TARANTULA! (DVD Review) - 30/4/06

A classic Universal slice of Black & White 1950's Sci-Fi "Tarantula!" was a film I had heard about but never got round to seeing and it's only just recently been released on Region 2 (UK) DVD in 2006 and not available anywhere else at the moment from what I can see. Again only available as a vanilla disc the sound and picture is not bad from a film made in black & white from the 50's. Jack Arnold the Director had also directed other fifties classics's like "It Came From Outer Space" (1953), "Creature From The Black Lagoon" (1954) and "The Incredible Shrinking Man" (1957). He was also involved with re-shoots on "This Island Earth" (1955) which he was uncredited for, much like Clint Eastwood's early role (also uncredited) as the Jet Squadron Leader in "Tarantula!" All the plot points in these type of films are there from the usual view of small town America faced with a formidable threat and wooden acting to the stock footage of moving scenery whilst driving cars. Leo G. Carroll pops up as the mad scientist character (familiar to many from his role in "The Man From U.N.C.L.E.") The most hilarious bits feature on the film poster as the monster spider runs off with a woman in it's jaws, the hero wields a machine gun and the townspeople flee as their home is destroyed - None of which actually happens in the film....just a little bit of artistic licence there, eh? The 50's heroine turns up by bus at the beginning and you know; just know, that within half an hour she will be screaming at the top of her lungs. Spider escapes, terrorizes townsfolk, gets shot at, blown up with dynamite and finally gets napalmed just outside of town for that crispy toasted spider snack finish. Rating: PG. Soundtrack: English/German & Menu Screens as well - Mono. Subtitles: English, German, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Hungarian, Norwegian, Polish & Swedish. PAL B&W Regions 2, 4 & 5. Full Frame: 1.33:1.UNIVERSAL 2005/8240974/ISBN # 5050582409741>