Tarantulas: The Deadly Cargo
| Tarantulas: The Deadly Cargo | |
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| Directed by | Stuart Hagmann |
| Produced by | Paul Freeman |
| Written by | John Groves Guerdon Trueblood |
| Starring | Claude Akins Charles Frank Deborah Winters Matthew Laborteaux Sandy McPeak |
| Music by | Mundell Lowe |
| Cinematography | Robert L. Morrison |
| Editing by | Corky Ehlers |
| Distributed by | CBS |
| Release date(s) | December 28, 1977 |
| Running time | 100 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Tarantulas: The Deadly Cargo is a 1977 television horror film directed by Stuart Hagmann. The production stars Claude Akins, Charles Frank and Deborah Winters. Matthew Laborteaux and Pat Hingle costar. CBS Television broadcast and distributed the picture for Alan Landsburg Productions.[1]
Contents |
[edit] Plot
In Guatemala, two reckless fortune-hunting pilots bribe officials in order to fly a load of coffee beans from South America into the United States. To increase their profits, they take aboard three passengers whom they agree to smuggle into the U.S.
Problems arise when sacks of the beans containing deadly tarantulas are loaded into the cargo bay. During the flight, the poisonous arachnids irritated by the plane’s vibration and high altitude escape from the sacks during a fierce thunderstorm. As the plane wobbles under the torrential rains, the sacks split open spilling the beans and the noxious spiders. The three illegal immigrants, also in the hold are trapped in the cargo hold with the spiders. They vainly attempt to hold off the spiders with their shoes or whatever swat-material they can fine. The lethal spiders eventually overcome all three.
Meanwhile in the cockpit, the pilots work to overcome a developing mechanical problem that endangers the aircraft. They realize they must make an emergency landing as they pass over the orange-producing town of Finleyville, California. Unbeknownst to the pilots, the arachnids have escaped and have begun to swarm the cockpit, attacking the pilots. The plane crash lands into nearby the nearby town and a crisis ensues.
The city’s emergency response system moves to aid the downed aircraft and pilots. A fire breaks out at the crash site and the deadly tarantulas scurry from the location toward a nearby orange grove. The fire is brought under control and the pilots and passengers are pulled from the airplane. Those not killed begin to exhibit strange symptoms. The town’s doctor played by Pat Hingle is baffled until a local citizen who has been bitten, sudden drops to the ground.
Cindy Beck (Deborah Winters) and her brother Matthew (Matthew Laborteaux) investigate the site but fail to see the spiders (**see photograph to the left - they see the coffee bean cargo but not it's deadly contents). Cindy’s husband (Charles Frank) aids with the investigation. This is an aviation family, owning a small aviation business in Finelyville, and they too are puzzled. WHy?
The film follows the Beck’s family involvement as they attempt to solve the dilemma. In the meantime, the Tarantulas attack others who are brought into Dr. Hodgins’ clinic. The doctor finally figures it out but by this time, the spiders have spread out, continuing their deadly attacks. The city’s Mayor Bert Remsen is fearful that any news of the problem infesting the city’s oranges will bring the township financial ruin.
Bert Springer (Claude Akins), one of the city’s responsible citizens helps the Beck family investigate. Cindy’s son is bitten and incapacitated by the spider. Knowing the problem, the doctor saves the boy. Bert organizes the town citizens risk their lives trying to save the town as the food-seeking spiders converge on the orange packaging plant.
The plan to get rid of the spiders involves exposing the deadly arachnids to the buzzing sounds of their enemy, bees. The problem is there is no recording of the bees to they must shake bees in a bottle before a microphone to reproduce the sound. However, it works. The tarantulas are rendered motionless with the bee sounds allowing the citizenry can seek out dispose of the spiders. During the process, the electrical system switches off and Cindy finds herself suddenly surrounded by the deadly spiders.
At the last minute, the electricity is switched back on, Cindy is saved and the spiders are eliminated.
[edit] Cast
- Claude Akins.....Bert Springer
- Charles Frank.....Joe Harmon
- Deborah Winters.....Cindy Beck
- Matthew Laborteaux.....Matthew Beck
- Sandy McPeak.....Chief Beasley
- Penelope Windust.....Gloria Beasley
- Tom Atkins.....Buddy
- Howard Hesseman.....Fred
- Bert Remsen.....Mayor Douglas
- Pat Hingle.....Doc Hodgins
[edit] Awards and nominations
- Nominated, "Outstanding Achievement in Film Sound Editing for a Special"
- Nominated, "Outstanding Achievement in Film Sound Mixing"
