Tarantulas: The Deadly Cargo
Encyclopedia
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
.
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 son 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.
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.
1977 in television
The year 1977 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1977.For the American TV schedule, see: 1977-78 American network television schedule.-Events:...
television horror film
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
directed by Stuart Hagmann. The production stars Claude Akins, Charles Frank
Charles Frank
Charles R. Frank is an American actor noted for playing Bret Maverick's cousin Ben Maverick in the 1978 TV-movie The New Maverick with James Garner and Jack Kelly, and in the short-lived 1979 television series Young Maverick. Graduated with the class of 1969 from MIddlebury College.-Career:From...
and Deborah Winters
Deborah Winters
Deborah Winters is an American actress and businesswoman. Winters is probably most remembered for her roles in Kotch, The People Next Door, Class of '44, and The Winds of War...
. Matthew Laborteaux
Matthew Laborteaux
Matthew Laborteaux is an American actor who has starred in television and film. He is perhaps best known for portraying the character Albert Quinn Ingalls on the hit NBC series Little House on the Prairie from 1976 to 1983....
and Pat Hingle
Pat Hingle
Martin Patterson "Pat" Hingle was an American actor.-Early life:Hingle was born Martin Patterson Hingle in Miami, Florida, the son of Marvin Louise , a schoolteacher and musician, and Clarence Martin Hingle, a building contractor. Hingle enlisted in the U.S. Navy in December 1941, dropping out of...
costar. CBS Television broadcast and distributed the picture for Alan Landsburg Productions
Alan Landsburg Productions
Alan Landsburg Productions was an independent TV production company founded by Alan Landsburg in 1971. The company had huge successes with In Search of... and That's Incredible!, which were two early examples of reality television long before the name even existed...
.
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
Pat Hingle
Martin Patterson "Pat" Hingle was an American actor.-Early life:Hingle was born Martin Patterson Hingle in Miami, Florida, the son of Marvin Louise , a schoolteacher and musician, and Clarence Martin Hingle, a building contractor. Hingle enlisted in the U.S. Navy in December 1941, dropping out of...
is baffled until a local citizen who has been bitten, sudden drops to the ground.
Cindy Beck (Deborah Winters
Deborah Winters
Deborah Winters is an American actress and businesswoman. Winters is probably most remembered for her roles in Kotch, The People Next Door, Class of '44, and The Winds of War...
) and her son Matthew (Matthew Laborteaux
Matthew Laborteaux
Matthew Laborteaux is an American actor who has starred in television and film. He is perhaps best known for portraying the character Albert Quinn Ingalls on the hit NBC series Little House on the Prairie from 1976 to 1983....
) 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
Charles Frank
Charles R. Frank is an American actor noted for playing Bret Maverick's cousin Ben Maverick in the 1978 TV-movie The New Maverick with James Garner and Jack Kelly, and in the short-lived 1979 television series Young Maverick. Graduated with the class of 1969 from MIddlebury College.-Career:From...
) aids with the investigation. This is an aviation family, owning a small aviation business in Finelyville, and they too are puzzled.
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
Bert Remsen
Herbert Birchell "Bert" Remsen was an American actor.-Life and career:Remsen was born in Glen Cove, New York, on Long Island, the son of Helen and Winfred Herbert Remsen. He played character roles in numerous films directed by Robert Altman, including: Brewster McCloud , McCabe & Mrs...
is fearful that any news of the problem infesting the city’s oranges will bring the township financial ruin.
Bert Springer (Claude Akins
Claude Akins
Claude Marion Akins was an American actor with a long career on stage, screen and television.Powerful in appearance and voice, Akins could be counted on to play the clever tough guy, on the side of good or bad, in movies and television. He is best remembered as Sheriff Lobo in the 1970s TV series...
), 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.
Cast
- Claude AkinsClaude AkinsClaude Marion Akins was an American actor with a long career on stage, screen and television.Powerful in appearance and voice, Akins could be counted on to play the clever tough guy, on the side of good or bad, in movies and television. He is best remembered as Sheriff Lobo in the 1970s TV series...
.....Bert Springer - Charles FrankCharles FrankCharles R. Frank is an American actor noted for playing Bret Maverick's cousin Ben Maverick in the 1978 TV-movie The New Maverick with James Garner and Jack Kelly, and in the short-lived 1979 television series Young Maverick. Graduated with the class of 1969 from MIddlebury College.-Career:From...
.....Joe Harmon - Deborah WintersDeborah WintersDeborah Winters is an American actress and businesswoman. Winters is probably most remembered for her roles in Kotch, The People Next Door, Class of '44, and The Winds of War...
.....Cindy Beck - Matthew LaborteauxMatthew LaborteauxMatthew Laborteaux is an American actor who has starred in television and film. He is perhaps best known for portraying the character Albert Quinn Ingalls on the hit NBC series Little House on the Prairie from 1976 to 1983....
.....Matthew Beck - Sandy McPeak.....Chief Beasley
- Penelope WindustPenelope WindustPenelope Windust is an American actress who starred on television, and in a few movies. She studied drama at Pittsburgh's Carnegie Tech just before its merger into Carnegie Mellon University in 1967...
.....Gloria Beasley - Tom AtkinsTom Atkins (actor)Tom Atkins is an American television and film actor. He is primarily known for his work in the horror film genre, having worked with writers and directors such as John Carpenter, Stephen King, and George A. Romero...
.....Buddy - Howard HessemanHoward HessemanHoward Hesseman is an American actor best known for playing disc jockey Johnny Fever on WKRP in Cincinnati and schoolteacher Charlie Moore on Head of the Class.-Early life:...
.....Fred - Bert RemsenBert RemsenHerbert Birchell "Bert" Remsen was an American actor.-Life and career:Remsen was born in Glen Cove, New York, on Long Island, the son of Helen and Winfred Herbert Remsen. He played character roles in numerous films directed by Robert Altman, including: Brewster McCloud , McCabe & Mrs...
.....Mayor Douglas - Pat HinglePat HingleMartin Patterson "Pat" Hingle was an American actor.-Early life:Hingle was born Martin Patterson Hingle in Miami, Florida, the son of Marvin Louise , a schoolteacher and musician, and Clarence Martin Hingle, a building contractor. Hingle enlisted in the U.S. Navy in December 1941, dropping out of...
.....Doc Hodgins
Awards and nominations
Emmy AwardEmmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
- Nominated, "Outstanding Achievement in Film Sound Editing for a Special"
- Nominated, "Outstanding Achievement in Film Sound Mixing"