Spider Baby
Come into my parlor, said the spider to the...
Country
Production
Budget
$65 000
Box office
$0
Director
Actors
Lon Chaney Jr., Carol Ohmart, Quinn K. Redeker, Beverly Washburn, Jill Banner, Sid Haig, Mary Mitchel, Karl Schanzer, Mantan Moreland, Joan Keller Stern
All actors and roles (10)
All actors and roles (10)
Scenario
Producer
Gil Lasky, Paul Monka
Camera operator
Alfred Taylor
Composer
Ronald Stein
Artist
Audition
Editing
Short description
In a dilapidated rural mansion, the last generation of the degenerate, inbred Merrye family lives with the inherited curse of a disease that causes them to mentally regress from the age of 10 or so on as they physically develop. The family chauffeur looks out for them and covers up their indiscretions. Trouble comes when greedy distant relatives and their lawyer arrive to dispossess the family of its home.
What's left behind the scenes
- In the 1990s, the film was considered lost until it was discovered that a 17mm VHS tape version with poor sound quality existed. Director and screenwriter Jack Hill found the original negative, made a clean digital copy, and released it. The film's copyright had lapsed, and Hill was able to release the copy as his own property. Hill included a scene cut from the original release and called the resulting version the 'director's cut'.
- The film was shot in 12 days in August 1964. On the small stage without air conditioning, the heat was often unbearable. On some days, Lon Chaney Jr. (1906-1973) had to wipe streams of sweat from his face between takes.
- In the scene where Ralph descends the wall of the house and looks into the window, Syd Haig (1939-2019) was lowered using a rope tied to his feet. Blood rushed to his head, the actor panicked, so the scene was filmed very quickly.
- During a fight scene with Mary Mitchell, Syd Haig had a temperature of over 104 degrees Fahrenheit due to the flu. He was examined every few hours by a doctor stationed on set for this purpose and periodically given an injection.
- In the 1990s, the film was considered lost until a 17mm VHS version with poor sound was discovered. Director and screenwriter Jack Hill found the original negative, created a clean digital copy, and released it. Since the film was not under copyright, Hill was able to release the copy as his own property. Hill included a scene cut from the original release and called the result a "director's cut."
- The film was shot over 12 days in August 1964. On the small stage without air conditioning, the heat was often unbearable. On some days, between takes, Lon Chaney Jr. (1906-1973) had to wipe away sweat that was literally streaming down his face.
- In the scene where Ralph descends the wall of a house to look through a window, Sid Haig (1939-2019) was lowered by a rope tied to his legs. Blood rushed to his head and the actor panicked, so the scene was filmed very quickly.
- During the struggle with Mary Mitchell's character, Sid Haig had a fever of nearly 40 degrees Celsius due to the flu. Every few hours, he was examined by a doctor stationed on set for this purpose, who periodically injected him with something.
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Auditions in India
Casting calls in USA
Castingi w Polsce
Кастинги в Україні
