Eight Legged Freaks

[Horror whore]

We'll since everyone has been making these threads I decided to jump in on the fun (even though I've made them before). So this will be the thread where you post thoughts, comments, reviews, or whatever the fuck you want. I for one will be seeing it opening day (I hope)...

P.S.- This is my second time making this thread, if you still feel it is too early to start this thread, feel free to close it... (But it opens in like 2 days... http://www.joblo.com/ubb/wink.gif)

[charles lee ray]

i really want to see 8 Legged Freaks. its probobly not going to have a lot of plot, just a bunch of big hairy mutated man eating spiders killing people but thats ok i still want to see it. and that girl that stars in it,Kari Wuhrer is hot.

[Strider]

Eight Legged Freaks doesn't look very interesting at all. The movie looks so stupid! Although, maybe it wants to be stupid. Who knows? Unless I can get in for free, or unless there's absolutely nothing to see... I might check it out.

Oh BTW, anybody see a p.o.s. film named Bats. If so, you'll agree that "Eight Legged Freaks" looks exactly the same, right?

Strider

[TheFrost]

Spiders.....?.....SPIDERS.....?!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I might watch it

[XCoRyX]

its something i'll see in the theaters only if im not paying...otherwise i'd just be renting it.

[Moviefreek]

I don't understand, i guess we don't have many campy movie watchers out there, this movie looks gread and a load of fun. I loved Tremors, this looks like something of that sort. I also like Independence Day and Godzilla, I'm in for a treat.

[rtatick]

I posted this in another thread but it fits right in here:

EIGHT LEGGED FREAKS!!!! I've been dying to see this movie. It's gonna be stupid as hell, but way enjoyable... Just like "Vertical Limit"... I usually watch intellegent stuff... But every once in a while, I have to turn my stupid brain off. Hee hee... I'm giddy.

(It's gonna be even better cause we are going to Dave and Busters before the movie for some games and heavy drinking )

[The Other]

The film comes out today. I'm ready for reviews (that don't have spoilers).

[Horror whore]

I'll be seeing it this Saturday along with Stuart Little 2 at the drive-in(!), I haven't been to the drive-in since I was 2!

[Mike]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Horror whore:
I'll be seeing it this Saturday along with Stuart Little 2 at the drive-in(!), I haven't been to the drive-in since I was 2! </font>

I thought you said that you saw JEEPERS CREEPERS and "O" at the drive-in...

[The Heart Collector]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Strider:
Eight Legged Freaks doesn't look very interesting at all. The movie looks so stupid! Although, maybe it wants to be stupid. Who knows? </font>

UH? I thought the fact that it's NOT serious couldn't be more obvious.

[Horror whore]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Mike:
I thought you said that you saw JEEPERS CREEPERS and "O" at the drive-in...</font>

I did!?!??! Whoaa... I must have been smoking something. I saw Jeepers Creepers and O the same day at my regular theater....

[Moviefreek]

I just got back from seeing it, I give it a healthy 7/10. It was entertaining and i liked it. My full review to be posted later.

[inglourious basterd]

Roger Ebert liked it and James Bernadelli thought it was passable...I think that is a good sign. I will post their reviews.


Roger Ebert
***

"Eight Legged Freaks" may be the movie that people were hoping for when they went to see "Men in Black II." They no doubt walked into the theater hoping for laughs, thrills, wit and scary monsters, and they backed their hopes with something like $133 million over 12 days. It is depressing to contemplate that many people spending that much money on a limp retread that runs out of gas long before it's over. Now here is "Eight Legged Freaks," which has laughs, thrills, wit and scary monsters, and is one of those goofy movies like "Critters" that kids itself and gets away with it.

The movie is about spiders, but it doesn't make the mistake of "Arachnophobia" (1990), which was about little spiders. Research shows that small insects don't play on the big screen. See also "The Swarm" from 1978, which, despite its Oscar for the beekeepers' uniforms, failed to excite audiences with its clouds of little buzzing dots. No, these spiders are built along the lines of the one Woody Allen encountered in "Annie Hall"; the females are as big as a Buick, and even the jumpers are as big as a dirt bike. I am reminded of the bird-eating spider in "Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course."

The movie takes place in bankrupt Prosperity, Ariz., which the mayor wants to sell lock, stock and barrel to a company that will fill its abandoned mines with toxic wastes. Outside town, an eccentric spider lover (an unbilled Tom Noonan) lives surrounded by glass tanks containing hundreds of exotic species. An ever-reliable 55-gallon drum, that standby of all toxic waste movies, spills into a nearby river and makes the grasshoppers, the spider food of choice, grow so big they're like "spider steroids." Soon a spider escapes and bites the collector, who of course thrashes around in such methodical agony that he overturns every single glass case, releasing all of his spiders, who soon start dining on dirt bikers, etc.

