Throughout the years, nothing scares the phobic so harshly as the terrifying film about BUGS! So many people are frightened to the point of getting the ever-awful willies from just seeing a bug, that Hollywood has taken this proverbial ball and run with it. Since the horror genre hit the screens back in the 1940′s, the bug movie has been a staple of the industry. Here are the top ten most watched and, for the most part, loved.
10. Them (1954)
Perhaps the forerunner to the giant bug franchise, in this film we find a group of massive ants ruining more than just a picnic.
9. Eight-Legged Freaks (2002)
David Arquette. Kari Wuhrer. A tag line that states, “Do you hate spiders? Do you REALLY hate spiders? Well they don’t like you either” GOLD.
8. Deadly Mantis (1957)
What happens when some incredibly idiotic scientists discover a prehistoric chunk of a long-frozen praying mantis? Death, what else.
7. Ticks (aka INFESTED) (1993)
Want to see Clint Howard (primarily useless brother of Ron) shout, “I’M INFESTED!”? Then I guess you need to see this.
6. Black Scorpion (1957)
Yet another in the eventual stock that was razzed incessantly by the geniuses at Bad Brains… of course I refer to one of the best shows ever, Mystery Science Theater 3000. Oh, and this trailer will show you why.
5. Starship Troopers (1997)
Casper VanDien and a giant vagina-bug? You bet!
4. A Bugs Life (1998)
Animated bugs are talking and doing human-llike stuff! Everybody run!
3. Slither (2006)
When Michael Rooker gets bitten and transforms into a giant, oozing, super-quick bug from space… oh, and then impregnates a local who ends up bigger than a barn, you know you’re in for a classic adventure!
2. Arachnophobia (1990)
Jeff Danials and John John Goodman got to war on a slew of toxic spiders wreaking havoc on a little town. Just seeing the guy pinned under a wine rack launching a nail at a flaming arachnid is worth the price of admission.
1. The Fly (1986)
David Cronenberg re-makes the original with a far-superior and much stronger cast as well as amping up the gruesomeness. Jeff Goldblum and Gena Davis supply the ability to really feel how it could be to transform so fully into a hiddeous beast.
Naked Lunch, Swarm, Dune
Contributor: StewWriter
personally, i like Antz better then A Bug’s Life, it just had a better story, and better voice actors.
Ah, Eight Legged Freaks. The only reason I liked it was because my girlfriend was scared to death. And after the movie we found a Daddy Long Legs on the floor, which probobly gave her a heartattack. Good times.
And I definitely agree on Antz being better than A Bug’s Life (though the Swedish voiceactors were terrible).
The fly is a classic.
There’s another great movie that just came out awhile ago called “Bug”. It doesn’t necessarily have to do with giant bugs killing people, but its still creepy. It’s basically about two drug addicts who do crack until the point they think their apartment is infested with tiny bugs, and they go mad thinking that the bugs were planted there by the government and it’s extremely disturbing. You never actually see the “bugs”, but the two addicts go to the point of digging into their skin to get them out. blech.
Oh how I loved Arachnaphobia. Eight Legged Freaks was more funny than scary for me.
Also of note is The Mummy. Not a bug movie, but I like when the scarab beetles crawl around under people’s skin. Awesome.
What about something with Mel Gibson in it?
He bugs me
JMurf: HAHA he bugs me to, with his holier then thou attitude, but i still think hes a good actor.
How about Joes appartment? yes it sucked, but whats better then talking roaches
It wasn’t Dario Argento’s best work, but Phenomena might be a worthy notable omission. It came out in the early 80′s and featured a young Jennifer Connelly.
Thanks for the comments and notable omissions guys! I love when a list of mine garners some sweet feedback. Incidentally, I had a separate list of notables that I plumb forgot to add, so here they are: SKEETER, THE TINGLER, BUG (mentioned earlier), MIMIC, and SWARM. I agree about JOE’S APARTMENT too, or, I suppose, if you wanna reach, MEN IN BLACK for just the ending alone. Oh well, it’s so tough to remember all of these! Thanks though!
Stew
I’m partial to Empire of the Ants. There’s just something about getting to see Joan Collins getting gassed by the queen ant. It brings a tear to my eye.
Join us…. the ants are our friends…
How about a little love for Mothra out there.
Bug – by William Friedking
Mansquito?? http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0430334/
what?!? no Bee Movie?! blasphemy
nah but seriously bugs life, slither, the fly. all so great.
Hahah….The Fly. That movie scarred me in my youth.
There was no volume for any of these clips.
There’s also a great movie from the 70s called “Phase 4,” in which a group of scientists trapped in a domed laboratory are discovering that desert ants have become hyper-intelligent, and have BIG plans for them. It’s hard to find a copy for less than rapacious prices, and I only saw it once on the tube about eighteen years ago — but it’s the most intelligently written, taut bug flick I’ve ever seen.
Where is Antz?? =[
hahahaha Slither was awesome.
