Movies
‘Tarantula’ (1955), and the Existential Politics of Big Bugs
Tarantula (1955) is a cult classic giant spider movie that embodies 1950s nuclear fears. With eerie effects and a chilling Arizona desert setting, it captures Cold War anxieties, making it a standout atomic age horror flick.
The 1950s were a decade defined by fears of nuclear war, outdated gender norms, and conservative values that overtook the general population, creating a country of ultra-patriotic bigots. Thank God this country isn’t like that anymore. Right? Jokes and politics only somewhat aside, the current, very real fear of nuclear warfare was, of course, ever more present in the 1950s. This is what created the “Atomic Age” of horror. Fear of nuclear radiation led to filmmakers producing a plethora of “giant” everything movies. Giant wasps (Monster from Green Hell), giant ants (Them), and even giant lizards (The Giant Gila Monster).
Tarantula (1955): The Ultimate Atomic Age Giant Spider Classic
In Japan, monster movies took a slightly different approach, with the original Godzilla being a slow-paced drama and existentially terrifying metaphor for Hiroshima. American versions of this were much cheesier, but still had a similar terror. And they absolutely ruled the silver screen. However, one mammoth bug from Universal Pictures towers above them all. Tarantula from 1955, from It Came from Outer Space director Jack Arnold, is one of the greatest giant spider movies of all time, and definitely a cult classic that has earned its spot as one of the finest atomic age monster flicks.
The story follows Dr. Matt Hastings (John Agar) and Scientist Stephanie Clayton (Mara Cordray) attempting to understand and help stop a gigantic, mutated Tarantula from wreaking havoc on a small Arizona town. The creature stems from genetic and nuclear testing, having escaped from a desolate desert lab.
Not only is it a creepy, enthralling, suspenseful, and charm-filled novelty of its time, but it also carries the weight of existential dread hiding under the surface of the era.
Why Tarantula Stands Out Among Atomic Age Monster Flicks
Spiders are eternal creatures of discomfort in horror. From realistic creepy crawlies like Arachnophobia (1990) to giants in kitschy flicks like Eight Legged Freaks (2002), all the way back to Arachnida the human spider in The Show (1927), these arachnids have been causing nightmares since the birth of cinema. Still, the idea of a giant tarantula flick, especially one from the 50s’, probably does not ring true as particularly scary.
Maybe cheesy? Campy? Even laughably bad? While yes, Tarantula is as much of a cheese-fest as it sounds, the spider is genuinely eerie. At the very least, it is one of the scariest of this era.
Firstly, the spider is not a cheap rubber prop, but an actual, edited in tarantula. Maybe still campy, but definitely creepier. The dated nature of the effects give the monster an eerie, ominous present, appearing almost like this foreboding dark shadow of death and destruction. The Arizona desert setting also lets the film seep into an almost surrealist, Lynchian quality. Seriously, it is genuinely one of the scarier entries from this period, truly standing the test of time.
The pure emptiness, overtaken by its overcast shadow of nightmarish dread, is genuinely chilling and helps it stand out amongst the rest of these types of movies. An artistic effort was made, which makes for sci-fi suspense that still adds up.
How 1950s Duck-and-Cover Drills Fueled Existential Horror
In 2025, kids in schools regularly practice bomb and school shooting drills, living in a modern state of fear. Times change, but mass fear is embedded in a country with so many skeletons in the closet. In the 1950s, kids from elementary school onward prepped for a nuclear apocalypse. Everyone is familiar with the morbidly funny Duck-And-Cover PSAs, and shows like Fallout continue to foster these atomic-aged aesthetics. Although they went about it with a sense of cheery Suburban optimism, it was an underlying existential horror to constantly be wary of nuclear apocalypse.
Post World War 2, with the H-Bomb developed and the Cold War with Soviet Russia rising, filmmakers began to process these fears with something more whimsical. This, of course, is where these atomic-age bugs come in.
Tarantula’s Giant Spider: A Metaphor for Cold War Nuclear Terror
Tarantula is one of many movies featuring giant insects. While not exposed to traditional nuclear radiation, this massive spider is the product of unexplored scientific testing involving radioactive isotopes, feeding into that fear.
Cheesy as they are, these movies illicit a greater metaphoric terror. The gargantuan nature of these insects symbolizes how small Americans felt. During the Cold War, there was only so much people could do to prepare for what would undoubtedly be the end of the World. Unlike the Godzilla film of Japan, the monsters were not battled with other beasts or allied monsters in these movies. It is many ant-sized humans up against one greater threat.
These were drive-in, blockbuster flicks, almost like MCU films of their days. Still, the horror is rooted in something more profound and human.
Tarantula is a clearcut symbol of nuclear terror, and the feeling of being small when faced up against an existential threat. And these films should be reflected on now more than ever. With the world in political turmoil, and fear of nuclear war ever present, processing these fears through the guise of a giant spider movie may be the perfect way to relieve tension in troubling times.
