Giant Robot Spider Prowls Liverpool (VIDEO)

A 50-foot, mechanical spider that has been perched on the side of a Liverpool office building "came alive" today, reports the BBC. Video footage of the arachno-bot below.

The 37-tonne beast heralds the start of a five-day piece of street theatre as part of the Capital of Culture year.

It has been built by French company La Machine, which in 2006 brought the streets of London to a standstill with the Sultan's Elephant.

The spider is believed to be "waking up" on Friday.

It will descend from its current position on the side of Concourse House on Thursday to be moved to the city's new arena, before coming to life on Friday.

The creature will then begin exploring the city later that evening.

Watch:

Comments

[gisellehuffington]

03:42 PM on 09/16/2008

I've recently posted a new giant spider video on Youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxajilZcgTo

Watch the giant spider of Liverpool arrive at the city hall, wake up after a sleep and, in some dramatically speeded up footage, crawl up a building to rest.

La Princesse was created by a French company, La Machine, as part of the Liverpool European Capital of culture programme. - filmed and edited by Giselle Leeb

[Nobrun]

07:50 PM on 09/06/2008

Besides the umbrellas, the close-up at 40 seconds shows men in jackets and hats. Was it really snowing? Already?

[Rutabaga]

03:41 PM on 09/06/2008

I hate spiders, but that's totally freaky. And totally cool.

[sculptor]

02:09 PM on 09/06/2008

Well, if they want to spend a wad of cash on large art projects then I'd be more than happy to oblige them with some colossal sculptures.

By the way, I don't do spiders. ;-)

[thegirlnextdoor]

12:45 PM on 09/06/2008

is it snowing in that video? Yeah, groovy huge spider. but, whoa - snow?

[scouserinlondon]

12:58 PM on 09/06/2008

One of the special effects that the engineers are operating.
My hometown........ the City that gave you the Beatles is now giving you spiders!!!!

[indypete]

01:46 PM on 09/06/2008

Your Liverpudlian spider is about half the size of the real ones I used to see in Jamaica in the old cruise ship days!

[Trittydi]

12:21 PM on 09/06/2008

Way cool.

Oh to live in a country where culture - ours and others - mattered.
*

[scouserinlondon]

01:00 PM on 09/06/2008

Off course Liverpool is cool...... we invented the '60's.

A proud Scouser.

[indypete]

01:44 PM on 09/06/2008

'Scuse me, We Londoners invented the sixties... You lot just nicked 'em!

[Eric8869]

11:05 AM on 09/06/2008

Oh no! somebody call Dr. Who!

[provgrays]

10:59 AM on 09/06/2008

I give you the true "Revenge of the Nerds".

[provgrays]

10:16 AM on 09/06/2008

I don't care about any "artistic" value.

That thing should not be operating in the streets.

[XCITIZEN]

01:48 AM on 09/06/2008

Actually on second look, thats freaky as hell.

[XCITIZEN]

01:45 AM on 09/06/2008

I was thinking more of the robot spiders in Farenheight 451 that prowled the streets of the fascist city. Or was that Bladerunner? This looks too arty for my taste, I'd rather see something metallic and futuristic - in other words, a totally believable police drone with the ability to seize and inject its targets with some kind of paralyzing sedative. That would be more in the mood of the times we live in.

[MajorKong]

10:03 PM on 09/05/2008

"There's a spider the size of a Buick in the bathroom!" - Woody Allen

[Yermammy]

09:55 PM on 09/05/2008

To see that thing crash the Republic National Convention with an Obama sticker on it would have been cool. Nothing suits me better than a bunch of terrified racists.

[scouserinlondon]

08:07 PM on 09/05/2008

I'll give the hub caps till Saturday!!
That's an in joke to any British Huffers, and, being a Scouse I am allowed to say it!!

[Mr Grey]

08:01 PM on 09/05/2008

Hand me the extra strength Raid!