The Giant Spider Invasion (1975)

Giant spiders from another dimension invade Wisconsin.

Director:

Bill Rebane

Writers:

Richard L. Huff (screenplay), Robert Easton (screenplay)

Stars:

Steve Brodie, Barbara Hale, Robert Easton

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Steve Brodie	...	Dr. Vance
Barbara Hale	...	Dr. Jenny Langer
Robert Easton	...	Kester
Leslie Parrish	...	Ev
Alan Hale Jr.	...	Sheriff (as Alan Hale)
Bill Williams	...	Dutch
Kevin Brodie	...	Perkins
Diane Lee Hart	...	Terry
Tain Bodkin	...	Preacher
Paul Bentzen	...	Billy
J. Stewart Taylor	...	Deputy
Christiane Schmidtmer	...	Helga (as Christiana Schmidtmer)
William W. Gillett Jr.	...	Rider
David B. Hoff	...	Helicopter Pilot (voice)

Storyline

A black hole hits North Wisconsin and opens a door to other dimensions. Giant 15 meter spiders emerge from it, who have an appetite for human flesh! Dr. Jenny Langer and Dr. Vance from the NASA try to save the world.

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Plot Keywords:

spider | black hole | giant spider | bloody mary the drink | cult film | 

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Taglines:

Group 1's amazing new super sensation!

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Genres:

Horror | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

October 1975 (USA)

Also Known As:

Invasion of the Giant Spiders

Filming Locations:

Gleason, Wisconsin, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$300,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cinema Group 75, Transcentury Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

84 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Alan Hale Jr. greets Davey (Kevin Brodie) in the opening scene with the line, "Hi, little buddy!" This is an obvious reference to his role as The Skipper on Gilligan's Island (1964).

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Goofs

While talking to Billy on the phone late in the movie, the sheriff mispronounces Terry's name as "Jerry."

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Quotes

Dan Kester: You're so dumb you wouldn't know rabbit turds from Rice Krispies.

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Connections

Referenced in Eight Legged Freaks (2002)

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Soundtracks

Cliff Hanger
(uncredited)
Music by Raymond Jones
KPM Music Ltd

User Reviews

Bill Rebane's Magnum Opus - Admittedly that's not saying much

First of all, I did not see this film when it was originally released, though I would have been at exactly the right age to have my childhood completely and utterly warped by its low budget charms. I didn't see it until well into the DVD revolution, when I snapped up the disc released by Fred Olen Ray's Retromedia outfit. So my opinions are in no way colored by nostalgia. However, having grown up scarfing down the offerings of Godzilla Week and Edgar Allen Poe/Vincent Price Week on WABC-TV's "The 4:30 Movie," as well as frequent viewings of Hammer Studios product on WOR-TV, I had all the necessary childhood exposure to shlock to appreciate this work of monster mastery by the Inoshiro Honda of Cheesheads, Bill Rebane. Having continued my education thanks to the VHS and DVD revolutions, exploring further down the pile, and finally having committed the complete works of Ed Wood to memory, I was probably finally prepared to consume the cinematic leavings of Mr. Rebane.

Fortunately, this was the first of Rebane's works to meet my uncomprehending eyeballs. Good move, because if I had watched any of his other productions, I don't know if I would have bothered with TGSI. Anyway, here Rebane has some actual professional Hollywood actors on hand in the form of The Skipper and that lady that played Della Street. This helps matters immensely, and believe me, Rebane needs all the help he can get. When your monster is a beat-up VW Beetle covered in black shag carpeting and bendy straws (I'm probably making it sound more convincing with that description than it actually is), you really have to make up the difference somewhere else.

Anyway, the plot unfolds pretty predictably for a story like this, and we are treated to some fun, rollicking low-budget monster action. If you go into this with a way-open mind and a sense of fun, (and perhaps some adult beverages), you might find some enjoyment here. But I would stay away from Rebane's other works---"Invasion From Inner Earth," "The Legend of Bigfoot" and several others too sad to even mention.

Okay, I will mention Rebane's involvement in the worst excuse for a movie ever made, "Monster-A-Go-Go," which started off as an aborted project that Rebane never completed, and was "finished" by Herschell Gordon Lewis in one of the most cynical cash grabs ever in the history of filmmaking. But Rebane is not entirely culpable on that score, so I will give him a partial break on that.