The movie stars David Arquette as a local boy who has returned after 10 years and still has a crush on cute Sheriff Sam Parker (Kari Wuhrer). Her son Mike (Scott Terra) is the owl-eyed little friend of the spider man; her daughter Ashley (Scarlett Johansson) seems superfluous at first but becomes indispensable in scenes involving a stun gun and, of course, lots of spiders. Little Mike has learned a lot about spiders from his dead friend and becomes the local expert.

The town is populated mostly by kooks, whose paranoia is led and fed by Harlan (Doug E. Doug); he runs a radio station from his mobile home and warns of alien attacks. The townsfolk are fed up with the mayor, whose get-rich-quick schemes have included a mall and an ostrich farm, but the mall provides a convenient locale for a last ditch stand (like in "Dawn of the Dead"), and the ostriches disappear gratifyingly when hauled under by giant trap-door spiders.

The movie's director, Ellory Elkayem, has a sure comic touch; he first handled this material in a short subject that played at the Telluride Film Festival, and then was hired by Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich, of "Godzilla" fame, to direct the feature. I like the way he keeps the characters likable and daffy, and positions the spiders just this side of satire. The arachnids make strange non-spidery gurgles and chirps, are capable of double-takes and are skilled at wrapping their victims in cocoons, to be devoured later.

The movie contains creepy but reliable cliches (sticking your hand into dark places), funny dialogue ("Please! Not the mall!") and bizarre special effects, as when a spider slams a cat so hard against plasterboarding that its face can be seen on the other side in bas relief. The chase scene with jumping spiders and dirt bikes adds a much-needed dimension to the boring sport of dirt bike racing. And I liked the way the cute sheriff dismisses her daughter's spider ravings as "media-induced paranoid delusional fantasies." Meanwhile, a love story blossoms, sort of.

I am not quite sure why the basement of the widow Gladys (Eileen Ryan) would lead directly into a mine shaft, or how the exoskeleton of a spider is strong enough to pound through a steel wall, or how, once again, the hero is able to outrun a fireball. But I am not much bothered. "Eight Legged Freaks" is clever and funny, is amused by its special effects, and leaves you feeling like you've seen a movie instead of an endless trailer.




[This message has been edited by psudoazn (edited 07-18-2002).]

[inglourious basterd]

James Berardinelli **1/2

Eight Legged Freaks tries to out-rumble Tremors and out-shriek Arachnophobia while establishing its own place amongst the small group of films that satirize B-grade monster movies. As proven by the dismal failure of Lake Placid, the last movie to travel this road, it can be a perilous journey. The line between a movie that's clever enough to be good and one that's just plain bad is pretty thin, and more than one director has lost his way. Lampoons of a genre that's filled with self-parodies is a tricky business. For the most part, Eight Legged Freaks gets things right. The movie offers plenty of scares and laughs - provided you can stay awake through the turgidly paced first half-hour, which has all the energy of a flu victim on Nyquil.

If you go to Eight Legged Freaks expecting anything but a campy, cheesy romp, then you have wandered into the wrong theater. This movie is for those who like smart (often self-referential) humor and cheap thrills. It lives off making fun of other movies while supplying the occasional creepy moment or sudden scare. Those who don't like spiders will definitely want to stay away. While the CGI special effects aren't that impressive (I assume they are intended to look fake), they are vivid enough to give arachnophobes nightmares. There is no way a spider-hater is going to derive enjoyment out of this motion picture. Take this into consideration if you're considering Eight Legged Freaks as a "date movie." Having your companion flee up the aisle at the sight of a 15-foot tarantula is not the best way to start an evening.

The cast is populated by B-movie and lesser-known names. David Arquette, recognized primarily as Courteney Cox's on-screen (in Scream) and off-screen leading man, is Chris McCormack, the film's main male character. He gets to wield all the cool tools: a shotgun, a cell phone, and a perfume spritzer. Kari Wuhrer, a veteran of low-budget films known for her tendency to remove clothing (although not in this PG-13 affair), is Sheriff Sam Parker, a chick with a gun and a penchant for squishing spiders. Scott Terra is Mike Parker, the kid who knows everything about the wee beasties, but to whom no one listens. Rising starlet Scarlett Johansson (Ghost World) is Mike's rebellious sister, Ashley. Doug E. Doug is Harlan, a radio show host who broadcasts about government cover-ups and alien conspiracies (think Art Bell with an attitude). Finally, there's Rick Overton as Deputy Pete, the nerdy cop who finds himself in way over his head when a spider gets into his house and eats his cat.

