Spider Baby or, The Maddest Story Ever Told

The beginning credits may be reminiscent of 1960's comedies - with a lovely song set to various cartoon images - but, make no mistake, this is not a comedy. It is a disturbed horror film...inbreeding, deserted house, cannibalism and all.

Caretaker Bruno cares for the Merrye children - Elisabeth, Virginia and Ralph - afflicted by an illness that reverts their mental development when they reach the age of 10. So, however old they may appear, mentally they are children. The illness is named after their family, since this is the only group of people that appear to suffer from it - Merrye Syndrome.

Brone cleans up their messes, including games getting out of hand that result in peopel dying. Their situation becomes considerably more difficult when an onslaught of relatives arrives with a lawyer, eyeing the family property. This, unsurprisingly leads to a night of horror for the newcomers.

Mental illness and other afflictions have always been fascinating subjects for the horror genre and, I imagine, will continue to drive the stories of many-a film to come. I'll gladly watch them.

The film has become somewhat of a cult and sports its own 'Official Home' on the web.

3/10