Bill Rebane
Encyclopedia
"Ito" Rebane is an American
film director
, producer
, screenwriter
, and author
. He is best known for low budget horror movies such as Twist Craze] and The Giant Spider Invasion
.
Rebane also ran for governor of Wisconsin
in 2002 as the American Reform Party
candidate. He had previously run for the position in 1979.
in 1952 at age 15. His mother was Latvia
n and his father, Arnold Rebane, was Estonia
n.
He attended school in post-war
Germany
as a child, becoming conversant in four languages: Estonian
, Latvian
, German
and Russian
. By watching American cinema, he was able to master English
. He attended the Art Institute of Chicago
/Goodman Theater, majoring in drama.
, $23 million gross in 1975).; as having produced, directed, edited, and production designed at least one hundred commercial, industrial, corporate image, documentary or promotion films; and for the creation and successful operation of the first full time feature film studio in the Midwest for over 30 years.
in Chicago
, where he worked his way through the ranks, beginning with a position in the mailroom, and then as floor manager, assistant producer, and assistant to executive producer. Partaking in production of various live television broadcasts, also allowed him the opportunities as an actor and singer, resulting in appearances on such shows as the courtroom drama series They Stand Accused
and the syndicated musical-variety series The International Cafe.
of Hamburg, Germany. Rebane credits working with Baltes as his start in the film industry. After working with Baltes as a production assistant, assistant director, and director on various 'Cinema Scope Theatrical Short Subjects' for 'Baltes Film', Rebane obtained the U.S.
rights to the 'Cinetarium' circular motion picture process.
Rebane returned to the U.S. and introduced the proprietary process to the world film industry through 'United Film and Recording Studios' in Chicago, attracting such notables as Samuel Goldwyn
, Roy Disney
, Jack Warner
, Hugh Hefner
, and Michael Todd
Jr. to the process, along with industry professionals from Russia
, central Europe
and Japan
.
By age 22, Rebane was a millionaire. However, his early wealth was temporary, as costs of patents, legal fees, and research into means to manufacture vertical projection systems, were at the time beyond the financial means of the companies he had formed for development of the process.
. The film became an international success both theatrically and financially, and enjoyed a 10 week holdover at the Oriental Theater in Chicago, which until that time, was an unheard phenomenon for independent short subject theatrical productions. The film earned twenty times its production cost.
Rebane followed this success with a 20-minute theatrical musical short titled Dance Craze
, which surpassed the success of Twist Craze, ultimately being purchased by Crown International Pictures
for international release.
, Chicago's first FM station, as well as leaving time open for his day job as national public relations director and assistant advertising director for the American distributor for the German firm Grundig Radio
.
, and in 1963 he began production of the science fiction
feature film
, Terror at Halfway, starring June Travis
and Peter Thompson, which marked Rebane's becoming the first producer in Chicago to tackle an independent feature film production with a full union crew and screen actors guild talent. A chance meeting with Ronald Reagan
nearly attached Reagan to the film. however, Rebane’s financial contacts would not go along, claiming Reagan was a "has been" and not worth the investment. Unable to finance the completion of the film, Rebane sold his completed footage to Herschell Gordon Lewis
. Lewis went on to complete the film and release the film as Monster A Go-Go
in 1965. It was distributed by Rebane under the name 'Sheldon Seymour'.
, in which he had an interest, opening offices in Chicago and Hollywood. Commuting to and from Germany on a bi-weekly basis, Rebane dealt with the major studios to attract producers to Germany and lower costs of production. Some films which found a partial or full home for production at Rebane's Bendestorf Studio facility and through Rebane's contact efforts included Dollar
(Goldie Hawn
/ Scott Brady
), How I Won the War
(John Lennon
), and The Odessa File
(John Voight).
and moved there with his family. Apart from the property being used to raise cattle and horses, it also eventually became home to Rebane's studio 'The Shooting Ranch', the facility which was the first full-time feature film studio in the Midwest. 'The Shooting Ranch', held held the position of "first and only" for over 30 years, eventually growing to 200 acre (0.809372 km²), and producing hundreds of commercials, industrial, and corporate image
films, plus a number theatrical features for international theatrical theatrical distribution and exposure.
