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In honor of the latest “Godzilla” remake, here are five more films worthy of getting your freak on.
Arachnophobia (1990)
Starring Jeff Daniels, this creepy-crawly 1990s classic proves that creatures needn’t be as tall as skyscrapers to wreak havoc. When a nature photographer (Mark L. Taylor) is killed by a venomous Amazonian spider, the arachnid hitches a ride in the man’s coffin, and winds up in his small California hometown. When Spidey mates with a local species, a killer new spider army is born, and it’s up to Daniels’ timid doctor to curb the body count. Extra points for John Goodman’s hilarious exterminator.
Aliens (1986)
Ridley Scott’s superb “Alien” may have introduced us to Sigourney Weaver’s deep-space nemesis, but James Cameron’s action-packed sequel revealed the original creature’s deadly brethren, not to mention the dragon-like Alien Queen, who presides over her nest and seeks vengeance in one of the greatest action climaxes of all time.
King Kong (1933)
The original and still the best. Peter Jackson took a noble crack at updating this tragic story, but directors Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack still hold the trophy for creating the definitive “King Kong.” Even though you can see the titular ape’s changing height due to the animatronics department’s inconsistent puppet size, these were still state of the art effects in their time, and the beast’s building-top showdown has lost none of its potency.
Deep Blue Sea (1999)
“Jaws” is a indispensable shark film, but few give credit to this pseudo-campy thriller, which focused on an ocean-based team of scientists, who are working with vast mako sharks and enlarging their brains in an attempt to cure Alzheimer’s. But as a result, the sharks get whip-smart, prompting them to do such things as gobble up Sam Jackson in a single bite while he’s on a characteristic rant.
Clash of the Titans (1981)
Disregard the recent remake of this cult hit, and stick with Harry Hamlin’s adventures as Perseus, who needs to battle Medusa, and, of course, the almighty Kraken, who emerges from the sea to destroy Perseus and his love, Andromeda (Judi Bowker). Created by the legendary Ray Harryhausen, these creatures have an enduring nostalgic charm.
Contact the South Philly Review at editor@southphillyreview.com.
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