Spiders, Spiders 2 & Octopus

[metallithrax]

OK, so I have a box set of DVD's called "Killer Creature Features". It contains the following films:

Spiders

Spiders 2

Octopus

Octopus 2

Shark Attack

Shark Attack 2

Shark Attack 3

Crocodile

Crocodile 2

Boggy Creek 2.

I recently started watching them after talking about bad films at work, so suspending all hope of good acting and effects, I started with Spiders.

Plot Summary from IMDB

A DNA experiment on a rare breed of spider is taking place on a NASA space shuttle, when a freak meteor shower engulfs the shuttle, causing everything to go horribly wrong. One survivor is found on the ship and watched over in a secret location deep in the California desert. The problem continues, as the survivor isn't alone, as another deadly spiders climbs out of him and goes on a rampage around the ship. Curious reporter Marci Eyre must now survive, escape and warn everyone before the spider reaches outside the desert.

Well, the film is as ridiculous as the plot summary makes it sound. With bad effects all round, and a story that nobody could make a good film out of, I actually enjoyed it. Best watched after a few beers.

Spiders 2

Plot Summary from IMDB

Jason and Alexandra 'Alex', a close couple, loose their sail yacht in a storm and are grateful to get picked up by Captain Jim Bigelow's commercial carrier. Suspicous about the rough treatment and injections given by ship's doctor Gerbac which make the strong man faint, and realizing the ship is improbably empty and the radio not broke as the crew claims, Jason starts snooping around and finds human bodies on meat hooks, but even Alex thinks he's just hallucinating. Alas while sane Jason is restrained for his 'paranoia', the real madmen are the doc's genetic experiment outfit, who abuse their human captives as live incubators for a giant spider's eggs

You barely see any spiders for about an hour of this film, and it could quite easily make a good thriller (if you remove the spider references and insert something else more believable). Then, things take a turn for the worse, with even worse effects than the 1st film. I can't say this one was even enjoyable, even though the lead - Stephanie Niznik - is quite hot.

Octopus

Plot Summary from IMDB

During the Cuban Missle Crisis, a Russian sub is sunk while en route to Havana. As the sub goes down, the hold is breached and barrels full of some mysterious substance tumble out. Years later, an American nuclear submarine is transporting a captured terrorist to the States. The terrorist's henchmen, however, are planning to hijack the sub and rescue their leader. Meanwhile, a large, unidentified creature is approaching the sub at high speed...

Here we have another film that could be a good one if it wasn't for the creature. Could be a thriller/action film until the Octopus creeps in. Again, enjoyable but only after a few beers.

Watching Octopus 2 at the minute, and building myself up to watch one I found on a list of bad films. It's a Troma film called "Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead". It is available on YouTube, and have watched a few clips of it so far and it looks as you would expect from the title.

Anyway, if anyone has suggestions of other b-movie types, let me know.