SPIDER BABY (1964/released 1967), aka CANNIBAL ORGY, THE MADDEST STORY EVER TOLD, THE LIVER EATERS

Director: Jack Hill

Writer: Jack Hill

Producers: Paul Monka, Gil Lasky

Cast: Lon Chaney, Jr. (as Lon Chaney), Quinn Redeker, Carol Ohmart, Jill Banner, Beverly Washburn, Sid Haig, Mary Mitchel, Karl Schanzer, Mantan Moreland, Joan Keller Stern, Carolyn Cooper 

Due to inbreeding, many generations of the Merrye family have been afflicted with a genetic disorder. At about ten years of age, the Merrye Syndrome causes mental regression. Eventually, the Merryes devolve into a deformed, bestial state. Bruno (Lon Chaney, Jr.) is the chauffeur and caretaker for the last surviving members of the Merrye family line. Bruno swore to his late master that he would always look after the Merrye children, Virginia (Jill Banner), Elizabeth (Beverly Washburn), and Ralph (Sid Haig). Now fully grown, these three siblings have begun mentally regressing to become increasingly childish and emotionally unstable. They can also be quite dangerous if not supervised. When the distant cousins of the Merryes, Peter Howe (Quinn Redeker) and his sister Emily (Carol Ohmart), arrive at Merrye House to become heirs to the Merrye estate and the legal guardians of the Merrye children, there is conflict created by the inevitable upheaval of the Merrye family. 

The Flashback Fanatic movie review 

The term “cult film” gets thrown around a lot these days. Spider Baby is exactly the sort of movie that deserves such a label. It may have been ahead of its time, yet it was almost impossible for its merits to be noticed. It was not released for three years after its completion, and then it had only very limited theatrical releases. Much later it was subjected to years of subpar home videotape presentations. Despite all of these setbacks, Spider Baby mania spread slowly but surely. Decades after its production, Spider Baby was finally discovered and appreciated as a morbid, madcap classic. 

Familial phobia must have been highly contagious back in 1964. Writer-director Jack Hill was finishing the filming of his Spider Baby just as television debuted two classic series about creepy families: The Addams Family (1964-66) and The Munsters (1964-66). While much of the humor in those sitcoms is the result of the weird families either taking pride in their eccentricities or being completely oblivious to their “not fitting in,” Spider Baby’s humor is of a more dark and disturbing sort. 

In addition to the dangers in the dilapidated Merrye House, there are plenty of giggle-worthy, uncomfortable moments. The dinner scene is absolutely brilliant in its succession of one unsavory and inappropriate comment and incident after another. I bust out laughing every time I see the fresh garden greens being served. 

Lon Chaney, Jr., is the top-billed star bound to lure the horror film fans. This was probably Chaney’s last worthy film role. Chaney relished the chance to play the lead in a story laced with dark comedy. As Bruno, the Merrye family caretaker, Chaney displays paternal compassion, stress, and sorrow. He also makes statements that increase apprehensions about this crazy situation. Since his character is protecting the Merrye family by hiding their secrets and crimes, we are never sure what sort of threat he may pose. His Bruno certainly seems to have been affected by the isolation he shares with the strange Merrye family. 

The most oft-told behind-the-scenes anecdote about Spider Baby is the five-minute ovation Chaney received from fellow members of the cast and crew after the tearful talk that his character has with the Merrye “children” as things have gotten way out of hand. Even at this late stage of his career, the underappreciated Chaney could still be as touching as ever. He really adds heart to this creepy and crazy flick. 

In her very first film role, 17-year-old Jill Banner appears as the title character. Her Virginia is the spider-obsessed member of the Merrye family. Her favorite game is “playing spider.” This involves a net Virginia uses as her spider web and butcher knives. Whenever Virginia takes a dislike to someone they remind her of a bug, which means they are spider prey. 

Exploitation movie veteran Sid Haig was off to a running start playing unpleasant characters in his early film role here as Ralph, the oldest and most regressed of the Merrye children. He is mute, infantile, and makes every interaction uncomfortable. His manners are non-existent. Ralph never learned the lesson called “Don’t Stare.” Unfortunately, he indulges in even more offensive behaviors. 

With a long career as a child actor already behind her, Beverly Washburn plays Elizabeth Merrye. Poor old Bruno is always relying on her to be the most responsible of the three afflicted Merrye “children.” With every eye roll and tilt of her head, we know that she is not to be trusted for a minute. Despite Bruno’s admonitions not to hate, Elizabeth always finds reasons for others to be hated. 

Many years later, actor Quinn Redeker was still befuddled as to why Spider Baby was still remembered and revered by its fans. This may be a reflection of his ambivalence about his approach to his role of Peter Howe. Director Jack Hill thought Redeker played it just right, and I would agree. Peter Howe is supposed to be a “normal” and distant relative to the afflicted Merrye family. But he has a dense benevolence that seems to be in denial of the uncomfortable situations and consequences around him. Rather than being the one we expect to restore the social order, Redeker’s willfully ignorant Peter Howe makes us almost as uneasy as the Merrye House residents. 

Carol Ohmart was a former Miss Utah and the fourth place contestant in the 1946 Miss America pageant. Ohmart would go on to many film appearances and guest-starring television roles, but she is probably best remembered for her horror films House on Haunted Hill (1959) and Spider Baby. Here Ohmart plays the greedy, gorgeous Emily Howe, the older sister to the amiable Peter. When Omart’s cold and deliberate character lets her hair down to indulge herself in private by modeling vintage lingerie from a Merrye House closet, it’s an absolute showstopper. Unfortunately, eavesdropping Ralph likes what he sees… 

Karl Schanzer is the lawyer Mr. Schlocker, and Mary Mitchel plays his lovely secretary, Ann. Schanzer’s Schlocker never really does anything wrong, yet his manner is so stuffy and unctuous that you can’t help but dislike him. Of course, he is also facilitating the legal disruption of the Merrye household. Small wonder that spider-fixated Virginia considers him another bug, which is never a good sign. However, everyone seems to like Mitchel’s Ann. That still doesn’t mean that Mitchel won’t have to prove her worth yet again as what director Roger Corman considered “the perfect victim.” 

Old-time film comedian Mantan Moreland had provided comedy relief in plenty 1940s mystery and horror films. He was chauffeur Birmingham Brown to Sidney Toler’s Charlie Chan in the detective film series from Monogram Pictures. Moreland makes an appearance in Spider Baby’s first creepy scene. This establishes the unpredictable and uneasy vibe for the rest of the film. 

Composer Ronald Stein’s music deserves a special mention. He had scored plenty of ’50s and ’60s sci-fi and horror film favorites. In the first of this film’s many offbeat highlights, Stein’s opening theme for Spider Baby is accompanied by Chaney’s lines of demented poetry to really set the crazy pace for this warped film. 

With a cast like this and an eccentric and inspired script by director Jack Hill, it’s a damned shame that it took so long for Spider Baby to get its due. It is a variation on the old-dark-house thrillers of the past while anticipating some of the corruption of family values to be seen in later films like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974), The Hills Have Eyes (1977), and The Unseen (1980). I think Carol Ohmart was onto something when she wondered if Spider Baby would be nominated for an Oscar. Sure, I may be twisted, but Carol Ohmart can do no wrong!