- A mad scientist named Arana is creating giant spiders and dwarfs in his lab on Zarpa Mesa in Mexico. He wants to create a master race of superwomen by injecting his female subjects with spider venom.
- Dr. Aranya is experimenting with reciprocal transplants of pituitary glands between spiders and humans. He carries out his work in remote underground labs located on the Zarpa Mesa in the Mexican desert. He wants to create a master race of hybrid superwomen and spiders through his procedures. He invites Dr. Leland Masterton, a famous entomological scientist, to see his creations. Masterton is horrified and subsequently becomes the next candidate for experimentation. The techniques work better on females than males, and Masterton is released and is quickly institutionalized. More outsiders become involved with Dr. Aranya when a plane carrying wealthy financier Jan van Croft and his bride-to-be, Doreen Culbertson, crashes on the mesa. Also aboard is Masterton, who has forced the pilot to fly the plane despite its need of engine repairs. The survivors are captured in hopes of using them for additional experiments. Masterton, determined to put an end to the experimentation, mixes an explosive concoction and sends the pilot and Doreen down a side passage to escape. They get picked up by an oil-company surveyor as they are about to perish of heat exposure and thirst.—Garon Smith
- With a voice over explaining the weakness of man, and how insects are far superior, we see a couple walking across the great Umberto desert in Mexico, American oil explorer, Frank (John Martins) with his driver Pepe (Chris Pin Martin) see and rescue them.
In an oil company office the couple are being treated for exposure. The doctor surmises they could be survivors of a recent plane crash out in the desert. The man regains consciousness first, rather than show concern for his companion he demands to be given a truck and some drums of fuel. He wants to burn them before they can scatter.
He describe spiders the size of humans that can kill with a single bite. They were created in an underground installation up on the mesa run by Dr Aranya. He is able to create such creatures by manipulating their glands. The man begins to relate his story of how the couple ended up in the desert. He is a pilot for Van Jan Croft, they were flying near the border when they had engine trouble and were forced to land
A voice over then explains Pepe already knows about Dr Aranya, and the deformed women, women who refused to die. The narrator then asks who is likely to believe his story
We cut to a flashback of Doctor Masterson traveling to Aranyas secret location. He reaches a canyon and a mysterious woman begins to guide through a complex of caves. Masterson catches glimpses of a deformed dwarf like man and beautiful woman among the rocks; both however scurry for cover when sighted.
Eventually Mastersons guide indicates a particular track that leads him to a secret entrance. Masterson is greeted by a second dark haired woman and a dwarf. Despite his questions they remain silent. Aranya (Jackie Coogan) arrives and introduces himself. Masterson discusses the ground breaking theories Aranya has recently published. Aranaya corrects him in a menacing way, these are not theories, theyre proven science
Masterson is shocked, at how Aranya could conduct such research. Aranya explains this is the reason needs such an isolated location. He then invites Masterson to witness one of his experiments He is transplanting human pituitary gland into spiders; this allows the creatures to grow and develop powers of reasoning. Aranya introduces Tarantella (Tandra Quinn) one of his greatest successes. She is a human who carries the indestructible instincts of a spider. After the success of Tarantella he is developing a super spider that will control the world subject to Aranyas will
Masterson is then shown the creature, a typical tarantula type spider over three feet tall. Masterson reacts with complete shock and refuses point blank to aid Aranya in any meaningful way. This angers Aranya and he restrains Masterson and being to conduct a series of experiments on him.
Sometime later Masterson is found wandering the desert near the Mesa. His rescuers become convinced he is completely mad and have him committed to Muerto State Asylum for evaluation. A week later n orderly doing his rounds discovers Masterson has escaped using bed sheets to make a rope.
Although disorientated and very unsure of himself, Masterson finds his way to a bar. There he meets two Americans Doreen (Paula Hill) and Jan Van Croft (Nico Lek) they were flying to Mexico to be married when engine trouble forced their plane to land..
A third man arrives, George (George Barrows) he is Masterson nurse at the asylum, and has come to pick the doctor up and taking back to the hospital. Masterson refuses to go,and becomes enchanted by an exotic woman dancing in the bar. It is Tarantella but he does not seem to recognize her, but sense the evil that lurks inside her.
Mastersons mood darkens quickly and he begins randomly quoting biblical passages before suddenly pulling out a gun and shooting Tarantella the dancer.
Masterson transfers his interest to Doreen. She ignores him because shes becomes immersed in a mental conversation with the dying exotic dancer. With his gun still drawn Masterson leads the three Americans out of the bar.
Masterson agrees to take Doreen to the airport where she believes Crofts plane has been repaired. Back in the bar the presumed dead woman suddenly gets up and walks out the bar
At the airport the pilot reports that the engine is still not repaired to his satisfaction. Masterson threatens the pilot with the gun till he agrees to fly the damaged plane. With the Crofts, Masterson and George now onboard the plane takes of barely missing a police car trying to stop them
The pilot realizes the gyro-compass has been miss set, adding to their issues one of the planes engines begins to fail. The pilot reports he is going to attempt a forced landing. Masterson tries to countermand the pilot, but the other passengers talk him around. The pilot gets the plane down; all onboard seem to have survived.
The pilot figures they have crashed on a mesa some 600 feet high, approximately 120 miles south of the Mexican border. Some of the passengers think they see movement in the thick vegetation but nothing concrete.
As night falls they set a fire and discuss their options. George goes to look around in the hope they might find food. He senses something stalking and then a blood curdling scream echoes across the landing site, a pack of women and dwarf men are hiding in the woods waiting for the others to appear. The rest of the party form a connected line and begin exploring in the darkness, the trail they are on peters out and there seems to be a huge bottomless hole. They find Georges body with two huge wounds on the back of his neck.
The party decides to head back to the crash site. Badly spooked they jump at every sound or contact with trees they make. They can sense something following them but they cant tell what. They reach the campsite and get the fire going again. Short on any concrete ideas they settle down and to try and sleep for the night
Back in his secret cave Aranya gets word of the crashed plane and orders one of his women to keep an eye on the group
During the night Doreen gets up admitting she cant sleep. She confronts Phillips the pilot about his dislike for her. He admits it is to do with her impending marriage to Croft and he sees it is only for money. She admits he is right but she values security very highly, and that is the reason for the marriage to such a wealthy man.
On an impulse Doreen suddenly kisses Croft
****Scene missing**** Possibly poor editing during production
The whole party is now awake and standing around the fire Doreen is explains she was startled by something moving through the trees. Croft is not sure what to think but wonders where Doreens comb has gone. Croft insists the comb be found. Crofts man servant Woo agrees to go search for the missing item in the dark. Woo takes the opportunity to make contact with Aranya and briefs him on the situation. Aranya wants Doreen and the pilot, but the others can be disposed of. Woo express displeasure at the decision, with a wave of his hand Aranya signals his women and they attack Woo
Phillips goes looking for Woo, he finds the mans body and one hand clutching the comb hed been sent to find. Angry Phillips confronts Croft, who runs off in fear to be attacked by a giant spider. The three remaining survivors are quickly captured and lead to Aranyas hide out.
Masterson is given a shot that brings him back to mental alertness. Aranya again offers to share his work and projects with Masterson, who appalled once again says no. Aranya has had enough and orders Tarantella to kill him. Doreen stops Tarantella distracting her enough to allow Masterson to grab some chemicals and mix them to an explosive mixture.
Masterson sends Phillips and Doreen down a side passage then blows up the laboratory. They become the couple found wandering in the desert found by Dan. He dismisses their story out of hand despite Pepes argument that it is true. Dan also tells the couple he will not be sending any trucks to help burn everything at the mesa
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