TARANTULAS: THE DEADLY CARGO (1977) **

Two pilots bringing coffee beans from Ecuador into the country get a nasty surprise when hundreds of poisonous tarantulas sneak aboard their plane.  We eventually learn they're not really tarantulas, but banana spiders.  I guess Banana Spiders:  The Deadly Cargo just doesn't have the same ring to it.  Anyway, the spiders kill everyone on board before making their way to a small town to terrorize the population.

Like all ‘70s Animals Run Amok movies, the mayor is worried that the titular animals will ruin the town’s big day.  In this case, it’s shipping out oranges that are vital to the town’s economy.  It’s then up to fire chief Claude Akins to kill the spiders without damaging the orange crop. 

There’s one memorable, odd moment when two characters have a champagne picnic overlooking the town’s "School for Autistic Children".  Seriously, is that your idea of romance?  I don’t think this guy had much of a chance getting past first base if you ask me.  Thankfully, the children aren’t put in any peril from the spiders, or the picnickers for that matter.  

The early scenes of the pilots bringing the spiders into the country are more fun than any of the nominal drama that happens in the town.  That’s mostly because the pilots are played by Tom Atkins and Howard Hesseman.  They show a lot more spunk and life than anyone else in the cast, that’s for sure.

Akins is OK as the square hero.  Bert Remsen is merely going through the motions though in the thinly-written role of the mayor.  Pat Hingle is also around as the crotchety town doctor and Deadly Friend’s Matthew Labyorteaux plays the token kid in jeopardy.

Like most of these Made for TV movies from the ‘70s, Tarantulas:  The Deadly Cargo is heavily padded to fit in its two-hour time slot.  The finale in which Akins sets out to destroy the spiders is particularly laborious and time-consuming.  It’s also far too tame to make much of an impact as the spider attack scenes lack… ahem… bite.