good effect. Some of the spider fatalities are also well staged, as the spiders slowly creep up on their unknowing victims before unleashing their deadly venom. More often than not comedy horror films never really work (Dawn of the Dead remake for example), but thankfully it does here, with Jeff Daniels genial performance helping to keep the film afloat.
There is also a solid backstory in Arachnophobia to let the audience know why the spiders are invading, rather then just starting the film with the spiders already on screen. The use of the backstory helps to make the film seem more authentic, although we all know its unlikely that such a deadly invasion will occur (well hopefully not anyway). I remember watching a film about killer bees a few years ago and it was just plain silly, whereas Arachnophobia works much better by keeping the chills subtle and humour light. Of course one of the reasons the film works so well is because of the fact that its got a big budget and is directed by Spielberg, who was already an established director in the early 1990s.
One big problem with the film is the music used, it really is awful and adds nothing to some of the more chilling scenes in the film. I also thought that a few of the spiders looked a little fake, but this is only a minor complaint. For a solid chiller with a good few laughs along the way then Arachnophobia is at the top of the pile, and definately stands the test of time.
Advantages: Great story line, still makes me jump, novel Disadvantages: None really
...inevitable. I saw Arachnophobia for the first time many years ago, I’d be about 8. I’d just recently developed the irrational fear of spiders (it was just after the wall incident). I’m not sure why I watched it then really considering I’d been having nightmares about the eight legged freaks that landed on top of me after I’d somehow fallen off the wall! I found films even slightly scary terrifying. I practically only ... ...from a profound case of arachnophobia (how convenient!) One spider makes its way back to California in this so-called sealed case with the dead guy in it. His corpse is found to be drained of blood. I wonder why that could be? This spider finds it way into the new barn the doctor and his wife have bought with their new house. It breeds with a local resident (a small spider might I add!) and hence wrecks terror on the town. I won’t give anything ...
Sarah_Louise 01.01.2003
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Arachnophobia (DVD)
...Arachnophobia was directed by Frank Marshall who I had never heard of. To be honest I don't really know much about film direction and don't really know what separates a good director from a bad one. All I can say is that the scenes were well thought out and shot very well.
The main cast consisted of the doctor (Jeff Daniels) and his family (his wife was played by Harley Jane Kozac). Of the actors in the film the only one I had previously heard of ... ...the plot hardly required Oscar -winning skills.
DVD EXTRAS
Certificate PG
Approx 105 mins
This DVD came with no extras.
Languages : English/French/Italian
Price: approx £6
MY OVERALL OPINION
The film was very entertaining and very enjoyable. It wasn't petrifying by any means but I would not recommend young kids watching it as nightmares may result! Obviously if you are a genuine arachnophobe don't even go near it- you will not be able to ...
rollerskaterabbit 01.04.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Arachnophobia (DVD)
Advantages: Fun movie, with a few scares! Disadvantages: A lot .. but who cares!
Arachnophobia is a movie that was released in the UK in 1991, and was directed by Frank Marshall, and co-produced by Steven Spielberg. The movie, based on spiders, hence the title, stars among others, Jeff Daniels, Harley Jane Kozak and John Goodman.
A new species of deadly spider is accidentaly transported to a small American town, from a research expedition in Venezuela, and mates with a local spider. The result is that hundreds of new deadly ... ...Dr Ross Jennings (Jeff Daniels), a new doctor in town, and with a fear of spiders, is one of the first to realise the fact that the recent rising death toll could be down to spider bites. The Doctor, and his wife (Harley Jane Kozak) and with the help of the local pest exterminator (John Goodman), must convince the towns people of the new dangers and also find and destroy the nest of the original spider, in order to save the lives of the surviving ...
danmclovin 31.08.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Arachnophobia (DVD)
...go and rent this movie. Arachnophobia - a horror movie with spiders being the main protagonists. Eeeeek!!
Directed by Frank Marshall(later to direct Alive and Congo before disappearing after the latter's flop) and produced by Steven Spielberg, Arachnophobia is a movie which is guaranteed to make your skin crawl. It begins in the jungles of South America. An American photographer is bitten by a poisonous spider and dies very shortly afterwards. His ... ...his home town, but not before said nasty poisonous beastie has sneaked inside the coffin as well. BAck home, the spider mates with an indiginous species causing a nasty hybrid of the creature to run riot in a small town. The new doctor begins that a spate of deaths in his new practice may be spider related and the hunt is on to track down the beasties before thy spread and cause more havoc.
Like I said, it made my skin crawl from start to finish ...
wampyrii 29.09.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Arachnophobia (DVD)
Advantages: good entertainment Disadvantages: not really as scary as the title sounds
Director: Frank Marshall
Producers: Steven Speilberg, Don Jakoby and Richard Vane
Writers: Don Jakoby, Al Williams and Wesley Strick.
Stars: Jeff Daniels, John Goodman, Julien Sands, Brian McNamara and Harley Jane Kozak.
Released in 1990 this horror/comedy was meant to be the ultimate scare for any one with even a slight fear of spiders.
**BRIEF PLOT**
When a rather scary and very deadly spiders is accidentally smuggled from the Amazon to Canaima, ... ...in a barn and begins to breeds with the more common local spiders This spider, however, is no normal spider, it is a killer spider, with real killer instincts, and as it breeds millions of a new type of killer spiders begin to threaten the small towns inhabitants.
The new boy in town, physician Ross Jennings (played by Jeff Daniels), happens to be terrified of spiders and, as in most movie, has to face his fears when he confronts the killer arachnids.
...
blissman70 21.05.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Arachnophobia (DVD)
A group of scientists discover a new species of spider in the Amazon Rain Forest and accidentally bring one home with them on their return. The inhabitants of a small town in California are soon plagued by a mysterious killer...
Release details
DVD Region
DVD
Studio(s)
Hollywood Pictures Home Video; Technicolor Distribution Services
Release date
22/01/2001
No of Discs
1
Catalogue No
BED 888170
Barcode
5017188881708
Languages
Main Language
English
Dubbed Language
French, Italian
Subtitle Language
French
Hearing Impaired Language
English
Technical information
Aspect Ratio
1.85 Wide Screen
Sound
Dolby Digital 4.0 Surround, Dolby Digital 4.1 Surround
Dubbing Sound
Dolby Digital 4.0 Surround French Italian Dolby Digital 4.1 Surround English
Professional reviews
Review
"...Marshall shows a deft hand at mixing thrills and laughter....It creeps up on you..." (Rolling Stone, p.45, 23/08/1990)
"...[A] very funny suspense comedy. It has the grace and airiness of a classic Hitchcock thriller..." (Sight and Sound, p.280, 01/09/1990)
DVD Description
A group of scientists discover a new species of spider in the Amazon Rain Forest and accidentally bring one home with them on their return. The inhabitants of a small town in California are soon plagued by a mysterious killer...
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