jim-251

When someone asks me "What's the best documentary you've ever seen?" I find myself in a quandary. The best documentary I've ever seen is Titicut Follies, but for the life of me I couldn't recommend it. That's because this stark portrayal of the "treatment" of the insane at a Massachusetts state asylum is terrifyingly, horribly disturbing. The documentary reflects the horror of its subject matter. Once seen, it is unforgettable. I find it difficult to take responsibility for exposing another person to this film. And that is probably the highest compliment I can pay it.

If you're looking for slick, look elsewhere. SPIDER BABY is a uniquely off-kilter movie that has no pretensions to being anything other than a very twisted horror comedy. It parodies movies in general, the horror genre, and itself with equal facility. There has certainly never been another film like it. This story of the revealing of all the skeletons in the closets of the Merrye House unites Lon Chaney Jr. (in the best performance of his career), Mantan Moreland, Carol "House on Haunted Hill" Ohmart, Beverly Washburn, Sid Haig, Mary "Dementia 13" Michel, Jill Banner (17 years old when she made the film!) and others in a loony stew of murder, madness and hilarious mayhem.

Look, I taped and watched this film, and John Carradine did not appear in it, to the best of my knowledge. His presence would have dignified this flick -- with Faith Domergue, who gets no respect. Think of CHILDREN SHOULDN'T PLAY WITH DEAD THINGS -- that's the level this film functions at...

But Faith was in IT CAME FROM BENEATH THE SEA. She was the object of maybe two men's interest -- or not