YMMV / Arachnophobia

• Ensemble Dark Horse:
  • Big Fun Eccentric Exterminator Delbert McClintock (played by John Goodman) is probably the scene-stealer of the film, even though he only has two or three scenes before the final act.
  • Milt only has about half a dozen scenes, but is pretty well-liked for being a Reasonable Authority Figure and Sharp-Dressed Man.
  • Coach Beechwood and Margaret aren't involved in the film's more iconic spider-hunting scenes, but are pretty well-liked for how nicely they treat Ross upon his arrival in town.
  • Coach Beechwood's daughter Becky, due to her particularly creepy and unique Shower Scene.
• Fan-Preferred Cut Content: A number of fans wish the unmade scene where Sheriff Parsons dies had stayed in, as the description of it sounds pretty suspenseful and a lot of them also feel that he was too obnoxious to deserve being Spared by the Cut.
• Fridge Horror: In Delbert's first scene, he checks out the Jennings's cellar for quite a bit, with the cheesy music only making it more comedic. We later discover that the General was hiding there all along.
• Jerks Are Worse Than Villains: While reading the many entries about Dr. Metcalf on the main page, it's clear that he's a massive jerk who cares only about himself. He convinced Ross to move from the city to his rural town and take over his patients, only to change his mind after Ross had moved in. Dr. Metcalf then badmouths Ross to ruin him financially. His sole motivation seems to be that he's an asshole and wants to get a personal satisfaction out of ruining someone else's life. Meanwhile, the General is the main villain of the movie, but it only follows the predatory instincts that it was born with.
• Narm: The climactic battle against the General, as dangerous as its breed of spider is, still amounts to a man having an epic duel trying to kill a spider in his basement.
• Narm Charm: That being said, the climax still works because these spiders are far more dangerous than your typical arachnid, combined with our protagonist having a fear of spiders. Ultimately, it succeeds in spite of its silliness.
• Paranoia Fuel: You'll probably be checking every nook in your house for spiders after watching this. And make sure your tent is closed and well when out camping, so nothing can creep under your blanket...
• Retroactive Recognition: Behind-the-scene example. The animatronics technician that created the spiders for the film was Jamie Hyneman.
• Special Effect Failure:
  • In the shower scene, it's extremely obvious that the actress is wearing a fleshtone bodysuit as one shot is from above clearly showing the fastening at the back of her neck.
    • In that same shower scene, during the close-up on the spider that's on the curtain rail, there's a plainly visible wire on it.
  • The animatronic spider used for the General is not terribly convincing, and mechanical parts can be seen in several scenes.
• Tear Jerker:
  • Margaret's death. The fact that her last moment was speaking to a picture of her deceased husband, wishing he'd been at the party earlier in the day, before getting bitten.
  • The General desiccates Jerry's body during the trip to the United States, so Irv the mortician insists on a closed-casket funeral and doesn't let Jerry's parents see his body because he doesn't want them to be traumatized. Later, his mother drunkenly laments how she wasn't allowed to see him to say goodbye.

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