A TERRIBLE NIGHT (1896)
Article 2549 by Dave Sindelar
Viewing Date: 3-28-2008
Posting Date: 8-4-2008
Directed by Georges Melies
Cast unknown
Country: France

A man’s rest is interrupted by the appearance of a giant spider.

It’s the first giant bug movie! All right, it’s not in the same league as the big bugs of the fifties, but you still would hate to see this little monstrosity crawling over you while you’re trying to get some rest. This is perhaps the earliest Melies movie I’ve seen, and it’s probably the most primitive special-effects-wise, as the spider seems mostly to be played by a puppet. No story here – just a battle between a man and a spider.