Kingdom of the Spiders (1977) Saturday Monster Movies

For the second week in a row, Saturday Monster Movies looks at a spider-themed creature feature. Released in the heyday of nature-run-amok horror films, this low-budget gem starring William Shatner is a perfect blend of schlock and genuine suspense. While its special effects and storytelling may not rival bigger productions, its message still holds up: humanity’s disruption of the natural order has consequences.

Set in rural Arizona, the film follows veterinarian Rack Hansen (Shatner) as he investigates a series of livestock deaths. The culprit turns out to be an ever-growing swarm of tarantulas, driven to aggressive behavior due to the overuse of pesticides that have wiped out their normal food sources. What begins as a local nuisance escalates into full-blown horror as the spiders turn their attention to humans, overwhelming the town and trapping the survivors in an eerie, web-covered nightmare.

Like many eco-horror films of the 1970s, Kingdom of the Spiders taps into environmental anxieties of its time. The fear of unintended consequences from human interference with nature looms large in the narrative. While the execution leans into B-movie theatrics, the underlying theme is a serious one: when we manipulate our environment recklessly, nature pushes back. This message remains relevant today, in an era where climate change and ecological imbalance are undeniable realities.

But the film also speaks to a deeper, more existential fear—the idea that humanity is not in control. In classic horror fashion, the townspeople’s attempts to fight back prove useless. The final scene, with Shatner’s character and the other survivors trapped in a house completely encased in spider webs, leaves viewers with an unsettling sense of helplessness. It’s a stark contrast to more optimistic disaster films where humanity ultimately prevails. On our own we may think we have control of the world, but we do not. Our attempts to manipulate of “fix” nature always lead to making things worse. The message of this sort of horror is, humility.

Of course, Kingdom of the Spiders is not without its charm. Shatner delivers a performance that is both serious and delightfully campy, and the practical effects—using real tarantulas—lend a creepy authenticity that CGI-heavy modern films often lack. The pacing and tension build effectively, making it a surprisingly engaging watch despite its budgetary limitations.

Ultimately, this film is more than just a relic of its era. Its message about environmental responsibility and the fragility of human dominance remains timely. And for fans of classic horror, it offers a reminder of how effective simplicity can be—sometimes, all it takes to unsettle an audience is a slow, creeping inevitability. In Kingdom of the Spiders, the horror isn’t just about the spiders; it’s about the realization that once we tamper with nature, there may be no end to the problems we create.