Jack Hill’s demented family comedy where innocence tangles with killer instincts in a decaying mansion.
SPIDER BABY
Come into my parlor, said the spider to the...
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.
Quick Answer
Spider Baby is a 1967 United States comedy horror film directed by Jack Hill about the inbred Merrye family, whose members regress mentally as they age and are cared for by a loyal chauffeur while outsiders threaten their crumbling home.
Programmer's Pick
Few films juggle hereditary madness, killer children, and black humor with the off-kilter charm Spider Baby delivers. Jack Hill assembles Lon Chaney Jr. and a motley cast for a tale where child welfare goes awry and family reunions are best avoided. It’s a cult cocktail of stockings, spiderwebs, and psychotic innocence.
— Flashington Programmer
Cast & Crew
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Why Cult
The Merrye clan’s unique affliction leads to a twisted blend of regression and menace, fueling the film’s bizarre horror-comedy energy.
Mentally regressed siblings with sadistic tendencies turn the idea of childhood innocence on its head.
Horror legend Lon Chaney Jr. anchors the madness as the beleaguered chauffeur, covering up the Merryes’ deadly antics.
Scheming relatives and a predatory lawyer descend on the Merrye mansion, sparking a macabre game of property and survival.
Questions from the Vault
When was Spider Baby released? +
Spider Baby was released in 1967.
Who directed Spider Baby? +
Spider Baby was directed by Jack Hill.
How long is Spider Baby? +
Spider Baby has a runtime of 84 minutes.
What genre is Spider Baby? +
Spider Baby is a comedy horror film.
Where can I watch Spider Baby? +
Spider Baby is available to watch on Flashington.
