If you grew up in the late seventies, there’s a good chance a giant, rubbery spider haunted your nightmares after a Friday night in front of the TV. We’re talking about the Curse of the Black Widow movie, a 1977 made-for-TV horror flick that is basically the peak of "weirdly effective" retro television.
It didn't have a massive theatrical run. It didn't have CGI. Honestly, it barely had a budget for the monster. But what it did have was Dan Curtis. The man was a legend. He gave us Dark Shadows and The Night Stalker, so he knew exactly how to make a low-budget premise feel like a high-stakes fever dream.
The Plot: More Than Just a Bug Problem
The story kicks off with a private investigator named Mark Higbie. Tony Franciosa plays him with this frantic, high-energy vibe that makes you feel like he’s had about eight espressos before every scene. He’s investigating a series of murders where the victims—mostly men—are found drained of blood and wrapped in thick, silken cocoons.
Gross? Absolutely.
The trail leads to the Lockwood sisters, played by Donna Mills and Patty Duke. They are twins, and naturally, there’s a dark family secret. See, when they were babies, their plane crashed in the jungle, and one of them was bitten by a horde of black widow spiders.
As an adult, that sister now has a "condition." When the moon is full, she doesn't turn into a werewolf. She turns into a human-sized spider with glowing, kaleidoscopic eyes.
Why the 1977 Vibe Works
There is something incredibly specific about 1970s TV horror. It’s the lighting. It’s the way the cameras zoom in on a character's face until you can see every bead of sweat. In the Curse of the Black Widow movie, this atmosphere is everything.
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You have these incredibly serious actors—I mean, we’re talking about Oscar and Emmy winners like Patty Duke and June Allyson—playing this completely ridiculous premise with total sincerity. They don't wink at the camera. They don't act like they're in a "B-movie." They play the tragedy of a woman turning into an arachnid like it's Shakespeare.
That’s why it sticks with you.
The Cast: A Who’s Who of Classic TV
One of the coolest things about revisiting this film is seeing the sheer density of talent packed into a 97-minute TV movie.
- Anthony Franciosa: The lead PI who just won't quit.
- Donna Mills: Before she was the queen of Knots Landing, she was Leigh Lockwood.
- Patty Duke: Playing the "uptight" sister, Laura, with a performance that’s way better than the script probably deserved.
- Vic Morrow: He plays the grumpy Lieutenant Gully Conti, basically the "get out of my office" cop archetype.
- Sid Caesar: Yes, the comedy legend is in this! He plays a weird landlord named Lazlo who keeps the heat turned up to 90 degrees.
It’s a bizarre mix. You’ve got Method actors, soap stars, and comedians all rubbing shoulders in a story about a "were-spider."
That Spider... Let's Talk About the Effects
Okay, look. It was 1977.
When the monster finally reveals itself in the third act, it’s... well, it’s a big puppet. It’s a very hairy, very stiff, very rubbery puppet. If you’re expecting Lord of the Rings level realism, you’re going to laugh.
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But for kids watching this on a grainy Zenith TV back in the day, it was terrifying. Dan Curtis was smart enough to keep the spider in the shadows for most of the film. He uses POV shots—through a "honeycomb" lens to simulate spider vision—which creates a genuine sense of unease.
By the time you see the whole thing, the mood has already done the heavy lifting.
The Legend of the "Love Trap"
If you’ve been hunting for this movie and can't find it, you might be looking for the wrong title. When it was re-aired in 1979, they changed the name to Love Trap.
Why? Probably because the late 70s were obsessed with "sexy" thrillers. The title Curse of the Black Widow sounds like a monster movie (which it is), but Love Trap makes it sound like a scandalous noir.
Honestly, the original title is way better. It captures that 1950s creature-feature energy that Dan Curtis clearly loved.
A Hidden Masterpiece or Just Camp?
Critics are split on this one. Some call it "wonderfully cheesy" and a "gem of the era." Others think it's a "lesser effort" compared to The Night Stalker.
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I think the truth is somewhere in the middle. It’s a detective noir that accidentally stumbles into a monster movie. It’s got a great score by Robert Cobert, who used those screeching violins that make your skin crawl.
It's also surprisingly feminist in a weird way? All the men in the movie are kind of useless or predatory, and the "monster" is essentially a woman taking back her power, albeit in the most gruesome way possible.
Where Can You Watch It Now?
Finding the Curse of the Black Widow movie today isn't as hard as it used to be. For years, it was a "lost" film you could only find on bootleg VHS tapes at horror conventions.
Now, it pops up on:
- YouTube: Several channels dedicated to "Classic TV Movies" or "After Dark" cinema have the full film uploaded.
- Prime Video: It’s occasionally available for rent or via "cult" movie sub-channels.
- Physical Media: There was a DVD release from companies like Anchor Bay, though it’s increasingly rare and can be pricey on eBay.
Actionable Next Steps for Horror Fans
If you’re a fan of vintage horror or the works of Dan Curtis, you owe it to yourself to track this down.
- Watch it with context: Don't compare it to modern horror. Think of it as an extension of the Kolchak: The Night Stalker universe.
- Look for the Piru Mansion: The film was shot at the Newhall Mansion in Piru, California. The original interiors are visible here—which is a piece of history because the house actually burned down in 1981 and had to be rebuilt as a replica.
- Pay attention to the "Spider Vision": Notice how Curtis uses the multi-faceted lens. It’s a classic technique that influenced a lot of later creature features.
There are no plans for a remake (thankfully), but the original stands as a perfect time capsule of when network television wasn't afraid to get absolutely weird. Turn off the lights, ignore the rubber legs, and just enjoy the 70s gloom.