Rebane acknowledges fellow filmmaker, producer Jerry Gregoris of Chicago, for allowing Rebane directorial and post-production responsibilities and subsequent credits on industrial films made for such clients as the Teamsters Union, the Republican Party of Indiana, State Farm Insurance
, the City of Chicago
, and Wausau Insurance.
Rebane used his studio to produce and direct a number of sci-fi/horror films, the first being Invasion from Inner Earth
(1974), screenwritten by his wife Barbara, it was shot in 1973 with the working title of The Selected.
His next film project was The Giant Spider Invasion
, starring Alan Hale Jr., Barbara Hale
, and Steve Brodie
. The film grossed $23 million against its $325 thousand production costs. This was followed by Rana: The Legend of Shadow Lake
(1975), The Alpha Incident
(1978), The Capture of Bigfoot
(1979), The Demons of Ludlow
(1983) and The Game
(1984).
In 1984 Rebane took a break from production to assume the Presidency of The International Picture Show Company in Atlanta, Georgia
, where he took charge of international distribution for such products as Falling in Love Again
(Elliot Gould), Slapstick
(Jerry Lewis
), Land of No Return
(William Shatner
), and many of the Don Knots and Tim Conway
comedy features
.
In 1986, Rebane returned to 'The Shooting Ranch' and hosted a 1950s nostalgia concert. Among the invitees were Forrest Tucker
, Jaye P. Morgan
, Bill Haley
's Commets, and Tiny Tim
. Rebane later cast Tiny Tim in Blood Harvest
in the role of an insane clown, which was Tim's first and last starring role. Also in 1986, and due to Rebane's ongoing efforts extending from 1969, Wisconsin passed legislation establishing the Wisconsin Film Office.
In 1987, Rebane released both Twister's Revenge! and Blood Harvest, and in 1989 Rebane suffered a stroke, which illness and the costs it incurred led to the closure of his studio.
, where he and his wife ran a hotel and a new film production company called 'Eagle's Nest Productions'. He currently lives in Saxon, Wisconsin
.
In 2005 it was reported that Rebane was casting The UFO File, a film to bring him back to the science fiction genre.
In 2008 he authored From Roswell with Love.
In 2011, Rebane is producing a musical based on his film The Giant Spider Invasion
.
and The Giant Spider Invasion
were featured on TV's "Mystery Science Theater 3000
".
reported that Rebane's film The Giant Spider Invasion, first released in 1975, has a growing cult following, selling out genre festivals such as it did at the Wisconsin Film Festival in 2003.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
film director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
, producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
, screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
, and author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
. He is best known for low budget horror movies such as Twist Craze] and The Giant Spider Invasion
The Giant Spider Invasion
The Giant Spider Invasion is a low-budget 1975 film produced by Transcentury Pictures, a partnership owned by the film's director Bill Rebane. The film is about giant spiders that terrorize the town of Merrill, Wisconsin and the surrounding area. The Giant Spider Invasion was given a U.S. release...
.
Rebane also ran for governor of Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
in 2002 as the American Reform Party
American Reform Party
The American Reform Party is a minor political party in the United States that was formed in a factional split from the larger Reform Party of the United States in October 1997...
candidate. He had previously run for the position in 1979.
Biography
Rebane came to the United States from EstoniaEstonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
in 1952 at age 15. His mother was Latvia
Latvians
Latvians or Letts are the indigenous Baltic people of Latvia.-History:Latvians occasionally refer to themselves by the ancient name of Latvji, which may have originated from the word Latve which is a name of the river that presumably flowed through what is now eastern Latvia...
n and his father, Arnold Rebane, was Estonia
Estonians
Estonians are a Finnic people closely related to the Finns and inhabiting, primarily, the country of Estonia. They speak a Finnic language known as Estonian...
n.
He attended school in post-war
Post-war
A post-war period or postwar period is the interval immediately following the ending of a war and enduring as long as war does not resume. A post-war period can become an interwar period or interbellum when a war between the same parties resumes at a later date...
Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
as a child, becoming conversant in four languages: Estonian
Estonian language
Estonian is the official language of Estonia, spoken by about 1.1 million people in Estonia and tens of thousands in various émigré communities...
, Latvian
Latvian language
Latvian is the official state language of Latvia. It is also sometimes referred to as Lettish. There are about 1.4 million native Latvian speakers in Latvia and about 150,000 abroad. The Latvian language has a relatively large number of non-native speakers, atypical for a small language...