Looks like another July will be spent getting cozy with Shudder in this house. Between all the new (to me) international titles and the conclusion of Hell Motel on July 29th, the app has filled my calendar for the month. Hold my texts, keep your emails in the draft folder, and don’t look for me outside. My TV and I are on a mission, and we’re prioritizing the five titles below. I hope they grab your attention and make it into your Shudder viewings this summer as well. However, I’ll be too busy watching them to know what anyone else is doing, so happy streaming whatever you decide to get into.
While we have you here, you should consider joining us for Bloody Brunches! Every Sunday at 11 AM CST / 12 PM EST, we’ll be livestreaming a new episode of Hell Motel. Who know’s who you’ll see, sometimes Ian Carpenter and crew stop by!
The Best Movies to Stream on Shudder This Month
Lake Placid (1999)
A small group of people try to capture a gigantic crocodile terrorizing the people of Black Lake, Maine. I am not an aquatic horror girl, and I am usually unimpressed with 90s action horror titles. I make a special exception for Lake Placid though. Sure, it stars Bridget Fonda, Bill Pullman, and Oliver Platt. However, real film buffs know that it’s really the late Betty White who carries this movie. Her foul-mouthed character stood on business and is the reason most of us revisit this title during the summer.
You can watch Lake Placid on July 1st.
Nyi Blorong (1982)
The South Sea Queen’s daughter rises to take a human lover. I have a long history of disliking snakes and movies about snakes. However, I’m leaning into this 1982 film because I deserve a retro Indonesian horror fantasy moment. I am also excited because it stars the late Suzzanna, the queen of Indonesian horror. I only learned about her a few years ago and wanted to spend some time with her work. As usual, Shudder is making it too easy to become a better cinephile.
You can watch Nyi Blorong on July 7th.
The Housemaid (2018)
An orphaned girl is hired as a housemaid at a haunted rubber plantation in 1953 French Indochina. Once there, she falls in love with the landowner, which sends the ghost of his dead wife into a jealous rage. I was excited to watch this just because it sounds chaotic, and I do not see enough Vietnamese horror for my liking. However, I recently discovered it is also an IFC Midnight title, so now my expectations are through the roof. IFC has been the home of upsetting, weird, and unique horror since 2010. I have a date with Shudder on July 14th, because I want this movie in my eyeballs the second it becomes available.
You can watch The Housemaid on July 14th.
Swallow (2020)
A pregnant housewife is compelled to eat dangerous objects, leading her husband and in-laws to become more controlling. Swallow had the misfortune of debuting during the top of the pandemic, so many people missed it. I found it on accident during Thanksgiving back when Showtime still had its own app. It’s quiet chaos that surprised me in a good way. I have been trying to make everyone I know watch it, and Shudder is making that so much easier this month. I am overdue for a rewatch myself, so I will also be hitting play while it’s available this July.
You can watch Swallow on July 21st.
Monster Island (2024)
A Japanese ship transporting prisoners of war and a British POW are stranded on an island where a mythical creator hunts them. Can they work together now that their very survival depends on it? I was bummed I missed this movie at Overlook Film Fest this year because all my friends loved it. So, obviously, I am thrilled Monster Island (also known as Orang Ikan) is hitting the Shudders streets so soon. I do not know what the other monster movies are doing this July because my heart belongs to this baby.
You can watch Monster Island on July 25th.
So, as usual, I will be hiding in my apartment and trying to make Shudder Saturdays my personality. I’m running at their international titles like it’s my job and revisiting a few movies I never spend enough time with. I hope your Shudder watches spark as much joy for you as I expect mine will this July.
In the 90 years since its release, The Bride of Frankenstein is still the Universal Monsters franchise’s strongest film.
I first watched The Bride of Frankenstein on cable around 15 years ago. Director James Whale’s fable of a misunderstood creature’s quest for a bride really stayed with me after subsequent viewings. Speaking of The Bride, she’s the Universal Monster with the most potential for a gripping and modern reimagining that hasn’t been fully tapped into yet. Universal’s newest theme park Epic Universe, opening back in May, inspired a deeper dive into The Bride of Frankenstein, the titular role and its legacy.
Unveiling The Bride: The Plot and Power of the 1935 Classic
Immediately following 1931’s Frankenstein, The Bride of Frankenstein centers on Henry Frankenstein (Colin Clive) as the sinister Dr. Pretorius (Ernest Thesiger) urges him to collaborate on creating a mate for The Monster (Boris Karloff). In the meantime, The Monster travels across the countryside, learns to speak, and meets Pretorius. When both scientists complete and unveil The Bride (Elsa Lanchester), she rejects The Monster, motivating him to pull a lever and famously say, “We belong dead.” Pulling the lever ignites an explosion, killing The Monster, The Bride, and Pretorius.
