Tarantula (1955): cast, story & where to watch
1955 · Film · ★ 6.5
Released in 1955, Tarantula is a thriller, horror and science fiction film directed by Jack Arnold, running about 80 minutes. “More terrifying than any horror known to man comes a creeping crawling monster whose towering fury no one can escape!” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. A rogue scientist near a small desert town arouses the suspicion of the town's doctor when his lab assistant is found dead from a case of acromegaly, which took only four days to develop. As the doctor investigates, aided by the scientist's new female assistant, they discover that something is devouring local cattle and humans in increasingly large quantities.
Who’s in it. Tarantula stars John Agar as Dr. Matt Hastings, Mara Corday as Stephanie 'Steve' Clayton, Leo G. Carroll as Prof. Gerald Deemer and Nestor Paiva as Sheriff Jack Andrews, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 6.5/10, Tarantula has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.
Where to watch. In US you can rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Tarantula page.
If you liked it. Fans of Tarantula tend to enjoy The Dark Knight, Pulp Fiction, Parasite and Fight Club.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch Tarantula (1955)?
- In US, Tarantula is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is Tarantula worth watching?
- Tarantula holds an audience score of 6.5 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy thriller, horror and science fiction. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
- Who stars in Tarantula?
- Tarantula stars John Agar, Mara Corday, Leo G. Carroll, Nestor Paiva and Ross Elliott.
- When was Tarantula released?
- Tarantula was released in 1955, with a runtime of about 80 minutes.