, German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
and Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
. By watching American cinema, he was able to master English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
. He attended the Art Institute of Chicago
Art Institute of Chicago
The School of the Art Institute of Chicago is one of America's largest accredited independent schools of art and design, located in the Loop in Chicago, Illinois. It is associated with the museum of the same name, and "The Art Institute of Chicago" or "Chicago Art Institute" often refers to either...
/Goodman Theater, majoring in drama.
Accomplishments
Rebane is credited with the introduction of the first 360 degree (wrap around) motion picture process to the Motion Picture Industry of the world, an innovation that spurred the Cinemax process and today's Rotascope cameras; as the creator of the Wisconsin Film Office; as the producer, director, writer, and cinematographer on 12 independent feature films, all of which have enjoyed successful international theatrical release; as producer/director of one of the fifty top-grossing films 1975 (The Giant Spider InvasionThe Giant Spider Invasion
The Giant Spider Invasion is a low-budget 1975 film produced by Transcentury Pictures, a partnership owned by the film's director Bill Rebane. The film is about giant spiders that terrorize the town of Merrill, Wisconsin and the surrounding area. The Giant Spider Invasion was given a U.S. release...
, $23 million gross in 1975).; as having produced, directed, edited, and production designed at least one hundred commercial, industrial, corporate image, documentary or promotion films; and for the creation and successful operation of the first full time feature film studio in the Midwest for over 30 years.
Recognition
In October 2009, Rebane received the Wisconsin Filmmaker 'Lifetime Achievement Award', presented to him at the 2009 Madison Horror Film Festival.Post-college
Rebane's first positions in media included working for WGN-TVWGN-TV
WGN-TV, virtual channel 9 , is the CW-affiliated television station in Chicago, Illinois built, signed on, and owned by the Tribune Company. WGN-TV's studios and offices are located at 2501 W...
in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, where he worked his way through the ranks, beginning with a position in the mailroom, and then as floor manager, assistant producer, and assistant to executive producer. Partaking in production of various live television broadcasts, also allowed him the opportunities as an actor and singer, resulting in appearances on such shows as the courtroom drama series They Stand Accused
They Stand Accused
They Stand Accused was an early American television program broadcast on the now defunct DuMont Television Network.-Broadcast history:...
and the syndicated musical-variety series The International Cafe.
Baltes and Cinema Scope
Rebane returned to Germany at age 19, where he met and worked with producer Adalbert BaltesAdalbert Baltes
Adalbert Baltes was a German inventor of the Cinetarium and a film producer.- External links :*...
of Hamburg, Germany. Rebane credits working with Baltes as his start in the film industry. After working with Baltes as a production assistant, assistant director, and director on various 'Cinema Scope Theatrical Short Subjects' for 'Baltes Film', Rebane obtained the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rights to the 'Cinetarium' circular motion picture process.
Rebane returned to the U.S. and introduced the proprietary process to the world film industry through 'United Film and Recording Studios' in Chicago, attracting such notables as Samuel Goldwyn
Samuel Goldwyn
Samuel Goldwyn was an American film producer, and founding contributor executive of several motion picture studios.-Biography:...
, Roy Disney
Roy O. Disney
Roy Oliver Disney was, with his younger brother, Walt Disney, the co-founder of what is now The Walt Disney Company.-Early life:...
, Jack Warner
Jack Warner
Jack Leonard "J. L." Warner , born Jacob Warner in London, Ontario, was a Canadian American film executive who was the president and driving force behind the Warner Bros. Studios in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California...
, Hugh Hefner
Hugh Hefner
Hugh Marston "Hef" Hefner is an American magazine publisher, founder and Chief Creative Officer of Playboy Enterprises.-Early life:...
, and Michael Todd
Mike Todd, Jr.
Michael Todd Jr. was the son of movie producer and cinema pioneer Mike Todd and his first wife, Bertha Freshman Todd. He also a stepson of Elizabeth Taylor eventhough he was older than his famous stepmother through his father's third marriage. Todd Jr...
Jr. to the process, along with industry professionals from Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, central Europe
Central Europe
Central Europe or alternatively Middle Europe is a region of the European continent lying between the variously defined areas of Eastern and Western Europe...
and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
By age 22, Rebane was a millionaire. However, his early wealth was temporary, as costs of patents, legal fees, and research into means to manufacture vertical projection systems, were at the time beyond the financial means of the companies he had formed for development of the process.
