Horrors of Spider Island (1960)

A West German B-movie dubbed )badly) into English, Horrors of Spider Island is strictly formula: party of beautiful models stranded on remote island with manager get stalked by mutated monster.  The only 'twist' is that the monster doing the stalking isn't the mutated spider which has already killed the island's resident scientist/uranium prospector in its giant web, but rather their manager who has been bitten by said spider, (which then dies).  The whole thing is incredibly lazily plotted - not only do they quickly find the conveniently well-stocked cabin of the prospector, but also learn there that his supply ship is due back in less than a month, thereby removing much of the tension inherent in the idea of being stranded on an island with a ravening monster.  Moreover, after a couple of initial attacks, the monster pretty much vanishes until nearly the end of the movie, after the supply ship's advance party has arrived.  There is then a flurry of action before the creature's inevitable demise.

But, in reality, Horrors of Spider Island isn't really a monster movie so much as an excuse for the various women to strip down to their underwear for a bit of early sixties Euro titillation.  (Some prints also include a brief nude swimming scene near the end - not that you can see anything: it was still 1960, after all).  With the emphasis firmly on the girls, it isn't surprising that the pace is lackadaisical and the monster make up underwhelming.  The mutant spider looks like it was made from pipe cleaners and other left overs and the bad dubbing makes the lame dialogue seem even more hilarious than it actually is.  On the plus side, the image of the scientist's body hanging in the giant web is striking and the black and white photography gives the film a certain moody atmosphere.  I have to say, though, that despite its faults, Horrors of Spider Island retains a certain charm and is surprisingly enjoyable in a creaky sort of way.