Here we list a number of films, animated and real (well, not so real due to some rather wooden acting and special effects from the 70’s). Many will have you gripping onto your cinema seat with tears streaming down your cheeks in sheer terror; others will take you back to your youth as you pretended not to like watching animated films whilst looking after the next-door neighbours runny-nosed sticky fingered kid. Enjoy.
- Arachnophobia– What a film. A sleepy all-American town is infested by a plague of deadly spiders who hitched a ride in a coffin from South America. Jeff Daniels is the town’s new “Dr. Death” who draws upon his inner Tarzan to save the day. The film lends us some laugh-out-loud, deadpan acting from Don Goodman who acts as the Exterminator. Genuinely frightening at times and hard to take your eyes off, this will still rival any modern-day film-frightener. Not one for a first-date.
- A Bug’s Life- One at the other end of the spectrum now with this 1998 animated classic. Our old friend, Filk the ant, accidentally destroys a famine-stopper supply of food which was to be used as protection money for Hopper, the grasshopper. Hopper is about as pleased as a bear with a hangover and threatens the ants. Filk saves the day by making friends with a bunch of circus performing insects. As you do.
- The Fly– This 1986 remake grossed $40.4 million for its special effects and acclaimed acting from Jeff Goldblum. It tells the story of a slightly bonkers, very eccentric scientist trying to create teleportation. Using one of his inventions, he transported himself from one pod to another, but accidentally took a little friend with him- a fly. He gradually begins to morph into a bigger version of the little winged pest. Finding and then losing a girlfriend, spewing acid and a scene with a shotgun, this creepy yet Oscar winning film is one of the best re-makes you’ll ever find.
- The Swarm– Michael Caine said of this particularly bad cult movie; “It wasn’t just me, Hank Fonda was in it too, but I got the blame for it”. Poor acting and effects ensure that this film flopped big time, but as it was about a swarm of Killer Bees, we couldn’t leave it off this list. The aforementioned critters attacked and killed adults and children alike without mercy causing many a cinema-goer to wake up in the night drenched in sweat.
- Spiderman- Not a real arachnid, but rather a nerdy kid who gets bitten by a spider and adopts some of its powers. The total opposite of “The Fly”, the famous Super Hero takes on criminals by swinging from skyscraper to skyscraper saving damsels in distress. With “Great Power Comes Great Responsibility”. Rather!