The spiders in Eight Legged Freaks start out normal size, until spider farm owner Josh (a creepy looking Tom Noonan) experiments by feeding them with crickets that have been contaminated by toxic waste. Suddenly, the spiders start getting bigger and bigger, and it isn't long before they have escaped from their cages and are dining on their owner. Within a week or so, they're big enough to overrun the small town of Prosperity, Arizona. The only ones standing between them and total dominance are a small group comprised of the characters mentioned above.

Director Ellory Elkayem, making his feature debut, was hand-picked by Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich for the lighthearted, non-serious tone he could bring to the picture. Elkayem delivers. He inserts plenty of gags, both visual and otherwise, into the film. One example of this is the spiders' "voices", which sound like something out of a cartoon. They giggle a lot and you can almost hear them go "Uh-oh" whenever things don't go their way. Composer John Ottman gets in on the fun as well, using strains of "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" in his score.

If all of Eight Legged Freaks was as entertaining as the final hour, I would have no problem giving it an unqualified recommendation (at least for anyone who isn't morbidly afraid of spiders). However, because the movie drags during the setup (the jokey tone feels forced until the spiders start pouncing), which comprises about a third of the running time, some viewers might do better waiting for this epic to reach home video. A little fast-forwarding during the first 30 minutes won't hurt things much. It's not as if there's any real character development to be missed, just a lot of needless exposition. Ultimately determining your appreciation level for this film shouldn't be difficult. If you liked Tremors and Arachnophobia or have a fondness for the old B-movies in which insects turn into giant monsters, this is your kind of movie. If you don't know what I'm talking about, this may not be the best opportunity for an introduction. Eight Legged Freaks lives up to the campiness of its title, and that's its chief strength.




[This message has been edited by psudoazn (edited 07-18-2002).]

[dellamorte dellamore]

Just some useless,but for me,interesting trivia.The director of 8 legged Freaks(Ellory Elkayem),was born and raised in the land of Peter Jackson,New Zealand of course.He even went to film school in Christchurch,a city in NZ where parts of LOTR were filmed.


So,you can see he comes from a strong pedigree,and it's no surprise that he would be attracted to this cheesy,over the top material,as i'm positive PJ(who started in Low Budget Horror/Comedy),is one of his main influences(how could'nt he be).


This is his first big budget effort,and it looks like this guy has a hit on his hands,and an extremely bright future.What is it about NZ and Australia,their turning out to be a wellspring of tremendous talents.


The US dominated for so long,but the rest of the world is no doubt catching up,and in some instances,leaving us in their wake with regards to innovative,entertaining cinema.


I would have said thought provoking,but for that you have to watch European cinema.


Oh yeah,this guy is only 28 or 29 years old,the lucky bastard.



[This message has been edited by dellamorte dellamore (edited 07-18-2002).]

[ScottTheScooter]

this movie was absolute crap... a lame rip off of another crap movie BATS.

[kubotakhan01]

I don't know about this one. The retarded title alone is enough to make me wonder what the hell The producers Were thinking. Oh yeah, now I know. These are the same guys who destroyed "Godzilla"'s good name and created that bullshit alien attack rip-off "Independence Day". Now I know why I fear for this flick.

[Horror whore]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by kubotakhan01:
The retarded title alone is enough to make me wonder what the hell The producers Were thinking</font>

It was originally called "Arac Attack" but the producers thought it sounded too much like "Iraq Attack". David Arquette made up Eight Legged Freaks...

[Mike]

According to leesmovieinfo.com EIGHT LEGGED FREAKS only grossed 1.4 Million dollars on Wednesday. I wonder how many theaters it's showing at right now because all of the theaters around here aren't starting it until Friday...

[This message has been edited by Mike (edited 07-18-2002).]

[inglourious basterd]

David Arquette's demeanor, expressions, and resume all turn me off. Considering that this movie is a parody and with Arquette's sense of humor, I believe that it will not strike me in the right way at all..

I guess I will just wait and see...

[Mike]

According to boxofficeguru.com EIGHT LEGGED FREAKS bowed in 2,402 theaters on Wednesday and expands to 2,530 on Friday.

[Scrunch]

This one can't be out of the theaters soon enough for me.

Ugh.

[Tuukka]

I can't believe Eight Legged Freaks is doing so badly. It's going to be an enourmous flop, and I thought it looked like a sure-fire hit...

[Tuukka]

The flick has an $596 average per theater...

[kubotakhan01]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Horror whore:
It was originally called "Arac Attack" but the producers thought it sounded too much like "Iraq Attack". David Arquette made up Eight Legged Freaks...</font>


It's still bad. Just very very bad.

[Common Sense Man]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by ScottTheScooter:
this movie was absolute crap... a lame rip off of another crap movie BATS. </font>

Man if you think 8LF is as bad as Bats you have some serious issues! Bats was pathetic, I mean they used foam Bats!

At least in 8LF we get some good looking spiders.

