Current Events > how did they train the spiders to do what they want in arachnophobia?

(+) Yeah! (+)

only seen trailers. never have and never will watch the actual movie. too scary.

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The spiders used in the film are relatively tame IRL, and can actually be handled easily enough.

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The film used over 300 Avondale spiders from New Zealand, chosen for their large size, unusually-social lifestyle, and harmlessness to humans; they were guided around the set by heat and cold. The large general and queen spiders were articulated models.

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BlakPeppa posted...

The film used over 300 Avondale spiders from New Zealand, chosen for their large size, unusually-social lifestyle, and harmlessness to humans; they were guided around the set by heat and cold. The large general and queen spiders were articulated models.

That sounds kinda fucked up. Light a fire under their ass to go this way, can of upside down compressed air to go that way

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Smackems posted...

That sounds kinda fucked up. Light a fire under their ass to go this way, can of upside down compressed air to go that way

look at this guy, crying for spiders

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The Trent posted...

look at this guy, crying for spiders

Spider lives matter

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no lives matter

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The small spiders used in the film were Avondale spiders (Delena Cancerides), a harmless species from New Zealand that were provided by Landcare Research in Auckland. Despite their fierce appearance, this spider is a docile member of the crab-spider family and is, in fact, harmless to humans. They were not allowed back in New Zealand for quarantine reasons. The giant "spider" used in the film was a species of a bird-eating tarantula, which can attain a leg span of eight inches or more. Those types of tarantulas are not easy to handle and can give a nasty bite. The spiders in the film were managed and handled by famed entomologist Steven R. Kutcher.

The live spiders were housed separately in a temperature-controlled area. Since spiders can't be trained, Kutcher devised other means to guide the spiders such as vibrating wires (they wouldn't cross over them), and Lemon Pledge Furniture Wax which the spiders refused to walk on. The spider wranglers worked with the actors on how to handle the spiders so as not to mishandle or mistreat them.

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No lives matter less than spider lives.
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DeadBankerDream posted...

No lives matter less than spider lives.

that's called compromise

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is anyone even terrified of spiders because of the venom? its the way they look and move. even if they aren't dangerous they are still creepy.

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If I remember right, they actually had spider wranglers to make sure no spiders were actually harmed during filming. They used already dead ones and props for those.

Ofcourse, I'm sure there were at least a few that got woopsied, as I can't imagine how they'd keep track of them during the exterior shots that literally have them roaming the yard.

You should watch it, it actually still holds up pretty well. It also had enough light heartedness to it to offset the scary bits, which is why it was labeled a thrill-omedy or whatever.