Arthropod Movie Posters, Lobby Cards, and other Memorabilia in the Mississippi Entomological Museum
by Richard L . Brown, Joe A. MacGown,and Amy Hoffman
Uploaded 15 February 2011
Insects, spiders, and other arthropods have been a major staple of eco-horror and science fiction films that feature snakes, sharks, and other animals that attack humans. Most of these movies, usually relegated to the B-movie category, were made following WWII and the actual horrors of that war. Movie screens during the 1950's were filled by giant spiders (Tarantula) to fire belching cockroaches (Bug, 1975). Two technological developments have fostered the rise of such films that often featured mutated spiders, insects and other animals. The first is the development of atomic energy coupled with fear of the side effects of radiation that could cause mutants. The second is the development of genetic manipulations that could result in a super-organism immune to the laws of nature. The use of insects and spiders in such films has especially been successful because of the phobias of these animals by many people, especially in western societies.
Matt Bouchard (1967-2005), a native of Greenwood, Mississippi, developed a collection of posters and lobby cards, promotional photographs, and other memorabilia related to movies that featured insects, spiders, and other arthropods. He also donated a few non-arthropod posters that are also included on this site. Shortly before his sudden death, Matt donated this collection to the Mississippi Entomological Museum. Portions of the Bouchard Collection of Arthropod Movie Memorabilia are featured on this web site.
