lukem-52760 Arachnophobia is pure late night entertainment,IT'S another childhood classic of mine that i always remember being on t.v on a Saturday night & i watched it every time i loved it & still do!!! This is a true classic movie with the great Spielberg producing it you know this is going to be a BRILLIANTLY made suspense Thriller & it is.The music is beautiful throughout,the small American town is beautiful & the cast is Amazing especially JEFF DANIELS & JOHN GOODMAN!!! The spiders are terrifying & the film has a real magical fun tone mixed perfectly with really suspenseful scary moments & silly fun bits but all goes perfectly together!!! A true old school CLASSIC that deserves it's place up there with films such as JAWS,POLTERGEIST,GREMLINS & other beautifully made/produced Spielberg greats

BA_Harrison Arachnophobic doctor Ross Jennings (Jeff Daniels) moves with his wife (Harley Jane Kozak) and kids to a small town in the country where he intends to set up practice. Unfortunately, the new family home becomes over-run by highly venomous spiders, the offspring of a Venezuelan arachnid that hitched a ride to the States in the coffin of a dead photographer.If you're one of those people who turn to jelly at the sight of a spider, then Arachnophobia is guaranteed to terrify. It might be strictly PG, but thanks to the use of real creepy-crawlies throughout (with just a few not-so-convincing animatronic arachnids for the larger specimens), the film will have arachnophobes on the edge of their seats from start to finish.Even if you're not afraid of the eight-legged horrors, Arachnophobia should still prove a fun ride for the duration, with slick direction from Frank Marshall, spirited performances, some well-executed jump scares, and the great production values one expects from a Steven Spielberg-backed flick.

Python Hyena Arachnophobia (1990): Dir: Frank Marshall / Cast: Jeff Daniels, Harley Jane Kozak, John Goodman, Julian Sands, Stuart Pankin: Everybody fears something whether it be nuclear war, death, the dark, or a box of tic-tacs. Jeff Daniels plays a doctor who fears spiders. He and his family get acquainted in a new town until his clients start dying. His family remain supportive but the local kids call him "Dr. Death." Spiders that were accidentally transported from South America appear to be the cause of death. Researchers are summoned and formula elements begin despite decent setup. Director Frank Marshall cranks up the tension because we do not know when these creepy critters will emerge. Daniels is convincing because viewers can identify with his fear but it is all too obvious that he will have to face it. Harley Jane Kozak plays his wife but the role is by the numbers standard issue. John Goodman adds comic relief as an exterminator in a role that would seem flat had it not been for his gifted comedic talent. Julian Sands is appealing as the contacted scientist although he does things that many horror film morons fall victim to when it comes to enclosed dark places. Stuart Pankin plays the local Sheriff who will realize just how useless he is in the face of spiders. The film is well made technically with its share of thrills. It plays off a common fear of spiders that is immobilizing. Score: 8 / 10

Scott LeBrun Longtime Steven Spielberg associate Frank Marshall made his directorial debut with this slick film, a thriller with comic overtones that capitalizes on the inherent dislike many human beings take towards spiders. Marshall does succeed at making this an engaging bit of business that's exciting and suspenseful when it needs to be, in addition to being funny. It's well paced, with lots of well orchestrated animal action enhanced by some terrific effects work by Chris Walas. The story is well cast right down the line, from the leads to the supporting players to the character parts.During a scientific expedition in the mountains of Venezuela, a tropical arachnid sinks its teeth into a photographer, then hitches a ride back to America inside the mans' coffin. It ends up in the small town California town of Canaima, where it soon mates with a local spider and produces legions of lethal offspring, which attack the local citizens. Forced to become the unlikely hero is the new doctor in town, Ross Jennings (ever likable Jeff Daniels), who just so happens to have a debilitating fear of spiders.Co-starring are Julian Sands as an authority on arachnids, Harley Jane Kozak as Ross's patient wife, and a priceless John Goodman as a goofy exterminator who comes complete with his own comic musical theme. Other familiar faces include Stuart Pankin, Brian McNamara, Mark L. Taylor, Henry Jones, Peter Jason, James Handy, Roy Brocksmith, Kathy Kinney, Mary Carver, Juan Fernandez, and Frances Bay. The excellent score is by Trevor Jones.The movie isn't without silly and unbelievable moments, but in general it's solidly entertaining, with a particularly intense finale in a cellar.Recommended to those who are always up for a fun "creepy-crawlie" tale.Eight out of 10.