There’s a Spider in the Auditorium Again

Send us Fan MailThis week on The Introverted Obelisk, we untangle the web of 1958’s Earth vs. The Spider—a film that asks the bold question: what if the real danger wasn’t the giant arachnid terrorizing small-town America, but the jazz band rehearsing inside the high school auditorium? Join us as we scuttle into a story featuring teenage sleuths, a high school science teacher who moonlights as a monster hunter, and a tarantula the size of a Buick with a serious grudge against stage lighting.We’ll crawl through every deliciously dusty cave, marvel at how no one ever seems that surprised by the monster, and enjoy a thrilling rollercoaster of “is it dead yet?” fake-outs. Plus, we’ll touch on the curious coincidence that two of this film’s stars also appeared in Bloodlust!—and that both apparently retired from acting shortly thereafter. Go figure.With its clunky charm, stock footage panic, and a score that swings between spooky and sock hop, Earth vs. The Spider spins a delightfully threadbare yarn of atomic-era terror. So grab a can of bug spray and keep your back to the wall—this one’s got more legs than sense.Support the show