Saturday, 18 September 2021 18:56

Kingdom of the Spiders






THE KINGDOM OF THE SPIDERS

US, 1997, 97 minutes, Colour.
William Shatner, Tiffany Bolling, Woody Strode.
Directed by John Bud Cardos.

Kingdom of the Spiders is one of the better animal menace films, so popular in the mid-70s and later. Taking its cue from Jaws (as so many of the other films did), the film had an authentic Arizona atmosphere, has credible enough characters and the spiders are presented as much more realistic. There is also an emphasis on suspense rather than too many ugly shots. This makes the events more plausible and the impact of the ecological message more telling. A competent cast give their best to give the film some humour as well as some human feeling.

1.The popularity of animal menace films? Nightmares and facing them? Horror? The instinctual aspects of animals and their potential to frighten, hurt? The ecology messages about animals – and their natural peacefulness, yet their becoming immune to insecticides, turning against animal life and human beings? The blend of traditional horror with social message?

2.The plausibility of the film, the atmosphere of Arizona, farms and cities, vets and experts from the university? The range of characters in the town? The basic situations: cattle, the county fair, farms, the town, motels? The background of science and its explanations? Environmental consciousness in the 70s?

3.Colour photography, views of Arizona and their beauty, shocks and suspense, the special effects – especially for the deaths, the cocooning of characters and eventually the town? Atmosphere and musical score?

4.The highlighting of the message about environment and ecology, humans and attitudes towards insects, insecticides and chemical development, poisonous gases and their being used indiscriminately – with the threat to human beings (the echoes of the Vietnam war and their use)? Upsetting the balance of nature, spiders becoming aggressive? The comment of the scenario about insects reacting, not being optimistic for human beings?

5.The message of the film about coping with crisis situations, heroism, survival and death?

6.The impact of the introduction with the death of the cattle, the dogs? The atmosphere of the spiders and their seeming to be ordinary, yet their biting people? The man selling the tyre? The style with which the spiders were filmed? Individuals, groups, the large number, the hill? The photographing of the hill? The many hills? The burning of the hill? The growing menace – in Diane’s room, threatening Colby, Burch? Linda and her mother? The people and their reaction to spiders, fright, the growing numbers of deaths? Colby, Burch, Mildred, Fred? The pressures to drop insecticides and the death of the pilot? The panic generated, the crowds in the city rushing about, the collapse of the water tower? The siege of the group in the motel? The final cocooning of the whole town? The gradual build-up of the kingdom of the spiders and its effect on the audience?

7.Rack as hero – competence in his work, looking after his son-in-law and Linda, popular in the town, skill at his work, examining the cattle, reaction to Diane after meeting her at the gas station? Cool relationship, thawing? Friendship with the sheriff? Clash with the mayor about the county fair? The personal interludes with Diane at the picnic, Linda? The rescuing of Linda, and Terry’s death? The gradual coping with the situation? Its getting out of hand? The siege and his being attacked by the spiders? The prospect of the future after the destruction of the town?

8.Diane and her glamour, her rival, cool relationship with Rack, her skill, relationships, romantic interludes? The shower sequence and the spider in her room, her growing fear, the siege? Conventional heroine?

9.Colby and his building up of his farm, his reaction to the death of his cattle, the destruction of the spiders, his death? Burch and her grief, her being attacked? Emma and her heart of gold, running the motel, relationship with Gene, friendliness, participation in the siege? Vern and Betty, the satire on the tourists? Their being caught up in the terror? The dramatic impact of the incidents concerning these characters?

10.The burning of the anthill, the spraying of the town, the death of the pilot, the sheriff and his plans for the county fair? Political implications, social pressures?

11.The credibility of the plot, building its plausibility? Audiences identifying with the characters – what if…? Terror and helplessness? Insects and ordinary reactions to them? Poisons?

12.A satisfying blend of horror, action, message?
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