Early film production
Rebane then turned to film production. His first independent production effort was the ten-minute musical theatrical short subject called Twist Craze which was purchased by American International PicturesAmerican International Pictures
American International Pictures was a film production company formed in April 1956 from American Releasing Corporation by James H. Nicholson, former Sales Manager of Realart Pictures, and Samuel Z. Arkoff, an entertainment lawyer...
. The film became an international success both theatrically and financially, and enjoyed a 10 week holdover at the Oriental Theater in Chicago, which until that time, was an unheard phenomenon for independent short subject theatrical productions. The film earned twenty times its production cost.
Rebane followed this success with a 20-minute theatrical musical short titled Dance Craze
Dance Craze
Dance Craze is a 1981 British documentary film about the English 2 Tone music genre.The film was directed by Joe Massot, who originally wanted to do a film only about the band Madness, who he met during their first US tour. Massot later changed his plans to include the whole 2 Tone movement...
, which surpassed the success of Twist Craze, ultimately being purchased by Crown International Pictures
Crown International Pictures
Crown International Pictures is an independent film studio formed in 1959 by Newton P. Jacobs Jacobs was a former branch head of RKO Pictures until 1947 when he formed his own company "Favorite Films"; a film releasing organisation. Jacobs became one of the first franchises for showing American...
for international release.
Radio
Rebane's interests in media, and performance, and with the professional contacts he had made, led to his position as co-host of the Germania broadcast at Chicago’s WGES radio station, at the time the largest and most popular German language broadcast in America. As a daily evening one-hour live show, it allowed Rebane to create, produce, and host other radio shows on WKFMWKFM
WKFM is an FM radio station licensed to Huron, Ohio, operating on 96.1 MHz. Its transmitter is in Berlin Heights and its studios are in Milan, along with sister stations WLKR-FM and WLKR...
, Chicago's first FM station, as well as leaving time open for his day job as national public relations director and assistant advertising director for the American distributor for the German firm Grundig Radio
Grundig
Grundig AG is a German manufacturer of consumer electronics for home entertainment which transferred to Turkish control in 2004-2007. Established in 1945 in Nuremberg by Max Grundig, the company changed hands several times before becoming part of the Turkish Koç Holding group...
.
First Science fiction project
In 1961 Rebane decided to make a feature filmFeature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
, and in 1963 he began production of the science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
feature film
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
, Terror at Halfway, starring June Travis
June Travis
June Travis was a motion picture actress from Chicago, Illinois.-Background:Born as June Dorothea Grabiner, she was the daughter of Harry Grabiner, vice-president of the Chicago White Sox in the 1930s....
and Peter Thompson, which marked Rebane's becoming the first producer in Chicago to tackle an independent feature film production with a full union crew and screen actors guild talent. A chance meeting with Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
nearly attached Reagan to the film. however, Rebane’s financial contacts would not go along, claiming Reagan was a "has been" and not worth the investment. Unable to finance the completion of the film, Rebane sold his completed footage to Herschell Gordon Lewis
Herschell Gordon Lewis
Herschell Gordon Lewis is an American filmmaker, best known for creating the "splatter film" subgenre of horror...
. Lewis went on to complete the film and release the film as Monster A Go-Go
Monster A Go-Go
Monster A Go-Go, is a 1965 science fiction horror film directed by Bill Rebane and Herschell Gordon Lewis . It's considered one of the worst films ever.- Production :The film had an unusual production history...
in 1965. It was distributed by Rebane under the name 'Sheldon Seymour'.
Studio Bendestorf
At age 23, Rebane returned to Germany as executive-in-charge of U.S. co-productions for 'Studio Bendestorf', in Bendestorf, GermanyBendestorf
Bendestorf is a municipality in Lower Saxony in Germany. It is situated ca. 30 km south of Hamburg and belongs to the Landkreis Harburg and the Samtgemeinde of Jesteburg....
, in which he had an interest, opening offices in Chicago and Hollywood. Commuting to and from Germany on a bi-weekly basis, Rebane dealt with the major studios to attract producers to Germany and lower costs of production. Some films which found a partial or full home for production at Rebane's Bendestorf Studio facility and through Rebane's contact efforts included Dollar
Dollar
The dollar is the name of the official currency of many countries, including Australia, Belize, Canada, Ecuador, El Salvador, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Singapore, Taiwan, and the United States.-Etymology:...
