As much as I fear insects, and the thought of giant ones or a swarm makes my skin crawl, I love movies where it’s the humans against nature in the form of giant bugs. Who didn’t shudder during “Mimic” or “The Swarm”. My husband who once worked as an exterminator says the field is full of odd personalities. This makes sense as you take a somewhat normal person, expose them daily to toxic chemicals while crawling under houses and you get a man or woman on a mission to as Dale Gribble from King of the Hill says “Kill the Bugs!” In one case even cute little dancing rodents are threatened. There have been some noteworthy exterminators in films, many facing deadly threats and in one case the exterminator is the threat, depending on how you feel about cartoon bugs.
So here are the top five exterminators who did battle with a population of pests in films
John Goodman as Delbert McClintock (Arachnophobia)
People should think twice before moving to the country if they have a fear of spiders, especially when a blood sucking tarantula comes into town and mates with the local variety. John Goodman is so excellent in everything he does, and his appearance as the fearless exterminator in “Arachnophobia” with a flamethrower in hand was just what the movie needed.
Bill Murray as Carl Spackler (Caddy Shack)
“Kill all the golfers?” This is when misunderstandings can go awry. Murray’s little soliloquies about “Cinderella Story, coming for nowhere” makes you wonder if he really enjoys the job or dreams of being a pro golfer. His blowing up the golf course at the end was stellar. Still, we were glad to see that little gopher do his dance again at the end.
Peter Weller as Wiliam Lee (Naked Lunch)
This poor guy gets high from his pest control products and lives a very weird life, particularly after he accidentally kills his wife This 1991 sci-fi treasure based on a novel by Wiliam S. Burroughs is worth watching. You think your life is crazy, wait till you get a glimpse into a world of giant bugs and government plots. Peter Weller is perfection in this film, and it also stars Ian Holm.
The Whole Dang Mobile Infantry (Starship Troopers)
Men and women must do battle with insects intent on taking over the world. It is splitting hairs to merely call them soldiers–their mission is the same as Dale’s to “Kill the Bugs”. Some of the troopers die in a very grizzly way to do it–but don’t worry, Neil Patrick Harris comes out okay.
Paul Giamatti as Stan Beals (The Ant Bully)
When a boy who destroys ant hills has to do penance by living the life of an ant, he must do battle with an exterminator, played to perfection by Paul Giamatti. It’s just his voice used in the animated flick, but he is memorable nonetheless. Who turns out to be the “Ant Bully” after all. Makes you think twice before spreading the Terro, although fire ants in the south do have weapons of their own.
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