This film is part of Free
Spiders on a Web
Dare you watch this footage of larger-than-life spiders - one of the earliest nature films of its type?
Overview
This is one of the first examples of close-up nature photography, predating the work of science film pioneer Percy Smith by almost a decade. At this scale, the humble spiders appear as fearsome beasts, and although they haven't really been photographed on a web, the circular mask on the frame gives that impression. While this film could have some educational value, its director, showman-turned-filmmaker George Albert Smith, probably just wanted to give the audience something gruesome to gawp at.
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