I just watched Earth vs. the Spider (1958). It was a terrifying movie about a giant tarantula holed up in a cave just outside of town. What i found most interesting was the way the spider changed size. When it was dead and waiting in the high school for the people at the university to come pick it up to study, it was about twice as tall as a man (they had carried it thru a set of double doors to get it inside) but when it came to life (it had only been stunned!) it broke out and went walking down the street. Then it was taller than 2 story buildings.
The best acting or the best written role has to be the mother of the teenage heroine. Our heroine’s father was killed by the spider and his sucked-dry corpse was recovered. Our heroine is feeling guilty because he had been killed on his way home from buying her a present which she found and then carried into the spider’s lair where she lost it. She was weeping when her calm mother found her and sympathetically agreed that it was a shame that she had lost the bracelet, but told her that she should not feel guilty and should forget the bracelet. Then she reminded her that she did have homework due at school tomorrow. This is the same day their husband and father was killed by a giant spider. Later when her daughter is saved (just barely) from the spider, mom gives her a quick hug and then pullls her handkerchief out of her pocket and cleans the smudge from her daughter’s cheek.
Anyway, it was not “the” spider movie i remember from my childhood. I didn’t think it was, but it was worth a look.