Movies
HORROR 101: Everything You Need to Know About Giant Nuclear Bugs
Name a creepy crawler. An insect, an arachnid, four legs, six legs, eight legs, a hundred… If it exists, somewhere in 1950s cinema it has been irradiated, grown to terrifying size, and crushed puny little humans beneath its mighty, composited feet. On this month’s Horror 101, we’re here to give you a quick and dirty breakdown of the who, what, and why behind this towering titan of science fiction tropes.
It’s Creepy Crawlers month here at Horror Press, and while there may be something creepier, there’s certainly nothing crawlier than one of my favorite subgenres of the 1950s: the giant nuclear bug movie. Name a creepy crawler. An insect, an arachnid, four legs, six legs, eight legs, a hundred… If it exists, somewhere in 1950s cinema it has been irradiated, grown to terrifying size, and crushed puny little humans beneath its mighty, composited feet. On this month’s Horror 101, we’re here to give you a quick and dirty breakdown of the who, what, and why behind this towering titan of science fiction tropes.
Why Were 1950s Sci-Fi Movies Obsessed with Radiation?
Wouldn’t you be obsessed with radiation if you were living in the years after the atomic bombs were dropped on Japan at the end of World War II? Sure, in America, plenty of people at the time were pretty pleased with themselves about said atrocity. But those concerns were nevertheless ever-present. Did the testing we performed to put the bomb together already plant the seed of our own destruction in our soil, water, and DNA? Will other countries pick up on what we did and, in return, split the atom on our smug asses? These fears have carried on into the modern era, of course, but the ongoing Cold War stoked those tensions to a fever pitch in the 1950s.
It might seem unlikely that people flocked to see movies about scientists tampering in God’s domain and having their nuclear testing go wrong and bite them in the ass. Or the torso. Or the head. However, like many a good horror movie, those giant nuclear bug titles provoked a reaction by playing into those fears, only to have the intrepid heroes solve them, neutralize the threat, and probably mack on a sexy lady scientist at some point in the process. Or, more likely, mack on a sexy lady who’s the daughter of a scientist – the 1950s weren’t exactly a haven of progressive virtue.
Whatever the case, those movies poke at the wound a little bit, only to bandage it up and tie a little bow around it by the end. They offered the same cathartic experiences as horror stories throughout time, allowing audiences a glimpse into their deepest fears just long enough for them to begin to cope with them.
What Are Some Key Giant Nuclear Bug Movies?
Them! (1954, dir. Gordon Douglas) – Them!, which follows giant ants rampaging around New Mexico, isn’t fucking around. It literally ends with a character more or less staring into the camera and wondering what other horrors the Trinity test and ongoing nuclear testing may have unleashed that we are as yet unaware of.
Tarantula (1955, dir. Jack Arnold) – Arnold didn’t direct too much else under the giant nuclear bug territory, but he did helm It Came from Outer Space, Creature from the Black Lagoon, and The Incredible Shrinking Man, so when he talks, you listen. The titular tarantula that took to the hills has been embiggened thanks to tests attempting to use a radioactive element to create an artificial super-nutrient, showcasing how even the best intentions can lead to destruction and chaos. Oppenheimer who?
Beginning of the End (1957, dir. Bert I. Gordon) – This schlocky but entertaining venture follows USDA testing of radioactive fertilizer causing a cloud of giant locusts to tear their way through Illinois. Keep an eye on this Bert I. Gordon fellow. The notorious B.I.G. made plenty of giant movies, nuclear movies, and bug movies, though not always at the same time, including King Dinosaur (1955), The Cyclops (1957), The Amazing Colossal Man (1957), War of the Colossal Beast (1958), The Spider (1958), Village of the Giants (1965), The Food of the Gods (1976), and Empire of the Ants (1977).
Monster from Green Hell (1957, dir. Kenneth G. Crane) – The giant wasps here are exposed to cosmic radiation. I’ve decided that this premise does count for the list, because even though our scientific hubris didn’t come from exposing the wasps to radiation on purpose, we still sent wasps up to space in the first place, which seems like a silly idea if you ask me.
Mothra (1961, dir. Honda Ishirô) – OK, the Japanese monster movie Mothra is a little outside the scope of its study for multiple reasons, not the least of all being its year of release. However, it does involve a giant nuclear moth who defends her remote island home against further nuclear testing. The combination of gentleness and power at the center of both the story and the titular figure in Mothra is a beautiful button on a decade of tension and dismay, offering a way forward beyond mere catharsis.
