Earth vs. the Spider

Earth vs. the Spider is a 2001 science fiction horror television film directed by Scott Ziehl. It is the first of a series of films made for Cinemax paying tribute to the films of American International Pictures. The films in this tribute series reused the titles of old American International Pictures films, in this case the 1958 Bert I. Gordon film Earth vs. the Spider, but are not remakes of the earlier films. The film centers on a shy, obsessive comic book fan who gets injected with an experimental serum derived from spiders, which gives him minor superpowers. More horrific changes occur, slowly transforming him into a grotesque human spider hybrid. A detective begins to investigate when bodies start to pile up covered in cobwebs. The film was nominated for the Saturn Award at the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Films, USA. Plot Quentin Kemmer is a shy security guard and obsessive comic book fan who dreams of becoming a superhero like his favorite comic book character The Arachnid Avenger, and going out with his next-door neighbor Stephanie Lewis. When his partner is killed during a botched robbery at the research laboratory where he works, Quentin is fired and he injects himself with an experimental serum derived from spiders. The next day he is wracked with a severe fever and spends most of the day unconscious. After he recovers, he discovers that he has developed increased strength. Later that night, Stephanie is attacked and almost raped by a stalker. Quentin intervenes and kills the man, leaving before Stephanie can see him. Quentin later returns to his apartment and finds Stephanie being interviewed by Detective Frank Grillo in hopes of identifying her savior. Quentin is thrilled that he is finally able to live his dream of becoming a superhero. However, as the days go by, he develops more spider-like abilities, including being able to shoot webs from his abdomen, and his body becoming more spider-like. Quentin is overwhelmed with an insatiable hunger but is unable to eat solid food. Arriving at a local store in an effort to find something to satisfy his hunger, he happens upon a man attempting to rape a young woman and attacks him, severely injuring the man. Expecting the woman to be grateful, he is surprised when she yells at him in anger as the man was her boyfriend. When she attempts to call the police, Quentin encases her in webbing.