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'The Giant Spider Invasion': A Cult Classic with Legs to Stand On

Explore the cult classic film 'The Giant Spider Invasion' from 1975, its enduring popularity, and the auction of two significant items from the film: the worldwide ownership and copyright, including remake and sequel rights, with the original 35mm negative, and the original life-size 'Man-Eating Giant Spider' prop -- each up for bid in 'Hollywood Legends: Sci-Fi, Horror, & Action.' Register and bid now.

March 4, 2025

In the realm of cult cinema, where "so-bad-it's-good" reigns supreme, few films have achieved the legendary status of 1975's "The Giant Spider Invasion."

This glorious spectacle of low-budget filmmaking, overflowing with cheesy effects and unintentional hilarity, has captured the hearts of B-movie aficionados, creature feature fanatics, and lovers of all things campy. And now, for the first time ever, you have a chance to own a piece of this cinematic marvel.

Wisconsin: Where the Spiders are as Big as Volkswagens

Picture this: a sleepy Wisconsin town, where life ambles along at a tractor's pace, suddenly finds itself under siege by monstrous, extraterrestrial arachnids. Thanks to a meteorite that crash-lands through a black hole (because why not?), these eight-legged invaders, including one behemoth that towers a terrifying 25 feet tall, descend upon the unsuspecting populace. Amidst the chaos, a motley crew of scientists, a good-natured sheriff, and a hilariously dysfunctional farming family must band together to save their town, and perhaps the world, from this eight-legged apocalypse.

"The Giant Spider Invasion" is a cinematic experience unlike any other. Director Bill Rebane, a true independent film pioneer, poured his heart and soul into bringing this vision to life, overcoming budgetary constraints and logistical challenges with a resourcefulness that would make MacGyver proud. The result is a film that is both endearingly earnest and side-splittingly funny, a testament to the power of DIY filmmaking and the enduring appeal of giant spiders.

"We were making movies for the sheer joy of it," Rebane once said, reflecting on the film's production. "We had to be creative, we had to be resourceful, and we had to have a sense of humor." That sense of humor shines through in every frame of The Giant Spider Invasion, from the endearingly clunky special effects to the over-the-top performances.

a stack of film cans next to a movie poster .

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a stack of old film reels with one that says giant spider on it

a close up of a film reel with a label on it that says `` cut negative '' .

a stack of old film reels on a white background .

a person is laying on the floor next to a giant spider sculpture .

a man is laying on the floor next to a giant spider sculpture .

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1. Lot #150. The Giant Spider Invasion | Worldwide Ownership and Copyright, Including Remake & Sequel Rights, with Original 35mm Negative, 8. Lot #151. The Giant Spider Invasion | Original Life-Size "Man-Eating Giant Spider" Prop ,

A Critical Darling (Sort Of)

Believe it or not, The Giant Spider Invasion wasn't just a drive-in darling; it even garnered some critical acclaim. Stephen King, in his seminal work on horror, "Danse Macabre," praised the film's "budget-conscious special effect," declaring that "it is impossible to see [the giant spider] without feeling a wave of admiration." High praise indeed from the master of horror himself!

And let's not forget the film's impressive box office performance. Raking in an estimated $22-24 million upon its initial release, "The Giant Spider Invasion" outgrossed cinematic heavyweights like Peter Bogdanovich's "At Long Last Love and John Wayne's Brannigan." It seems audiences in 1975 had an insatiable appetite for giant spiders, and Rebane's film delivered in spades.

From Wisconsin Farmland to the Waldorf Astoria

This December, we are thrilled to offer a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own a piece of this cinematic gem. Our "Hollywood Legends: Sci-Fi, Horror, & Action" auction, held live from the prestigious Waldorf Astoria, will feature two extraordinary items from The Giant Spider Invasion:

The Giant Spider Invasion

Worldwide Ownership and Copyright, Including Remake & Sequel Rights, with Original 35mm Negative

Estimate:

$75,000 - $95,000

The worldwide ownership and copyright, including remake, sequel, and distribution rights, to the cult classic horror sci-fi film The Giant Spider Invasion (Transcentury Pictures, 1975).

Together with four vintage reels of 35mm Eastman stock film footage with 1975 date codes, containing the original edited negative of the film and four corresponding reels of optical audio containing the soundtrack and dialogue for the film, with accompanying storage cans.

The story of The Giant Spider Invasion follows a pair of scientists, a cheerful sheriff, and a dysfunctional family of farmers as they navigate extraterrestrial terror when a meteorite crashes through a black hole and lands in the fields of rural Wisconsin. Chunks of the meteorite fall off leading the eclectic cast of characters to find that the chunks contain diamonds, but also alien spiders, including one that grows to be 25 feet! With the spider descending on the residents of the small Wisconsin town, the scientists must act quickly to come up with a solution to stop the giant arachnid for good, or else watch as its reign of terror and destruction continues across the rest of the country and the world.