For more giant bug fun without the “nuclear” part, see The Black Scorpion (1957), The Deadly Mantis (1957), and The Spider (1958). For a giant nuclear octopus, see It Came from Beneath the Sea (1955). For a non-giant nuclear teenage werewolf, see I Was a Teenage Werewolf (1957). For the granddaddy of giant nuclear monsters, see Honda’s previous monster movie Godzilla (1954), which of course was already a riff on the giant nuclear dinosaur movie The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953).
Looking to expand your horror knowledge even more? Check out our other HORROR 101 articles here!
My New Year’s resolution is to spend more time watching my favorite app. Luckily, Shudder is not taking it easy on us this holiday season, so I may meet my quota this January. The streamer is bringing in the new year with quite a few bangers. We have classics from icons, a new title from the first family of indie horror, and a couple of lesser-known films that have finally found a home. So, I am obviously living for this month’s programming and think most of you will too. I have picked the five films that I believe deserve our collective attention the most. Get into each of them and start your 2026 off on the right foot.
The Best Movies to Stream on Shudder This Month
Carrie (1976)
A sheltered teen finally unleashes her telekinetic powers after being humiliated for the last time. Carrie is the reason I thought proms might be cool when I was a kid. This Brian De Palma adaptation is one of my favorite Stephen King adaptations. It is also an important title in the good-for-her subgenre. I cannot help rooting for Carrie White (Sissy Spacek) when I watch her snap at this prom and then head home to accidentally deal with her mom. The only tragedy of this evening is that Carrie had to die, too. I said what I said, and I will be hitting play again while it is on Shudder. This recommendation goes out to the other recovering sheltered girls who would be the problem if they had powers. I see you because I am you.
You can watch Carrie on January 1st.
Marshmallow (2025)
A shy 12-year-old gets sent to summer camp and finds himself in a living nightmare. While Marshmallow did not land for me, I know plenty of people who love it. Which makes this the perfect addition to the Shudder catalogue. I am actually excited to see more folks fall in love with this movie when it hits the streamer. If nothing else, it will help a few folks cross off another 2025 title if they are still playing catch-up with last year’s movies. It also gets cool points from me for not taking the easy route with the mystery it built. I hope you all dig it more than I did, and tell your friends about it. Perhaps you could even encourage them to sign up for the app.
You can watch Marshmallow on January 1st.
Chain Reactions (2024)
Tobe Hooper’s The Texas Chain Saw Massacre cemented his horror legacy over fifty years ago. So, it is long overdue for a documentary where horror royalty can discuss its impact on them and their careers. I have been waiting for a couple of years to hear Karyn Kusama and Takashi Miike talk about Hooper’s work and how he inspired them. So, I am super geeked that Shudder is finally giving me the chance to see this film. The streamer is also helping the nerds out by adding The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre 2 (1986) this month. If you are also an overachieving couch potato, I will see you at the finish line next week.
You can watch Chain Reactions on January 9th.
In the Mouth of Madness (1994)
An insurance investigator discovers the impact a horror writer’s books have on people. I love chaos, and John Carpenter chaos happens to be one of my favorite kinds of chaos. While we talk about The Thing and Halloween all the time, this maestro has given us plenty of horror to celebrate. In the Mouth of Madness is very much one of those titles vying for a top spot among the best of his filmography. To sweeten the batshit pot, this movie features Sam Neill. You know that he only shows up in our genre if the movie is going to be legendary. You cannot tell me this is not a Shudder priority this month.
You can watch In the Mouth of Madness on January 10th.
Mother of Flies (2025)
A terminally ill young woman and her dad head to the woods to seek out a recluse who claims she can cure her cancer. The Adams Family has been holding court on Shudder for years, so it feels right that Mother of Flies is a Shudder Original. More importantly, this fest favorite has one of the best performances of 2025. Which makes it a great time for people to finally get to see it and get in line to give Toby Poser her flowers. Whatever you think your favorite Poser role is, it is about to change when you see her as Solveig. I am being serious when I say that this movie might be the first family of indie horror at their best.
You can watch Mother of Flies on January 23rd.
