A Quick Look: THE GIANT SPIDER INVASION (1975 - color)

   THE GIANT SPIDER INVASION remains the most well-remembered picture of Wisconsin-based director Bill Rebane. This is mostly due to it's being a giant spider movie, a genre people always enjoy. In this case, the film is another one of those cheapo quickie messes with a script about as grounded in scientific reality as Ernest P. Worrell. Still, it delivers the cheesy goods, and is a quintessential 70's drive-in movie. The plot involves a meteorite striking the rural farmlands of Wisconsin, and then releasing an army of tarantulas -some of which grow into giants. NASA's Steve Brodie and local scientist Barbara Hale join forces with Sheriff Alan Hale to investigate, while redneck slob Robert Easton plans to make a fortune with the tiny diamonds found inside the geodes which house the spiders. Leslie Parrish guest stars, as Easton's lush wife. As a director, Rebane seems to've kept up on the latest theories and fads, and was generally ahead of the pop culture curve. This film was probably the first feature to discuss black holes (which, of course, are inter-dimensional doorways which allow giant spiders to infiltrate our world). Rebane was also the first to capitalize on the renewed interest in inner earth theories during the 70's with INVASION FROM INNER EARTH. I liken that film to a soap-box derby car built by a young child. It's rough around the edges, but holds together well enough to keep us interested. Then, in the last reel, it turns down the hill and flies apart into a million shards. Other Rebane epics include the not overly memorable THE CAPTURE OF BIGFOOT and the ultra-obscure 80's gillman movie RANA: THE LEGEND OF SHADOW LAKE. They say every director has at least one masterpiece in them, though, and lest you think Rebane a terrible talent, I must make mention of THE ALPHA INCIDENT. It dealt with (on a very small scale) the release of an infectious microbe. If you get a chance, check that one out.