(Goldie Hawn
Goldie Hawn
Goldie Jeanne Hawn is an American actress, film director, producer, and occasional singer. Hawn is known for her roles in Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, Private Benjamin, Foul Play, Overboard, Bird on a Wire, Death Becomes Her, The First Wives Club, and Cactus Flower, for which she won the 1969...
/ Scott Brady
Scott Brady
Scott Brady was an American film and television actor.Born as Gerard Kenneth Tierney, he was the younger brother of fellow actor Lawrence Tierney. Brady served in the Navy during World War II, where he was a boxing champ...
), How I Won the War
How I Won the War
How I Won the War is a black comedy film directed by Richard Lester, released in 1967. The film stars Michael Crawford as bungling British Army Officer Lieutenant Earnest Goodbody, with John Lennon , Jack MacGowran , Roy Kinnear and Lee Montague as soldiers under his command...
(John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
), and The Odessa File
The Odessa File
The Odessa File is a thriller by Frederick Forsyth, first published in 1972, about the adventures of a young German reporter attempting to discover the location of a former SS concentration-camp commander....
(John Voight).
The Shooting Ranch
In the late 1960s, Rebane purchased a farm property near Gleason, WisconsinGleason, Wisconsin
Gleason is an unincorporated community located in Lincoln County, Wisconsin, United States. Gleason is located on Wisconsin Highway 17 northeast of Merrill, in the town of Russell. Gleason has a post office with ZIP code 54435.-Popular culture:...
and moved there with his family. Apart from the property being used to raise cattle and horses, it also eventually became home to Rebane's studio 'The Shooting Ranch', the facility which was the first full-time feature film studio in the Midwest. 'The Shooting Ranch', held held the position of "first and only" for over 30 years, eventually growing to 200 acre (0.809372 km²), and producing hundreds of commercials, industrial, and corporate image
Corporate image
A corporate image refers to how a corporation is perceived. It is a generally accepted image of what a company stands for. Marketing experts who use public relations and other forms of promotion to suggest a mental picture to the public...
films, plus a number theatrical features for international theatrical theatrical distribution and exposure.
Rebane acknowledges fellow filmmaker, producer Jerry Gregoris of Chicago, for allowing Rebane directorial and post-production responsibilities and subsequent credits on industrial films made for such clients as the Teamsters Union, the Republican Party of Indiana, State Farm Insurance
State Farm Insurance
State Farm Insurance is a group of insurance and financial services companies in the United States. The company also has operations in Canada....
, the City of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, and Wausau Insurance.
Rebane used his studio to produce and direct a number of sci-fi/horror films, the first being Invasion from Inner Earth
Invasion from Inner Earth
Invasion from Inner Earth is an apocalyptic science fiction film, starring Paul Bentzen and Debbi Pick. It was directed by Bill Rebane, the same director of Monster A Go-Go , and The Giant Spider Invasion . The film was also known as Hell Fire and They...
(1974), screenwritten by his wife Barbara, it was shot in 1973 with the working title of The Selected.
His next film project was The Giant Spider Invasion
The Giant Spider Invasion
The Giant Spider Invasion is a low-budget 1975 film produced by Transcentury Pictures, a partnership owned by the film's director Bill Rebane. The film is about giant spiders that terrorize the town of Merrill, Wisconsin and the surrounding area. The Giant Spider Invasion was given a U.S. release...
, starring Alan Hale Jr., Barbara Hale
Barbara Hale
Barbara Hale is an American actress best known for her role as legal secretary Della Street on more than 250 episodes of the long-running Perry Mason television series and later reprising the role in dozens of made-for-TV movies....
, and Steve Brodie
Steve Brodie (actor)
Steve Brodie was an American movie and television actor.Born John Stevenson in El Dorado, Kansas, he took his screen name from the Steve Brodie who claimed that he jumped from the Brooklyn Bridge in 1886 and survived...
. The film grossed $23 million against its $325 thousand production costs. This was followed by Rana: The Legend of Shadow Lake
Croaked: Frog Monster from Hell
Croaked: Frog Monster from Hell is a 1982 horror film directed by Bill Rebane. The plot of Croaked involves a group of campers terrorized by a vicious half-man/half-frog creature...
