Tarantula (1955) Film Locations

Tarantula (1955) Film Locations

Visit the beautiful town of Desert Rock, Arizona, but bring your bug deterrent. I’m not sure Off will work but give it a shot.

I had watched Jack Arnold’s 1955 Tarantula staring Mara Corday and John Agar a couple years back. I always enjoy the science-run-amok-and-create-giant-animals type of movies. In fact, my father and I still sit down to watch Them! regularly.

When some travel would take me through Lucerne Valley, I re-watched the movie to grab screenshots of Dead Man’s Point.

Tarantula is a classic sci-fi movie. Professor Deemer (Leo Carroll) is working out of his desert mansion/lab. All mad scientists have a remote compound. Such digs are required as part of the job description. He is working on an artificial super-nutrient using a radioactive element which could provide unlimited food supply to the world. What a benevolent goal, this is Nobel Prize material. However, his approach is the typical “mad scientist”. His experiment escapes and grows to a gargantuan size. Only Dr. Matt Hastings (John Agar) and lab assistant Stephanie “Steve” Clayton (Mara Corday) can save Desert Rock and the world from the Tarantula.

Film Location Comparison Shots: