Top 10 Best Bug Movies
Published on November 9, 2007 - 31 Comments
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
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1. steve - November 9th, 2007 at 2:32 pm
personally, i like Antz better then A Bug’s Life, it just had a better story, and better voice actors.
2. Patrask - November 9th, 2007 at 3:26 pm
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).
3. dvhann - November 9th, 2007 at 4:17 pm
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.
4. Bacon - November 9th, 2007 at 4:27 pm
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.
5. JMurf - November 9th, 2007 at 4:49 pm
What about something with Mel Gibson in it?
He bugs me
6. Juggz - November 9th, 2007 at 4:54 pm
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
7. rp - November 9th, 2007 at 4:59 pm
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.
8. StewWriter - November 9th, 2007 at 5:17 pm
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
9. Carrie - November 9th, 2007 at 5:36 pm
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.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rP7nWjgELWU
Join us…. the ants are our friends…
10. Blogball - November 9th, 2007 at 5:46 pm
How about a little love for Mothra out there.
11. Sin - November 9th, 2007 at 7:50 pm
Bug - by William Friedking
12. Cassady - November 9th, 2007 at 7:54 pm
Mansquito?? http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0430334/
13. brendan - November 9th, 2007 at 8:57 pm
what?!? no Bee Movie?! blasphemy
nah but seriously bugs life, slither, the fly. all so great.
14. Kelsi - November 10th, 2007 at 11:40 am
Hahah….The Fly. That movie scarred me in my youth.
15. Hornacek - November 10th, 2007 at 4:55 pm
There was no volume for any of these clips.
16. Martin L - November 10th, 2007 at 6:47 pm
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.
17. Robyn - November 10th, 2007 at 8:13 pm
Where is Antz?? =[
18. Oyster - November 10th, 2007 at 10:17 pm
hahahaha Slither was awesome.
19. StewWriter - November 11th, 2007 at 7:21 am
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.
20. bucslim - November 11th, 2007 at 2:37 pm
Joe’s Apartment anybody?
21. Sarah - November 11th, 2007 at 4:12 pm
Haha i like “bugs life”…
I think “Ants” should deffinatly be on here though…
22. Randall - November 12th, 2007 at 7:27 am
“Tarantula,” directed by Jack Arnold in the Fifties. Even has Clint Eastwood in an early, small speaking part.
23. RobS - November 13th, 2007 at 8:14 am
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.
24. StewWriter - November 13th, 2007 at 8:41 am
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!
25. copperdragon - January 15th, 2008 at 1:14 pm
The Incredible Shrinking Man should get a mention, simply for the sheer size of the spiders and insects he had to deal with.
26. fishing4monkeys - January 21st, 2008 at 12:38 pm
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!!!
27. zweebna - January 27th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
Spiders aren’t, they’re arachnids.
28. Nightstalker - April 10th, 2008 at 5:03 pm
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.
29. Good Wolf - April 14th, 2008 at 7:23 pm
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.
30. Neilen - July 30th, 2008 at 9:29 pm
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
31. Kikishua - August 11th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
I’d like to second Phase 4 as a notable ommission. It made me very paranoid about ants.