Robyn and others: I was juggling both Antz and Bug’s Life for appearance on the list since both are similar in terms of animation and both came out relatively close to one another so, since I secretly get kick-backs from Disney/PIXAR (don’t I wish) I went with that one… OK, it was random and I forgot to include Antz in the omissions. I am naughty.
Joe’s Apartment anybody?
Haha i like “bugs life”…
I think “Ants” should deffinatly be on here though…
“Tarantula,” directed by Jack Arnold in the Fifties. Even has Clint Eastwood in an early, small speaking part.
Ahh… THEM. I love that film! I have a copy of the MST3K riffing of The Deadly Mantis which I take out from time to time for some big laughs.
Something I seem to remember about the Black Scorpion, if you watch it, you notice that in some scenes, the scorpion is just a black silhouette. I believe I read that it was because the producers ran so far over budget on the film, they couldn’t afford to finish those scenes.
RobS: Yeah, I was reading a bit about the Black Scorpion while I was digging up dates and not only were they over budget, but I guess a bunch of people were afraid of the damn thing too! And yes, several of the bug movies are MST’s now, and that show was amazing. In fact, one of my next lists will be a top ten episodes of that show… I have all of them on DVD (obviously *ahem* downloaded) and I know many by heart. It ought to cause quite a stir!
The Incredible Shrinking Man should get a mention, simply for the sheer size of the spiders and insects he had to deal with.
Wow I didn’t expect slither on there since the movie lists on here usually have movies at least 5 or 6 years old at the least…but great list though! I remember when I was a little kid the fly freaked me out
And starship Troopers is awesome!!!
Spiders aren’t, they’re arachnids.
the original movie, The Fly, was so much better than the remake because, let’s face it, Vincent Price was in it. Any movie with Vincent Price in it, except Edward Scissorhands, is always scarier.
Them, The Deadly Mantis, and The Black Scorpion on the same list!??!? Those are B-Movie classics. Well Done.
A new genre has emerged from the ashes of terrible horror films. The “Comedy-horror”. To name five examples: Eight Legged Freaks, Tremors 1, 2, 3 and 4.
i think bug should have been on the list since there we
r some pretty stupid one’s on their and bug was actually creepy
I’d like to second Phase 4 as a notable ommission. It made me very paranoid about ants.
i recommend ‘microcosmos’; as a real bug movie. stunning!
Where’s “Joe’s Apartment?”
The Hellstrom Chronicle. A crazy-ass mockumentary from 1971 about how humans and insects are locked in a deadly battle for control of the earth. Actually has some really interesting and fun stuff, I particularly remember the scene in a grocery store where they planted huge ugly bugs amon the produce, then rolled the cameras and waited for the fun to start. It actually won the Oscar for documentary feature.
i adore bugs life. its a great movie.
kevin spacey having fun is contagious. and all the other voice actors to, really.
Hey, man. I just wanted to let you know before you get criticised by some net nerd that you misspelled their favorite actress, haha. It’s actually spelled “Geena” Davis. Two “E”s. I love the list, though. Probably one of the one lists on here I wouldn’t change anything about. Good job.
starship trooper should be 2.
Bug: Hyper-intelligent hybrid roaches that start fires so they can eat the ash. Should be here. Also there is a song in the credits of slither called Honey, I Love You, But Leave me the F– alone, Great tune.
I cannot believe MICROCOSMOS was left off this list. Probably the BEST bug movie ever made. Discover it if you can.
There is a movie called Creepshow in which there are 4 short movies. one of the movies was about an old man dealing with roaches . this by FAR IS the most disturbing. the actually bust through a mans chest.Yucky
i know this is a nitpicking comment but i always thought bugs meant insects and spiders are arachnids, how bout a list on spider movies
Even though it was cheesy, I did like “Tarantula”. The 2005 remake of “Jules Verne’s Mysterious Island” rates a mention as well, as the vast majority of the giant creatures were insects. I’ll never forget the first encounter when one of the characters got eaten by a huge praying mantis. I prefer the original “The Fly” over Cronenberg’s remake, which though interesting, was too damned gory. Word has it another “Fly” remake is in the works….only this time the fully mutated creature will have wings.
I loved the Cronenberg version of the Fly. I am a HUGE fan of Jeff Goldblum, and he was fabulous in that movie. Also when he started turning into “Brundlefly” it was sooo creepy!!
I don’t know if anyone said this yet, but “The Beginning of the End”?
Really, guys? Nobody's suggesting James and the Giant Peach?
DID CHILDHOOD MEAN NOTHING TO YOU ALL.
how about NAKED LUNCH
I always enjoyed the 1998 animates film "Antz" as well.
has anyone eever seen a movie wheere a girl shoots bee hives from trees and when she leaves the bees follow her adn like swarm her house and a little girl is allergic?! its not a horror film and im desperate to find it!!!
What about Tremors? Nothing like gigantic tunneling worms to ***** up your two bit town…
Hello??? Antz???
8-legged freaks at #9? Seriously?
Thanks for sharing ! Keep the tips coming..