ARACHNIA

Produced by David Giancola and Peter Beckwith
Written and Directed by Brett Piper
Edited by Russ Martin
Director of Photography - Chuck Harding

Sean Pachowski - Rob Monkiewicz
Chandra Weaver - Irene Joseph
Kelly - Alexxus Young
Trina - Bevin McGraw
Deke - Dan Merriman

I've said it before, and I'll probably end up saying it in every review I write of Brett Piper's work, the man is pound-for-pound the most consistently entertaining director making b-movies today. Always fun and upbeat, his movies possess a good-natured charm to which no other b-director comes close. His release DRAINIAC is a winning pleasure I still return to every so often just to remind myself how enjoyable b-movies are supposed to be.

Fans of Piper's last release, CYCLOPS, will want to take note of his latest, the mutant spider opus ARACHNIA, as it reunites a number of CYCLOPS alumni in similar roles. Returning are Rob Monkiewicz as The Square-Jawed Hero, the lovely Irene Joseph as The Tough Girl Love Interest, and Dan Merriman as Mr. Trouble-Follows-Me-Everywhere. Joining the fun are two bubble-heads played by the gorgeous Bevin McGraw and the curvaceous Alexxus Young, who, much to the delight of internet geeks everywhere, is kind enough to provide the required gratuitous fan-service...and the world is a better place for it.

When their plane crash lands during a meteor shower, a group of archeology students on their way to a dig site in Arizona finds themselves holed-up in a rundown shack fighting off the mutant horde. Think TARANTULA crossed with NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD. It's not exactly high concept, but Piper keeps the dialogue sharp and the action moving, which is really all you ask from the recent crop of mutant creature-run-amok pictures.

To Piper's credit, in a day in age when most mutant spider pictures would employ some sort of CGI, he relies on old-school, Ray Harryhausen-like stop motion to bring his creatures to life, another Piper Hallmark.. It lends his movies a timeless vibe akin to creature-features from the 1950's and 1960's. Sure, ARACHNIA's effects are noticeably humble, but that's part of the low-budget charm that made Roger Corman's films so memorable today. Those that find stop-motion distracting shouldn't worry, for the most part the movie isn't especially effects heavy until the climax where the action moves from the farmhouse to the creatures underground lair.

Unlike those double-billed monster fests from so long ago, Piper doesn't employee any sort of social context to add any relevant depth to the story, and that's the one thing that keeps ARACHNIA from being a perfect monster movie. Movies such as THEM! or DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS existed in a time when communist paranoia not only provided subtext, but also added extra layers of fright thanks to the threat of nuclear armageddon. ARACHNIA does ring hollow at times, but it's just so cute and likeable that I can forgive its shortcomings.

While not available for review on the screener disc, the final dvd release is set to include an audio commentary, behind-the-scenes footage, cast bios, and trailers. .

Edgewood Studios
MTI Home Video

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