New year, but same Shudder. I would not want to go into 2026 any other way, personally. I hope these horrific recommendations bring you the good kind of anxiety. Or at least distract you from the state of the world for a bit.
I’m happy Netflix knew I would be back on my bull shit. Now that we’re in January, and the end-of-year lists are done, I’m trying to cram as many 2025 titles into my eyeballs as I possibly can. I know it sounds backwards, but it’s sadly a yearly tradition now. No matter how many titles you cram into a year, there are always a ton more you missed. Because I am broken, I need to know if I missed anything that should have been on my lists ASAP. Then I can drag myself for not getting my eyeballs on things sooner. Or worse, seeing titles that came out after my deadline and would have definitely been on there. I need to feel resentment for their schedules not letting me be great.
Luckily for me, the streamer has dropped quite a bit of new stuff recently. This includes movies and shows that I put off, or that legitimately premiered a couple of weeks ago. So, now I can spiral in the comfort of my own home as I binge all of these titles like a maniac. If you are also trying to walk into the new year stressed out, then maybe this streaming guide is for you, too.
City of Shadows (2025)
When a burned body is put on display on the facade of an iconic building, two inspectors must work together to solve the crime. I don’t know much about this Spanish thriller, but I know winter is the time for an unsettling mystery. The show is based on the first book of the Milo Malart tetralogy written by Aro Sáinz de la Maza. So, if it’s as good as I hope it is, there is a whole world with this inspector awaiting us in print. I’m ready to take all six of these episodes in one setting if the streaming Gods allow.
Frankenstein (2025)
Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, and Christoph Waltz are among the names in this newest adaptation of the beloved Gothic horror classic. Guillermo del Toro’s take on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is clearly one of the top priorities this month. While I skipped it in festivals because of the runtime, I knew I would have a date with it on Netflix this winter. While it has been on the streamer for a minute, I wasn’t able to dedicate two and a half hours to it. I also had watched my friends’ mixed reviews come in, and couldn’t take another disappointment last year. So, I saved this treat for the holiday. Fingers crossed, it is better than people are saying it is.
I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025)
A new group of friends is tormented by a new stalker in this sequel to Kevin Williamson’s other ’90s slasher. I’m indifferent to the I Know What You Did Last Summer movies. Some are less awful than others, and I think this one was fine, but I know the original source material. Which means I know just how far they stray from what the original author, Lois Duncan, was about. So, I look at these movies and the flimsy premise they repeat differently than a lot of my friends. I think it’s an interesting look at how IP gets handled in Hollywood, but I don’t usually get much out of these. Which is another reason I’m kinder to this Jennifer Kaytin Robinson film than some people. While I won’t be rewatching it this January, I think a lot of people who missed it in theaters are going to have fun with some of these kills now that it’s on Netflix.
Stranger Things: Season 5 (2025)
The long-awaited conclusion to Stranger Things is finally upon us! Will Vecna take out some of this ridiculously large cast on the way out? I hope so. Will we pretend to be surprised when Eddie Munson gets a few seconds of screentime? I refuse to play this game. However, are we all going to tune in to see how this epic ride ends? You betcha! I hate that they’re breaking this final season up into three chunks, but I will be sitting for all of them.
The first four episodes hit in November. The next three landed on Netflix on December 25, and the finale premiered on December 31. I don’t know what to expect, but I know I am so ready to close this chapter of my relationship with Netflix and the Duffer Brothers. If it is even half as good as season four, then I will be a very happy nerd.
Troll 2 (2025)
A new troll awakens, causing Nora, Andreas, and Captain Kris to find new allies to take it down. This Norwegian monster flick almost got by me, so I’m happy Netflix dropped the trailer for this one. I’m using this as an excuse to finally watch the first one. I’m thinking a double feature is in order, so I can spend a whole day with these trolls. This is not my usual type of party, but after Troll Hunter won me over, I figure anything can happen. So, I will not judge you if you’re not feeling this out of left field pick. Just know that I’m running at it with an open mind and hoping to see some carnage as a reward.
These are just the Netflix titles I’m prioritizing. This is in no way a complete overview of all of the new shows and movies they’ve added this winter. We also know that they usually have a ton of international bangers that they refuse to advertise. So, I end up stumbling over Korean titles every January and then trying to tell people we missed some really excellent stuff. So, pick up your remote and turn your phone off. It’s time to Netflix and Chill in the less sexy and more nerdy way.
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