A large spider poses a threat to a Southwestern town in this film. The movie appeared nearly three years prior to “Earth vs the Spider.” It’s geared toward grown-up audiences and emphasizes scientific accuracy, contrasting with that later picture which features teenagers, 1950s rock music, and a supposedly resurrected spider. It's worth seeing simply for a glimpse into mid-fifties life—the fashions, the decorations, and even how people talked back then. John Agar is effective as a strong leading man, while Mara Corday is attractive in her role at age 25 during filming. Despite limitations from being filmed in black and white, the desert settings create an unsettling atmosphere. It’s also noteworthy that this giant-insect movie avoids the common tropes of the era—the mutations aren't due to nuclear waste or a deranged scientist; instead, they arise from the sincere research of someone trying to do good. Beyond just being about a giant spider, much of the film explores other enlarged creatures and disturbing human transformations. The runtime is 1 hour and 20 minutes, and filming took place in early summer of 1955 in Apple Valley, located in the desert highlands northeast of Los Angeles, with some additional scenes shot near Dead Man's Point. GRADE: C+

Source on TMDB