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Spider Baby is a
strange and lovable
movie that deserves
to be as well known
and cherished as
the Addams Family
TV series from the
same era.
Imagine the Addams
family, but darker,
crazier, sexier
and more perverse.
Like the Addamses,
the Merryes are
'creepy, kooky,
mysterious and spooky,'
but they're also
victims of a rare
disease called Merrye's
Syndrome which turns
them increasingly
childlike and deadly.
The 'spider baby'
is a dark haired
vixen named Virginia
who likes to play
spider in a murderously
playful way. Brother
Ralph, played by
a very young Sid
Haig (Captain Spaulding
in the Rob Zombie
films) has a fondness
for eating strays.
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Life is happily
abnormal in the
Merrye household
until a greedy relative
played by scream
queen Carol Ohmart
arrives to evict
the family from
their home.
There are premonitions
of The Rocky Horror
Show as well as
70's slasher films
in Spider Baby's
twisted funhouse.
The legendary Lon
Cheney Jr. appears
as the family chauffeur
and protector. He
also sings the classic,
delightfully funny
theme song which
was covered by Fantômas
on their Director's
Cut CD.
Actress Jill Banner
was only 17 at the
time of filming,
in her first movie
role.
Director Jack Hill
went on to create
many classic B-movies
like Foxy Brown,
Big Doll House and
Switchblade Sisters.
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