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 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.