(1975), The Alpha Incident
The Alpha Incident
The Alpha Incident is a 1978 American film directed by Bill Rebane.The film is also known as The Alien Incident in Belgium .- Plot summary :...
(1978), The Capture of Bigfoot
The Capture of Bigfoot
The Capture of Bigfoot is a 1979 horror film from Bill Rebane, the director of Monster A-Go-Go. The plot revolves around a man trying to catch a bigfoot...
(1979), The Demons of Ludlow
The Demons of Ludlow
The Demons of Ludlow is a low budget 1983 horror film directed and produced by Bill Rebane. The plot revolves around murderous pilgrim demons that lurk inside an antique piano.The film was made in Wisconsin and released theatrically by Titan International....
(1983) and The Game
The Game (1984 film)
The Game is a low budget 1984 horror film directed by Bill Rebane. The film was made in Wisconsin and released theatrically by Trans World Entertainment.-Plot:...
(1984).
In 1984 Rebane took a break from production to assume the Presidency of The International Picture Show Company in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, where he took charge of international distribution for such products as Falling in Love Again
Falling in Love Again (1980 film)
Falling in Love Again is a 1980 American romantic comedy film directed by Steven Paul and starring Elliot Gould, Sussanah York. A man reminisces about a relationship he had with a girl in his youth.-Cast:* Kaye Ballard - Mrs. Lewis* Twink Caplan -Melinda...
(Elliot Gould), Slapstick
Slapstick
Slapstick is a type of comedy involving exaggerated violence and activities which may exceed the boundaries of common sense.- Origins :The phrase comes from the batacchio or bataccio — called the 'slap stick' in English — a club-like object composed of two wooden slats used in Commedia dell'arte...
(Jerry Lewis
Jerry Lewis
Jerry Lewis is an American comedian, actor, singer, film producer, screenwriter and film director. He is best known for his slapstick humor in film, television, stage and radio. He was originally paired up with Dean Martin in 1946, forming the famed comedy team of Martin and Lewis...
), Land of No Return
Land of No Return
Land of No Return is a 1978 thriller film written, directed, and produced by Kent Bateman, who is also the father to both Jason and Justine Bateman...
(William Shatner
William Shatner
William Alan Shatner is a Canadian actor, musician, recording artist, and author. He gained worldwide fame and became a cultural icon for his portrayal of James T...
), and many of the Don Knots and Tim Conway
Tim Conway
Thomas Daniel "Tim" Conway is an American comedian and actor, primarily known for his roles in sitcoms, films and television. Conway is best known for his role as the inept second-in-command officer, Ensign Charles Parker, to Lt...
comedy features
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
.
In 1986, Rebane returned to 'The Shooting Ranch' and hosted a 1950s nostalgia concert. Among the invitees were Forrest Tucker
Forrest Tucker
Forrest Tucker was an American actor in both movies and television from the 1940s to the 1980s. Tucker, who stood 190 cm tall and weighed 93 kg , appeared in nearly 100 action films in the 1940s and 1950s.-Early life:Forrest Meredith Tucker was born in Plainfield, Indiana, a son of...
, Jaye P. Morgan
Jaye P. Morgan
Mary Margaret Morgan , known professionally as Jaye P. Morgan, is a retired popular music American singer, actress and game show panelist.-Early life:...
, Bill Haley
Bill Haley
Bill Haley was one of the first American rock and roll musicians. He is credited by many with first popularizing this form of music in the early 1950s with his group Bill Haley & His Comets and their hit song "Rock Around the Clock".-Early life and career:...
's Commets, and Tiny Tim
Tiny Tim (musician)
Tiny Tim , , born in Manhattan, was an American singer and ukulele player. He was most famous for his rendition of "Tiptoe Through the Tulips" sung in a distinctive high falsetto/vibrato voice.-Rise to fame:Born to Lebanese parents in 1932, Khaury displayed musical talent at a very young age...
. Rebane later cast Tiny Tim in Blood Harvest
Blood Harvest
Blood Harvest is an original novel written by Terrance Dicks and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features vampires in common with Dicks' 1980 television serial State of Decay and makes reference to that story's events as well as to those of The...
in the role of an insane clown, which was Tim's first and last starring role. Also in 1986, and due to Rebane's ongoing efforts extending from 1969, Wisconsin passed legislation establishing the Wisconsin Film Office.
