Spider Baby or, The Maddest Story Ever Told

A guardian shields three siblings whose rare condition drives them toward violent, childlike behaviour; their precarious household is unsettled when distant relatives arrive to claim it.

Jack Hill’s 1964-shot black comedy horror follows the Merrye siblings, whose inherited disorder causes mental regression while they retain adult physical strength. Their guardian Bruno has concealed the family’s crimes, but two relatives arrive asserting a claim to the house. Arrow Films identifies the feature as Hill’s first solo feature and credits Lon Chaney Jr., Beverly Washburn, Jill Banner and Carol Ohmart among its cast.