How a 2002 monster movie dodged a title controversy to become a cult classic
In short: The 2002 creature feature Eight Legged Freaks was originally titled Arach Attack, but the name was scrapped after the September 11 attacks due to its phonetic similarity to Iraq. The final title was actually an ad-libbed line from star David Arquette, who shouted it during a scene in the film.
Directed by Ellory Elkayem, the film centers on a small Arizona mining town called Prosperity, which faces a terrifying infestation of giant spiders. The creatures grow to massive proportions after consuming crickets that fed on toxic waste spilled into a local pond. The plot follows a group of residents, including Chris McCormick and Sheriff Sam Parker, as they fight to survive the arachnid onslaught while navigating local political tensions regarding the town's gold mine.
The production relied on practical and visual effects to bring the monsters to life, with the team at CFX handling the creature design. Much of the filming took place in Arizona, utilizing locations like the Manistee Town Center in Glendale for the mall sequences. Interestingly, the mall was demolished shortly after production wrapped, and this real-life destruction was incorporated into the film's climax, where a methane gas explosion obliterates the structure and the spider colony.
Critical reception was mixed, with Rotten Tomatoes reporting a 48% approval rating and Metacritic assigning a score of 53%. While some reviewers felt the movie lost momentum in its second half, others, such as Roger Ebert, praised its blend of humor and thrills, comparing it to the self-aware B-movies of the 1950s. Despite the modest critical response, the film spawned a 2002 computer game titled Let the Squashing Begin and remains a notable entry in the monster comedy genre.
The film also serves as a tribute to several individuals, including the parents of producer Dean Devlin and David Arquette's father, Lewis Arquette. Although there were early reports in 2003 regarding a potential sequel, no further developments have occurred. Today, the movie is remembered for its unique production history, including the last-minute title change and its clever use of real-world locations to simulate the fictional town of Prosperity.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Eight Legged Freaks
- Also: Eight Legged Freaks
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