Film

Tarantulas: The Deadly Cargo

Name: Tarantulas: The Deadly Cargo
Genre: Adventure, Horror, Thriller, TV Movie, Action
Released: 1977
Cast: Claude Akins, Charles Frank, Deborah Winters, Bert Remsen, Sandy McPeak

A 1977 made-for-TV creature feature where South American tarantulas escape a crashed cargo plane and terrorize a small California town. It's earnest disaster-movie plotting meets nature-run-amok thrills, with practical spider effects and genuine tension. Perfect for anyone who loves '70s TV disasters with a creepy-crawly edge.

TMDb rating

2.5

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Arachnophobia1990

A clever thriller that takes spider terror seriously without descending into camp. Smart tension, good humour, and Jeff Daniels being gradually terrified is deeply satisfying. Modern effects and a tighter script than most creature features.

But The spider violence can be graphic and upsetting if you hate spiders in any form. Some find the comedic bits undercut the horror.

The Swarm1978

Another '70s creature disaster epic with comparable scope and energy. Killer bees instead of spiders, but the same urgent small-town panic and ensemble cast racing against nature. You'll recognize the DNA immediately.

But Notoriously padded and uneven. The celebrity cameos distract, and it runs nearly two and a half hours for what should be taut.

Ants

A TV movie from the exact same year about killer insects terrorizing a town. Same stakes, same structure, same earnest '70s craftsmanship. If you loved Tarantulas, this is the spiritual sibling.

But Even cheaper-looking than Tarantulas. The ant effects are barely convincing and some scenes drag badly.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Tarantulas: The Deadly Cargo

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

The Naked Jungle1954

Both are about the human community overwhelmed by a horde of real venomous creatures from the same jungle ecosystem. The Naked Jungle is the '50s template that proved this specific terror works on screen.

A stunning colour film about one man's plantation invaded by unstoppable army ants in South America. Shot on location, genuinely beautiful and genuinely terrifying. The ants are real and the scenes are breathtaking—a precursor that makes Tarantulas look like the student film it is.

But Slower and more psychological than action-oriented. Some dated attitudes in the script. Nearly seventy years old and it shows in pacing.

The Poseidon Adventure1972

The gold standard of '70s disaster films. A capsized ship, an ensemble cast, mounting dread and practical ingenuity. Perfect pacing and genuine stakes. This is what Tarantulas learned from.

But Two hours thirty—a commitment. Some of the dialogue is clunky and Shelley Winters is trying very hard.

Anaconda1997

A sleek modern take on the jungle-predator movie. James Bond-level action thrills with a CGI snake that still mostly holds up. Fun, propulsive, doesn't take itself too seriously.

But The tonal shift toward action-adventure means less creeping dread. Jon Voight's accent is famously distracting.

Jaws1975

The template. A small town, an unstoppable predator, mounting body count, local officials in denial. Spielberg made it art, but the engine is pure creature-terror suspense.

But A masterpiece—might make Tarantulas feel slight by comparison. Worth the comparison though.

Empire of the Ants1977

Another '70s mutant-insect film with Joan Collins and genuine B-movie charm. Cheap but committed. The ant-eye-view shots are genuinely creative given the budget constraints.

But Becomes increasingly silly and the acting is all over the map. The ending strains credibility even for a monster film.

Beginning of the End1957

A 1950s atomic-age creature feature where giant grasshoppers threaten Chicago. Pure pulp, practical effects, that wonderful mid-century earnestness. Tarantulas owes it a debt.

But Shot in black-and-white on a shoestring. The pacing is slow and some scenes feel padded. Feels its age.

Phase IV1974

Insects as an existential threat rather than a plot device. Where Tarantulas is creatures-as-disaster, Phase IV asks what happens if the creatures are smarter than we are.

Saul Bass's only feature film: ants achieve hive consciousness and declare war on humanity. Avant-garde sci-fi horror with experimental sound design and visuals. Genuinely alien and hypnotic. A creature film that is also an art film and never apologizes.

But Deliberately paced and strange. The ending is abstract and divisive. Not a popcorn movie and doesn't pretend to be. Some will find it pretentious.

Backwoods2009

Both trap ordinary people in a landscape where nature itself is the antagonist and escape is not guaranteed. But Backwoods suggests no victory is possible, only survival or death—the anti-Tarantulas in moral register.

A Spanish horror film about city people stranded in the wilderness where they encounter feral locals and deadly wildlife. Gorgeously shot, genuinely unsettling, and builds dread through atmosphere rather than jump scares. Far more sophisticated and dark than standard creature features.

But Subtitled and slow-burn. The violence is brutal and the ending offers no comfort. Much grittier and bleaker than Tarantulas. This is folk-horror adjacent, not adventure.