Walk into the Parlour: The Spiders of Britain
(1966)
A technically stunning account of a much maligned creature, Walk into the Parlour: The Spiders of Britain was first broadcast during National Nature Week 1966, on the newly formed BBC 2 channel.
An outstanding example of pioneering macro-photographic techniques, the show was the brainchild of Oxford Scientific Films (OSF) founders Gerald Thompson and Eric Skinner. Gaining inspiration from W.S. Bristowe’s book on spiders, they recruited leading arachnologist Dr. John Cooke, with the partnership producing a thoroughly entertaining glimpse into the world of these ruthless and efficient hunters.
Incredible close-up shots reveal a rich variety of behaviour, from the trapping of prey using strategically placed scaffolds and trip wires to the complicated silk tunnels produced by orb web spiders. With virtually no natural sound, the production was set to a score by Sidney Sagar, his music skillfully highlighting the specific movements and postures associated with the spiders’ elaborate and often comical courtship routines.
A unique insight into all things arachnid, Walk into the Parlour: The Spiders of Britain delves into an apparently unpopular species, its enthusiastic reception leading to a whole host of programmes on snakes, scorpions and other ‘undesirable’ creatures.
Gerald Thompson
