It has been many years since I have seen this movie, but there is one thing I cannot remember. Why did he have to go out of his way to kill the spider? Was it because he was afraid it would stalk him and eventually kill him? I always thought spiders stayed close to their web. I hate spiders and was glad to see it gone, but I could not have gone one on one with something like this. I can barely kill one in my house!
shareI believe your first guess is correct. He was fearful that the spider would eventually kill him, so he killed the spider first. I honestly felt sorry for the creature. It was minding its own business on its web, with no intention of stealing the cake or harming Scott. Well, up until he started bothering it.
shareThe thing is since he was continuing to shrink it was now or never on killing the spider. He had to do it while he was still large enough to have a chance. If he waited until he shrank more he wouldn't have the strength or size.
Either way, it wouldn't be a task I relished...
He WAS afraid the spider would stalk him, but also, the piece of cake he needed for nourishment was at the web.
shareThanks. It has been so many years since I have seen this movie, that I had forgotten why he needed to kill the spider.
shareBut why couldn't he just eat the cake and then leave the spider alone. The arachnid had no interest in the cake whatsoever. And if he was quiet enough, he could have gotten it in peace. (As opposed to pelting little stones at the web.)
shareMost people have at least some fear of spiders. I suspect he wanted to get the conflict over with. I might be difficult to sleep in your little "Fire Chief" matchbook house knowing a spider bigger then you was walking around while you slept. He could probably imagine himself muching on the cake, looking up and the spider coming after him. At least the way he did it, he was prepared. Admittedly, if he was careful, he could have very gently broke off pieces of cake without disturbing the web, but he'd be worried about accidently making the spider aware of his presence.
Excellent points Galaxy Being! I never thought of it that way!
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I know exactly how you feel, little ones scare me. Scott was one brave guy alright.
shareIn the movie, he says "I knew sooner or later it would come out of its web after me and I knew one of us had to die", so he taunts it out to get it over with....I know this as I am watching it on telly at this minute, he is just contronting it now! AAAAAAGGHHH the spider's blood or whatever they have is running down the pin. This is a very sad movie which I saw when I was a kid and never ever forgot.
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Just watched the film and really enjoyed it.
I liked the spider, especially when it jumped on top of him
(is this a comedy..lol)
I felt that the spider was a metaphor for death and the oblivion.
When he finally killed the spider he said he 'felt like i didn't exist, i was no longer hungry'. Then he ascended towards that window travelng through
those bars (out of existence) Into the world beyond. At this point he starts
raving philosophical points about his place with god and the universe
he may continue to get smaller but he has now accepted his position.
What do you think?
"I think it would be fun to run a newspaper."
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I saw this film as a kid and also felt sorry for the spider,but it was trying to kill him earlier. When I saw it later as an adult, there was much more of the dialogue that I noticed and understood. During the film he does make a remark about the spider that shows he understands that the spider is only acting instinctively, and not out of malice towards him. He also makes a comparison between himself as a man and the human race, saying that as the human race have become masters of the world, so would he become master of his world. It is after this that he actively confronts the spider, not defending himself but aggressively eliminating it. Once this happens he doesnt feel happiness, victory or any emotion. I think that although he had to face and kill the spider at some time, the audience are given the choice of deciding whether it was right or wrong. He has become master of his own world, and we are left to decide if this was right or wrong.
shareThe main point for his killing the spider was that he had to do it whilst he still had the strength to do so.
Personally I think he could count himself lucky there was only one spider in the cellar - let alone a mouse or rat or other insects. I doubt he survived very long after he left the cellar and went out into the moonlight. Imagine the creepy crawlies that must have existed in the garden.........
Great movie.
The spider has chased him into his matchbox, so he was probably right that it wanted to prey on him eventually. As he says, out of survival, not malice.
shareI should like to know whether this was a real spider or simply trick photography - does anyone have any ideas?
shareIt definitely was a real spider. It has been stated that it's the same spider which was used in the movie Tarantula. It has even been said that the spider's name was "Tomorrow". Since tarantulas have a pretty long lifespan, one could have easily been in several movies spread over say, a decade.
Now some of the info about "Tomorrow" may be just legend, but it is a fact that a real spider (or spiders) was used in this movie and "Tarantula". Some of the close up leg shots, especially just outside the Scott's matchbox shelter, were done with puppetry or other practical effects.
I think using a magnified spider was the best way to go. Nothing else would've looked as real.
Galaxybeing, Many thanks - your observations are very interesting and I am sure you are correct. This movie has some incredible special effects considering that it is 52 years since it was released and 24 years since Grant Williams died.
shareHow come the Spider doesn't have it's own IMDB page?. The cat does. So why not spidey?.
shareThe spider's real name was "Tamara."
shareTamara ? isnt Tamara in "Tarantula" also ?
shareIt's been said that the same spider was in both. They certainly have a long enough lifespan to appear in two movies several years (or more)apart. But, I have never actually seen anything official on this. Maybe, if The Incredible Shrinking Man comes out in a special edition release, there will be more on this (commentary, trivia etc.). I have also heard that more then one tarantula was used. Also unconfirmed.
I'm not too keen on a comedy remake of this movie that may or may not still be in the works, but at least if that happens, it might prompt a stand alone release of the original.
Yes, it could be the same spider. Depending on the individual species, some tarantulas can live ten to twenty years or even longer.
By the way, has anyone else noticed how strange the spider looks on that DVD cover art? (the picture where Scott is fighting it). It looks like it's in the middle of shedding its skin. I can definately see a piece of cast-off from the top of the spider's head.
In the novel it was a Black Widow a smaller but more venomous spider than the Tarantula in the movie.
shareSpider meat very tasty.
Just don't eat the pincers.
Spiders are predators. Sooner or later the spider was going to go after Carey. He needed to strike first.
shareIt's been nearly twenty years since I've seen this film but what I remember thinking at the time is that the spider is a tarantula but tarantula's do not make webs like the one in the film. Perhaps I'm wrong though!
shareSince he was shrinking, the longer he waited to tackle the spider, the harder it would be.
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