Horrors of Spider Island/The Fiendish Ghouls (1960) in the PNW

Details: Written by: Mortado; Category: The 1960s in Northwest Cinemas

This is a collection of media from the initial runs of "Horrors of Spider Island" (1960) and "The Fiendish Ghouls" (AKA "The Flesh and the Fiends," 1960) in the Pacific Northwest.

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Horrors of Spider Island (1960)
"Horrors of Spider Island" is a campy classic that weaves horror and science fiction into a tale of survival and transformation. Directed by Fritz Böttger, the story kicks off with a group of dancers and their manager, Gary Webster, en route to a gig. Fate intervenes when their plane crashes, leaving them stranded on a remote and mysterious island.

The island initially appears to be a deserted paradise, but the group soon stumbles upon eerie clues—most notably a large, sinister spider web and the skeleton of a previous inhabitant. Unbeknownst to them, the island harbors monstrous, mutated spiders, a result of the deceased scientist's experiments.

The true horror unfolds when Gary is bitten by one of these giant spiders, triggering a gruesome transformation into a half-man, half-spider creature. This monstrous change pits him against the remaining survivors, who now have to fend off not only the island's oversized arachnids but also the monstrous version of their manager.

Director: Fritz Böttger
Writers: Fritz Böttger, Eldon Howard, Albert G. Miller
Stars: Harald Maresch, Helga Franck, Alexander D'Arcy
Buy "Horrors of Spider Island" (1960) bluray on Amazon (SPONSORED)
Buy "Horrors of Spider Island" (1960) DVD on Amazon (SPONSORED)

The Fiendish Ghouls (AKA "The Flesh and the Fiends," 1960)
"The Fiendish Ghouls" is a chilling horror film directed by John Gilling, which dives into the macabre world of grave-robbing and murder in 19th-century Edinburgh. The film is based on the true story of the infamous Burke and Hare murders, which shook the city in the early 1800s.

The narrative centers on Dr. Robert Knox, a respected surgeon and anatomist, who finds himself in need of fresh cadavers for medical research. Enter William Burke and William Hare, two opportunistic criminals who see a chance to profit from Knox's needs. Initially, they start by selling bodies of the recently deceased, but as demand grows, they resort to murder to meet the supply.

The film deftly captures the grim atmosphere of Edinburgh during that period, juxtaposing the scientific pursuit of knowledge with the moral degradation of those who see human life as a means to an end. Peter Cushing delivers a compelling performance as Dr. Knox, torn between his quest for anatomical understanding and the growing horrors of his suppliers' methods.

Director: John Gilling
Writers: John Gilling, Leon Griffiths
Stars: Peter Cushing, June Laverick, Donald Pleasence
The Fiendish Ghouls (AKA "The Flesh and the Fiends," 1960) bluray on Amazon (SPONSORED)
The Fiendish Ghouls (AKA "The Flesh and the Fiends," 1960) DVD on Amazon (SPONSORED)

July 6, 1966 ad (Seattle)