Just as it took two scientists’ minds to create her onscreen, two individuals gave life to The Bride’s characterization and look: Lanchester and makeup master Jack Pierce, who designed nearly all the original Universal Monsters.
The Bride’s Hiss: How Lanchester Stole the Show with Limited Screentime
The Bride not being the film’s main protagonist is ironic since she’s the title character. Making the most of her brief performance, Lanchester’s swan-like mannerisms as The Bride sharply contrast with the humanity Karloff brings out of The Monster. After her dual role as The Bride and author Mary Shelley herself in the film, Lanchester took on more horror film roles like Henrietta Stiles in Willard (1971). It’s not hard to imagine what could’ve been for her career if she reprised her role in The Bride of Frankenstein’s sequels Son of Frankenstein and Ghost of Frankenstein. If a lab explosion couldn’t kill The Monster, wouldn’t it be the same for The Bride?
Besides the white streaks, Lanchester surprisingly didn’t wear a wig to portray The Bride since Pierce shaped her red hair to look the way it does. Pierce’s work on The Bride is just as iconic if not more so than Lanchester’s performance, ensuring the character became inseparable from her intended suitor in pop culture’s eyes. Case in point: There’s so much officially licensed merchandise playing up a romance between the two characters, even though The Bride can’t stand her intended mate. Beyond Lanchester and Pierce, there is one man responsible for how the film itself would come out.
James Whale’s Masterpiece: Directing The Bride of Frankenstein
Whale stitched great set designs, fantastic performances and composer Franz Waxman’s eerie score together to create a masterpiece.
Having Frankenstein, The Old Dark House and The Invisible Man under his belt by the mid-‘30s, it’s clear Whale creatively peaked while working on The Bride of Frankenstein. Although so much about Whale’s talents has been said, there’s a reason why his work on the film stands out across his filmography: He really went wild when directing it. Every character is practically cartoony, the sets are more elaborate and the plot is thematically richer than the original’s. Being an openly gay filmmaker, he cranked up The Bride of Frankenstein’s camp to legendary heights.
The Bride of Frankenstein is the final horror movie Whale directed. The novel Father of Frankenstein and its film adaptation Gods and Monsters, starring actor Ian McKellen as Whale, dramatize his life after directing the film. According to the reference book Universal Horrors by Tom Weaver, Michael Brunas and John Brunas, he initially didn’t want to direct his horror work’s apex. Just like Henry Frankenstein’s relationship with the monster he created, The Bride of Frankenstein’s production is a case of life imitating art. The Monster’s in-universe infamy further parallels Whale’s Frankenstein duology’s lasting popularity.
How The Bride of Frankenstein Shaped Horror Sequels and Adaptations
The Bride of Frankenstein’s influence can be seen across other horror films and Frankenstein adaptations.
Having “Bride of” in a horror sequel’s title is synonymous with including the main character’s female counterpart, leading to Bride of Re-Animator, Bride of Chucky, etc. The similarities go further than the titles, with The Bride of Frankenstein inspiring the former’s plot and furthering Tiffany’s arc in the latter. The Bride of Frankenstein inevitably shaped Frankenstein’s future adaptations as well.
Directed by Kenneth Branagh, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein from 1994 closely follows the original novel. Breaking away from the novel’s narrative, its third act pays homage to The Bride of Frankenstein when Victor brings Elizabeth back to life with similarly brief screentime. Mia Goth’s seemingly red hair on the set of Guillermo Del Toro’s upcoming Frankenstein may hint at her character similarly becoming The Bride.
The Bride’s Untapped Potential for a Modern Horror Remake
With Warner Bros. releasing its own take on the character with The Bride! in 2026, it makes Universal’s reluctance to make a new remake downright egregious.
The Bride is still the literally redheaded stepchild among the Universal Monsters. When it comes to being neglected by Universal, The Creature From the Black Lagoon is the only character who rivals The Bride, but that’s another story. Universal did plan a remake directed by Bill Condon, who helmed Gods and Monsters, for its aborted Dark Universe film franchise.
The Bride’s Absence in Epic Universe’s Monsters Unchained Ride
Looking at Epic Universe, the Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment ride apparently leaves The Bride out, even though she makes more sense to be in it than The Phantom of the Opera. However, The Bride does make meet-and-greet appearances across Dark Universe’s grounds.
Several ideas can be incredible for when Universal finally releases a remake of The Bride of Frankenstein someday. Based on what I’ve heard about 2023’s Poor Things, it’s exploration of a mad scientist’s creation’s experiences in a restrictive society is closer to what a modern reimagining should be. Having a woman behind the camera can lead to a feminist vision, delving into The Bride questioning her life’s purpose.
Until the day a proper remake debuts, the original 1935 film remains The Bride of Frankenstein’s definitive incarnation.
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