The Giant Spider Invasion was the brain child of independent film pioneer, Bill Rebane. A Latvian/Estonian immigrant who fled to America with his family in 1952, Rebane worked his way through film production in the States and Germany until he landed in Gleason, Wisconsin where he bought a farm and turned into a production studio dubbed “The Shooting Ranch.” It was here that he started making his first feature exploitation films, including what would become his biggest success – The Giant Spider Invasion.

The Giant Spider Invasion | Worldwide Ownership and Copyright, Including Remake & Sequel Rights, with Original 35mm Negative

This is the holy grail for any film enthusiast or aspiring producer. Imagine holding the keys to this beloved franchise, with the power to reimagine it for a new generation, to craft sequels that delve deeper into the spider-infested lore, or to simply preserve this piece of cinematic history. Opportunities like this are exceedingly rare, a chance to own a slice of cult film immortality.

The Giant Spider Invasion

Original Life-Size "Man-Eating Giant Spider" Prop

Estimate:

$20,000 - $30,000

The original, life-size "Man-Eating Spider" from the cult classic horror sci-fi film The Giant Spider Invasion (Transcentury Pictures, 1975). This consists of the original wire frame built in 1975 to make-up the interior mechanical body of the spider, as well as a half-restoration completed by the team at the Merrill Historical Society in 2022, led by curator Brandon Johnson, to showcase an approximation of how the spider existed on set in 1975.

The original wire frames were welded by Carl Pfantz and had fur sewn-on by the daughter of the film’s director, Bill Rebane, along with her school friends and neighbors. This was one of the spiders built to portray the titular “giant spider” in the film. One spider was built into a Volkswagen Beetle that could be driven around with crew members inside to move the spider’s legs. This was the other spider built, used for the close-up shots of the spider eating humans and was dropped on top of a house it attacks in the film. This spider was lifted and dropped via a crane. It took 4-5 people, mostly teenagers, to sit inside of the spider to operate its legs, pull the eaten victim through the mouth hole, and spray the fake blood out of a garden hose from the inside. These teenagers were inside of the spider when it was dropped from the crane onto the house it attacks and sat through the hot August summer heat of Wisconsin while they did their work on the film.

The Volkswagen Spider ultimately was stolen and sold for scrap metal. This Man-Eating Spider was moved to the property of the film’s director in Saxon, Wisconsin, where it sat for almost 50 years until it was rescued by the team at the Merrill Historical Society. It was restored to be the centerpiece of its exhibit “Bill Rebane’s Hollywood Midwest,” celebrating the life and career of independent film pioneer, Bill Rebane, and his dedication to making films in the state of Wisconsin. The restoration work included treating the rust of the wire frame and welding new conduit in spots where the original work had deteriorated. They also created new legs for the spider out of cardboard tubes and covered them, along with half of the spider, in faux fur.

The Giant Spider Invasion became a hit when it was released, finding most of its success at drive-in theatres. It eventually grossed $22-24 million upon its initial release, making it one of the Top 50 grossing films of 1975. It has gone on to be one of the most beloved camp cult classic films and become a mainstay on programs such as Mystery Science Theater 3000 and RiffTrax Live! It reportedly has grossed over $150 million from all of its various releases over time.

The entire budget for the film was only $325,000. Under those budget constraints and working in rural Wisconsin, far outside of the Hollywood system in California, Rebane and his team created these large practical special effects that reflect a kind of movie-making that simply doesn’t happen anymore. As the only remaining giant spider from the film, this museum-quality piece serves as an important preserved artifact of a unique and quirky part of cinema history.

Accompanied by a copy of the poster for the film, signed by director Bill Rebane.

Notice: The winning bidder is responsible for coordinating item shipment and delivery. This item is located in Merrill, Wisconsin and shipping will need to be coordinated by the buyer for its transport.

Overall: 6.5 x 20 x 23 feet

PROVENANCE From The Collection of Bill Rebane

The Giant Spider Invasion | Original Life-Size "Man-Eating Giant Spider" Prop

This is not your average movie prop; this is a legend. This is the very spider that terrorized the citizens of Wisconsin, the one that sent chills down spines and elicited screams of laughter in equal measure. Painstakingly crafted with a Volkswagen Beetle chassis and adorned with fur (courtesy of director Bill Rebane's daughter and her friends!), this spider is a testament to the ingenuity and DIY spirit of independent filmmaking.

A Legacy That Lives On

"The Giant Spider Invasion" has not only endured, it has thrived. Thanks to appearances on cult television shows like Mystery Science Theater 3000 and RiffTrax Live!, the film has found a new generation of fans, eager to embrace its cheesy charm and celebrate its glorious imperfections.

This December, you have a chance to join the legacy. Whether you're a die-hard collector, a budding filmmaker with a vision, or simply a fan who appreciates the finer points of giant spider cinema, these auction lots offer an unparalleled opportunity.

Own a piece of cult film history, a piece of "The Giant Spider Invasion."

Live Auction

HOLLYWOOD LEGENDS: SCI-FI, HORROR, & ACTION

Dec 12, 2024

10:00 AM PST