Spider Baby or, The Maddest Story Ever Told

Original title: Spider Baby or, the Maddest Story Ever Told

IMDb RATING

6.8/10

8.1K

YOUR RATING

Jill Banner and Beverly Washburn in Spider Baby or, The Maddest Story Ever Told (1967)

A caretaker devotes himself to three demented siblings after their father's death.

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Comedy Horror

A caretaker devotes himself to three demented siblings after their father's death.A caretaker devotes himself to three demented siblings after their father's death.A caretaker devotes himself to three demented siblings after their father's death.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.8/10

8.1K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 1 nomination

Bruno
(as Lon Chaney)

Carol Ohmart

Emily

Quinn K. Redeker

Peter
(as Quinn Redeker)

Beverly Washburn

Elizabeth

Jill Banner

Virginia

Sid Haig

Ralph

Mary Mitchel

Karl Schanzer

Schlocker

Mantan Moreland

Messenger

Sidney Berger

Roadway worker
(uncredited)

Carolyn Cooper

Aunt Clara
(uncredited)

Joan Keller Stern

Aunt Martha
(uncredited)

Director
- Jack Hill
Writer
- Jack Hill
All cast & crew
Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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Spider Baby, or The Maddest Story Ever Told

Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
According to Sid Haig, when Lon Chaney Jr. finished the scene where Bruno talks about the toy, the crew was in tears. Chaney also received a standing ovation and wasn't able to leave the set for five minutes.

Goofs
Shortly after Peter and Emily Howe arrive at the mansion, a cast member and camera are reflected in the car window as Peter rolls up the side window of the convertible.

Quotes
[opening titles; sung]
Bruno, The Chauffeur: Screams and moans and bats and bones / Teenage monsters in haunted homes / The ghosts on the stair / The vampires bite / Better beware, there's a full moon tonight / Cannibal spiders creep and crawl / Boys and ghouls having a ball / Frankenstein, Dracula and even the Mummy / Are sure to end up in somebody's tummy / Take a fresh rodent, some toadstools and weeds / And add an old owl and the young one she breeds / Mix in seven legs from an eight-legged beast / And then you're all set for a cannibal feast / Sit round the fire with this cup of brew / A fiend and a werewolf on each side of you / This cannibal orgy is strange to behold / In the maddest story ever told

Crazy credits
As the film ends, "THE END" appears on the screen, then suddenly changes to "THE END ?".

Alternate versions
A special home video version, released by Video Treasures in 1994, features a remastered print of the film (all previous versions being of very dubious quality). This version is also widescreened and features footage (after the film) of a cast/crew reunion at a midnight showing of the film.

Connections
Edited into Pale Moonlight Theater: Spider Baby (2014)

Soundtracks
Spider Baby Theme
(uncredited)
Written by Ronald Stein
Performed by Lon Chaney Jr.

User reviews125

Review

Featured review

7/10

Addams Family visits the Bates Motel!

This creepy, little film is a minor masterpiece! I can't believe I never caught this one back in the 60's. Lon Chaney, Jr. gives a heartfelt performance as old Bruno and the rest of the cast is splendid. Especially Jill Banner as Virginia. What a strange story to be filmed. A 7 out of 10. Best performance = Lon Chaney, Jr. with Jill Banner a close second.

I'm no Jack Hill expert, but it sounds like he's made some interesting films in the 60's and 70's. I've never seen quite this combination of creepiness and black humor with stunning b/w cinematography. Track this one down for sure. The other two "kids" are marvelous as well. You don't have to like OR hate spiders to enjoy this flick (made in 12 days).