I thought it was great for a popcorn fun flick, it wasn't at all serious and they kept the kooky characters alive which in a real disaster movie they would not have.

This is not your classic horror flick, it is simply a comedy with big ass spiders!

If you are looking for blood and guts horror this is not the one, but if you want some decent scares some good freaky moments and big ass spiders that almost talk then this is the flick for you.

And I thought David's acting was great.

People sometimes a movie is just that, a movie! Something to go and watch and laugh at how stupid it is.

I would rather spend my dough on this than the latest Jason or Freddie, or Michael instalment.

7/10

Out..................................

[The Heart Collector]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Strider:
Bats. If so, you'll agree that "Eight Legged Freaks" looks exactly the same, right?
[/B]</font>


No. One's a horror movie and the other one's a parody....

[wolferock]

Well, I was one of those people who saw it on Wednesday when it opened - and judging from the lack of audience, I don't believe it's going to do very well. And it's not the title. It was kinda fun & cheesy & a great homage to old B-monster movies. But we were a little disappointed with it. It's more like Gremelins than Tremors - in fact the spiders even sound like Gremelins. What's up with that? But also, the special effects were not very special. In some scenes, they were downright awfull. It's good for a few laughs, but nothing that really sticks with you.
And maybe the problem was that we saw a double feature that day, and after seeing Reign of Fire first, 8 Legged Freaks just fell so short.

[Horror whore]

For those of you who have seen it: is there a LOTR:TTT preview before it? I just read somewhere that there is...

[Strider]

Eight Legged Freaks (2002)

Rated PG-13 for Sci-Fi Violence, Language, and Some Sexual Content

Director: Ellory Elkayem

Starring David Arquette, Kari Wuher, Doug E. Doug, Scarlett Johansson, Scott Terra, and Rick Overton.

http://i.imdb.com/Photos/Ss/0271367/ELF-FX-7.jpg

A variety of horrible poisonous spiders get exposed to a noxious chemical which causes them to grow to monumental proportion. When they begin to terrorize a small little town in Arizona, it's up to the entire town to fight back against the "eight legged freaks".

This year, I have seen many films that really surprised me... and the new monster flick, "Eight Legged Freaks" is definitely one that I will add to my list of pleasent surprises. Judging by the trailers and television spots, I thought the movie looked horrible. It looked way too much like "Bats", which was an easily forgettable film that opened Halloween 1999. And I despised that movie. So basically, I was expecting the exact same thing with "Eight Legged Freaks". I didn't get that. Instead, I got a really cheesy B-movie that was just a blast to sit through, and nothing but fun.

The entire cast in the movie is only there to kick some ass, deliver some great laughs, and get destroyed by some great looking mutanted spiders... and they all do their job well. The actor that really surprised me was David Arquette. He's really different here. How should I say it? Let's put it this way... I got to see a more mature and subtle side of himself in this film. Back to the cast, I enjoyed the humor delivered by Doug E. Doug, I enjoyed the gut-less officer played by Rick Overton, I enjoyed the sexy sheriff played by Kari Wuhrer, and her daughter, played by the sexy and talented Scarlett Johansson.

"Eight Legged Freaks" reminded me of other cheesy, yet highly entertaining monster flicks such as "Tremors" and "Gremlins". There's really not much more to say about this film. It's very entertaining, it's funny, and overall... it's nothing but a damn good time at the movies!

Running Time: 1 hour 40 minutes

Grade: 8/10

Strider

[Strider]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Horror whore:
For those of you who have seen it: is there a LOTR:TTT preview before it? I just read somewhere that there is...</font>

Nope. The only trailers I saw were for Blue Crush, Dreamcatcher, Blood Work, Pluto Nash, Red Dragon, Shanghal Knights, and Stealing Harvard.

Strider

[MaxDaDude]

This was what i was wanting to see when i saw the trailer, Big giant spider pouncing and snatching people with bits of comedy thrown in. Very entertaining and funny, But a very predictable plot. All in all id give it about a 7/10 for great entertainment

[bskutle]

"Eight Legged Freaks"- B+
Despite the presence of actor par annoyance David "C-A-L-L-A-T-T" Arquette, here's a B-movie monster mash- about toxic waste-enhanced spiders run amuck- that wears it's campy, goofy heart on it's sleeve with good, funny spider visual effects and sound effects, enjoyable performances by- gasp!- Arquette, B-movie siren Kari Wuhrer, and "Ghost World" gal Scarlett Johannsson (among others), and a terrific B-movie score by "Usual Suspects" master John Ottman making it all good, dumb summer ride fun. A surefire cult hit in the making.

[EDsoulsurvive*]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by MuLhoLLaNd DRiVe:
So far this movie is the best suprise of the year!</font>

right on!!!