Eight Legged Freaks
| Company type | Film |
|---|---|
| Industry | Entertainment |
| Founded | 2002 |
| Founder | Ellory Elkayem (director) |
| Products | Monster comedy horror film |
Eight Legged Freaks—initially released in certain European and international territories under the title Arac Attack—is a 2002 monster comedy horror feature directed by Ellory Elkayem. The film stars David Arquette, Kari Wuhrer, Scott Terra, Doug E. Doug, and Scarlett Johansson. Its narrative follows a group of spiders that, after exposure to mutagenic toxic waste, grow to gigantic proportions and begin terrorizing a small mining community in the United States.
Plot
Near the Arizona mining town of Prosperity, a truck accident results in toxic waste spilling into a local pond. Joshua Taft, who farms spiders, collects crickets from this pond to feed his unusually large Brazilian orb-weaver spider named Consuela. Following Joshua’s death at the hands of his escaped tarantula, the spiders begin to grow uncontrollably due to the contamination.
Chris McCormick returns to Prosperity with the goal of preventing Mayor Wade’s plan to sell off the mines, convinced that his deceased father uncovered gold there. He also reconnects with Sam Parker, the town’s sheriff and mother of a local boy named Mike. Despite Chris’s assertions, Wade pushes for relocation during a town meeting.
Mike discovers evidence of giant spiders near the mines but is initially disregarded. As these oversized arachnids start attacking pets and livestock, Harlan Griffiths—an eccentric alien enthusiast—offers theories about their origins. The situation worsens when residents fall victim to attacks; Wade’s stepson, Bret, becomes trapped underground after severing phone lines.
Chris uncovers that his aunt Gladys has been taken captive and finds proof of the giant spiders’ presence. When a huge orb-weaver assaults them, Sam kills it and coordinates an evacuation to the shopping mall. Harlan and Chris attempt to summon military assistance but are dismissed as hoaxers. The spiders then invade the mall, forcing survivors into its basement while Wade escapes underground only to be captured.
Bret arrives with a forklift to facilitate their escape through methane-filled tunnels. They locate Consuela’s nest and rescue Wade. Chris finds Gladys and discovers his father’s gold vein but faces Consuela once more. Using perfume as a diversion, Chris ignites methane gas with cigarette matches, annihilating Consuela, her spider brood, and the mall.
Following Harlan’s distress signal, law enforcement arrives. Chris reopens the mine as Harlan continues broadcasting details about the incident while the town attempts to cover it up; the story concludes with Harlan revealing golden teeth during his broadcast.
Production
Director Ellory Elkayem drew inspiration for this film from his 1997 short titled Larger Than Life, which similarly involved battling spiders.
Initially named Arach Attack—a title retained in some international markets—the film was retitled due to concerns over its resemblance to "Iraq Attack" after the events of September 11. The eventual title, Eight Legged Freaks, originated from an impromptu line by Arquette: "Get back, you eight-legged freaks!" Visual effects were created by CFX.
The movie is dedicated to Lewis Arquette (David Arquette’s father), who passed away in 2001 from heart failure, as well as Don Devlin and Pilar Seurat, parents of producer Dean Devlin, who died from lung cancer in 2000 and 2001 respectively.
Filming locations
Although the story unfolds in the imaginary Arizona town of Prosperity, production took place at multiple real locations throughout Arizona:
- Scenes set in Prosperity Mall were filmed at the now-closed Manistee Town Center mall in Glendale, Arizona, which was demolished the following year; the film portrays its destruction after a methane explosion in a tunnel.
- The kitchen and basement sequences featuring Aunt Gladys were shot at the nearby Manistee Ranch in Glendale.
- The town’s exterior shots were captured in the historic copper mining community of Superior, Arizona.
- The gas station scene was filmed on location in Black Canyon City, Arizona.
Spiders featured in the movie
The production showcased a variety of spider species, including:
- Jumping spider
- Orb-weaver spider (including Consuela and male orb-weavers)
- Tarantula
- Trapdoor spider
- Spitting spider
- Tiger Wolf spider
Alternate opening
An extended introduction depicts Harlan promoting the mall, followed by Norman observing Wade near barrels of toxic waste before these are stored in underground mines.
Alternate conclusion
Following the mine explosions, residents seek assistance and meet Pete and Harlan in the desert. Pete attempts to persuade Harlan that the spiders are not extraterrestrial. The scene closes with a kiss shared between Sam and Chris.
Release
The teaser trailer debuted in October 2001 alongside films such as Thirteen Ghosts, Scooby-Doo, and Queen of the Damned. The movie’s release date was pushed back from March 15 to avoid clashing with Fox’s family animation Ice Age.
Reception
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 48% based on 145 critic reviews, with an average score of 5.44/10; consensus highlights a promising start but a disappointing finish. Metacritic assigns it a score of 53 out of 100 from 32 critics, reflecting mixed or average reviews. Audience polling by CinemaScore awarded it a "B−" grade.
Roger Ebert from the Chicago Sun-Times gave the movie 3 out of 4 stars, commending its combination of humor, suspense, and monster-themed entertainment reminiscent of movies like Critters.
Video game
A video game adaptation titled Eight Legged Freaks: Let the Squashing Begin was launched in 2002 for both PC and Mac platforms.
Cancelled sequel
According to a January 5, 2003 report by Moviehole, development on Eight Legged Freaks 2 was underway; however, no further information has been released since then.
Home media
Eight Legged Freaks became available on VHS and DVD (in both widescreen and fullscreen formats) on October 29, 2002. The first Blu-ray edition was issued by Shout! Factory on July 20, 2021.