Spider Movies: Best of All Time

Developing a list of spider movies is challenging if you focus solely on films that have a theme predominantly centered on spiders. The reality is the number of movies that would qualify is very small. However, exploring the best spider films by including those that incorporate our eight-legged friends in some significant way can be more effectively managed.

Rather than ranking the best spider movies, this is a list of spider films that have a spider theme or that incorporate spiders into a good movie. The list includes those movies that do have a heavy emphasis on spiders.

It is not enough just to have a movie about spiders, the film must also have entertainment value. This probably means it is either scary, dramatic, action-packed, and potentially humorous.

List of Spider Movies

Arachnophobia (1990) – This is probably one of the most widely recognized and popular fictional movie about spiders. John Goodman stars as a the spider-killing hero who comes in to save a family and a town that has been overrun by deadly spiders accidentally transported back from the jungle in a dead man’s coffin. An effective spider movie that manages to combine comedy and drama.

Eight Legged Freaks (2002) – This zany spider thriller is a bit more far-fetched in its plot than Arachnophobia, but it is action-packed, thrilling, and occasionally gross. In this story, a town is taken over by aggressive mutated spiders that are giant in size and ill intent.

Charlotte’s Web (1973 Animated and 2006) – So what if she wasn’t a real spider, Charlotte is perhaps the most believed and revered spider ever to grace the screen. Wilbur would not have lived to become a famous show pig were it not for the brilliant writing and wisdom of his heroine.

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) – Arachnids were most definitely not the major player in this Harrison Ford flick, but no spider scene has ever been more disturbing than that initial sequences of this film when Alfred Molina’s character betrayed Indy in the Temple. Before he did, Indiana brushed lots of humongous spiders off his chest and back.

Spider-man (2002), Spider-man 2 (2004), Spider-man 3 (2007) – Okay. It might be a stretch, but the legend and Spidey would not have been possible were it not for the toxic spider bit on the school field trip at the beginning of the original movie.

Other movies about spiders that you might check out
Tarantula (1955), The Giant Spider Invasion (1975), Kiss of the Tarantula (1976), Kingdom of Spiders (1977), Spiders (2000), Earth vs. the Spider (2001), Arachnid (2001)

Have other favorites to add to this list of spider movies? Feel free to add a comment and let us know about other movies with spiders.

Feature on best spider movies written by Neil of Movie Room Reviews

See also:

• Best Christian Movies

Tags: Alfred Molina, Arachnophobia, spider movies