Jack Arnold directed Tarantula, a sci-fi monster film produced by William Alland, about a scientist developing a miracle nutrient to feed a rapidly growing human population.
Robert M. Fresco and Martin Berkeley’s script was based on story by Arnold, which was in turn inspired by Fresco’s teleplay for the 1955 Science Fiction Theatre episode “No Food for Thought,” also directed by Arnold.
The cast includes John Agar, Mara Corday, and Leo G. Carroll.
In its unperfected state, the nutrient causes extraordinarily rapid growth, creating deadly problem when a tarantula test subject escapes and continues to grow larger and larger.
When a deformed man is found dead in the Arizona desert, Dr. Matt Hastings, a doctor from the town of Desert Rock, Arizona, is called in by the sheriff to examine the body.
The body is that of biological research scientist Eric Jacobs, an acquaintance of Hastings’. Jacobs’ colleague, Dr. Gerald Deemer, says Jacobs died of acromegaly, but Hastings is unconvinced, as acromegaly takes years to reach its current state.
Deemer acknowledges that Jacobs’s development of acromegaly was rapid, over just four days, but insists that such anomalies are expected.
The film was distributed as a Universal-International release, and reissued in 1962 through Sherman S. Krellberg’s Ultra Pictures.
In the end, as night falls, the tarantula, now larger than a house, attacks the mansion. Deemer is killed, but Clayton escapes.
Hastings returns for her in his car, and the tarantula pursues them down the highway. The sheriff’s men intercept, but their guns have no effect. Dynamite is gathered from town, but a blast does not faze the tarantula.
As they evacuate the town, an Air Force fighter jet squadron launches a napalm attack, incinerating the tarantula.
Cast
John Agar as Dr. Matt Hastings
Mara Corday as Stephanie Clayton
Leo G. Carroll as Prof. Gerald Deemer
Nestor Paiva as Sheriff Jack Andrews
Eddie Parker as Jacobs, Lund, and the Airport Workman
Ross Elliott as Joe Burch
Hank Patterson as Josh
Edwin Rand as Lt. John Nolan
Raymond Bailey as Dr. Townsend
Bert Holland as Barney Russell
Steve Darrell as Andy Andersen
Casting Trivia
Clint Eastwood appears uncredited as the jet squadron leader.
