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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r |
(aka "The Spider" aka "Earth vs. the Giant Spider")
Directed by Bert I. Gordon
USA 1958
Moviegoers had already been exposed to giant ants and a man turning half-fly
when The Spider creeped onto movie theater screens. Producer/writer/special
effects supervisor Bert I. Gordon was just the man to bring this giant arachnid
to the screen, having frightened moviegoers with films like
Attack Of The Puppet People and The Amazing Colossal Man. *** This is attempting to follow in "Tarantula's" footsteps, which was released with a modicum of success just a few years earlier. It encapsulates all the 'giant-bug' movie principles - we rarely see the offending insect, but we know we must kill it. We meet the two youths who discover the spider and, of course, a skeptical sheriff coupled with a science teacher who can help unravel the mystery behind the offending-ly huge arachnid. It is weak, even by the genre's low standards, but its does have appeal with its one dimensional characters and limited plot points (huh?). Not my favorite 50's sci-fi bungle but it has its moments. |
Posters
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Theatrical Release: September 20th, 1958
Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews
Comparison:
Lions Gate - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
Box Cover |
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Bonus Captures: |
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Distribution | Lions Gate - Region 1 - NTSC | Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray |
Runtime | 1:12:33 | 1:12:38.666 |
Video |
1.33:1
Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 7.45 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s |
1.85 :1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-rayDisc Size: 31,702,133,522 bytesFeature: 21,770,668,032 bytes Video Bitrate: 3 6.00 MbpsCodec: MPEG-4 AVC Video |
NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
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Bitrate: |
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Bitrate Blu-ray: |
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Audio | English (Dolby Digital mono) |
DTS-HD Master
Audio English 1703 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1703 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 /
48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit) Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps |
Subtitles | None | English (SDH), None |
Features |
Release Information: Edition Details: • War
of the Colossal Beast on the same disc |
Release Information: Studio: Shout! Factory
1.85 :1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-rayDisc Size: 31,702,133,522 bytesFeature: 21,770,668,032 bytes Video Bitrate: 3 6.00 MbpsCodec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
Edition Details: • NEW Audio Commentary By Filmmaker/Film Historian Ted Newsom• Mystery Science Theater 3000 - Earth Vs. The Spider (1:37:41) • 8mm Version Of Earth Vs. The Spider (9:01) • Theatrical Trailer (1:50) • Still Gallery Of Rare Photos Including Behind The Scenes Images (21:16)
Standard Blu-ray Case inside cardboard sleeve Chapters 12 |
Comments: |
NOTE:
The below
Blu-ray
captures were taken directly from the
Blu-ray
disc.
NOTE: We have added
48 more large
resolution Blu-ray captures
(in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE
On their
Blu-ray,
Shout! Factory use a DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel mono track (24-bit) in
the original English language. It is another advancement in the film's
effects - the spider makes some odd sounds - but mostly the score
by Albert Glasser (Attack
of the Puppet People,
Abilene Town,
The Cyclops,
I Shot Jesse James,
Behind Locked Doors)
that can be quite intense in the lossless. Shout! Factory offer optional English
(SDH)
subtitles on their Region 'A'
Blu-ray.
The Shout! Factory
Blu-ray
has a new audio commentary by filmmaker/film historian Ted Newsom who
makes some great comments on the film's strengths and, obvious,
weaknesses - like spending too much time in the caves. He digs pretty
deep remarking on Bert I. Gordon's penchant for intentional redundancy,
quick takes and how, although they thank Carlsbad Caverns National Park
in the credits - that they didn't come within 500 miles of that park. He
talks about the actors June Kenney, Mickey Finn, Hank Patterson (Fred
Ziffel from Green Acres) and others. Shout! Factory also include
the Mystery Science Theater 3000 take on Earth Vs The Spider
with their regulars Crow T. Robot / Dr. Clayton Forrester (Trace
Beaulieu), Joel Hodgson, Jim Mallon etc. As a curiosity there is also
the 9-minute 8mm Version Of Earth Vs The Spider, a theatrical
trailer and a lengthy stills gallery of rare photos including behind the
scenes images.
Bert I. Gordon's Earth vs the Spider (aka
"The Spider")
is really bad cinema - its biggest value is nostalgia, imo - and that is
okay with me. I liked the Newsome commentary and for many the inclusion
of the full Mystery Science Theater 3000 episode is a bonus. Even as
cheap and weak as Earth vs the Spider
is - the Blu-ray
image and audio are so much better than the old Lions Gate DVD - that it
still makes this a must-own for fans of these low-budget 'monster'
rip-offs. For everyone else I would say 'pass'.
Gary Tooze
ON THE DVD (2006):
Both films are on the same side of a dual-layered DVD without subtitles,
audio bumps or extras. For tube viewing the image quality is poor in close examination it is non-progressive with visible combing in
motion sequences and chroma bug. Aside from that I guess we should just be happy it got
released as neither film would warrant the production expense of a grand
package.
I think Earth vs.
the Spider may have a slightly superior contrast level, and may even
be moderately sharper. It is in the incorrect t 1.33:1 aspect ratio. These are still bare bones releases relying upon
the opposing film as the purchasable enticement. |
Lions Gate - Region 1 - NTSC
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Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
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CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION
Subtitle Sample - Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
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1) Lions Gate - Region 1 - NTSC TOP2) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM |
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1) Lions Gate - Region 1 - NTSC TOP2) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM |
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1) Lions Gate - Region 1 - NTSC TOP2) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM |
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More full resolution (1920 X 1080) Blu-ray Captures for DVDBeaver Patreon Supporters HERE
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Box Cover |
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Bonus Captures: |
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Distribution | Lions Gate - Region 1 - NTSC | Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray |
Search DVDBeaver |
S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r |