In 1987, Rebane released both Twister's Revenge! and Blood Harvest, and in 1989 Rebane suffered a stroke, which illness and the costs it incurred led to the closure of his studio.
Additional projects
In the mid-1990s, and after recovery, Rebane and his wife moved to Watersmeet, Michigan where he wrote the book Film funding two-thousand, and in 1999 he moved to Hurley, WisconsinHurley, Wisconsin
Hurley is a city in and the county seat of Iron County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,818 at the 2000 census. It is directly across the Montreal River from Ironwood, Michigan.-History:...
, where he and his wife ran a hotel and a new film production company called 'Eagle's Nest Productions'. He currently lives in Saxon, Wisconsin
Saxon, Wisconsin
Saxon is a town in Iron County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 350 at the 2000 census. The census-designated place of Saxon is located in the town.-Culture:Each August, Saxon hosts the Iron County fair....
.
In 2005 it was reported that Rebane was casting The UFO File, a film to bring him back to the science fiction genre.
In 2008 he authored From Roswell with Love.
In 2011, Rebane is producing a musical based on his film The Giant Spider Invasion
The Giant Spider Invasion
The Giant Spider Invasion is a low-budget 1975 film produced by Transcentury Pictures, a partnership owned by the film's director Bill Rebane. The film is about giant spiders that terrorize the town of Merrill, Wisconsin and the surrounding area. The Giant Spider Invasion was given a U.S. release...
.
Films
As director/producer- Monster A Go-GoMonster A Go-GoMonster A Go-Go, is a 1965 science fiction horror film directed by Bill Rebane and Herschell Gordon Lewis . It's considered one of the worst films ever.- Production :The film had an unusual production history...
(1965) - Invasion from Inner EarthInvasion from Inner EarthInvasion from Inner Earth is an apocalyptic science fiction film, starring Paul Bentzen and Debbi Pick. It was directed by Bill Rebane, the same director of Monster A Go-Go , and The Giant Spider Invasion . The film was also known as Hell Fire and They...
(1974) - The Giant Spider InvasionThe Giant Spider InvasionThe Giant Spider Invasion is a low-budget 1975 film produced by Transcentury Pictures, a partnership owned by the film's director Bill Rebane. The film is about giant spiders that terrorize the town of Merrill, Wisconsin and the surrounding area. The Giant Spider Invasion was given a U.S. release...
(1975) - Rana: The Legend of Shadow LakeCroaked: Frog Monster from HellCroaked: Frog Monster from Hell is a 1982 horror film directed by Bill Rebane. The plot of Croaked involves a group of campers terrorized by a vicious half-man/half-frog creature...
(1975) - The Alpha IncidentThe Alpha IncidentThe Alpha Incident is a 1978 American film directed by Bill Rebane.The film is also known as The Alien Incident in Belgium .- Plot summary :...
(1978) - The Capture of BigfootThe Capture of BigfootThe Capture of Bigfoot is a 1979 horror film from Bill Rebane, the director of Monster A-Go-Go. The plot revolves around a man trying to catch a bigfoot...
(1979) - The Demons of LudlowThe Demons of LudlowThe Demons of Ludlow is a low budget 1983 horror film directed and produced by Bill Rebane. The plot revolves around murderous pilgrim demons that lurk inside an antique piano.The film was made in Wisconsin and released theatrically by Titan International....
(1983) - The GameThe Game (1984 film)The Game is a low budget 1984 horror film directed by Bill Rebane. The film was made in Wisconsin and released theatrically by Trans World Entertainment.-Plot:...
(1984) - Twister's Revenge! (1987)
- Blood HarvestBlood HarvestBlood Harvest is an original novel written by Terrance Dicks and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features vampires in common with Dicks' 1980 television serial State of Decay and makes reference to that story's events as well as to those of The...
(1987)
Television
Both Monster A Go-GoMonster A Go-Go
Monster A Go-Go, is a 1965 science fiction horror film directed by Bill Rebane and Herschell Gordon Lewis . It's considered one of the worst films ever.- Production :The film had an unusual production history...
and The Giant Spider Invasion
The Giant Spider Invasion
The Giant Spider Invasion is a low-budget 1975 film produced by Transcentury Pictures, a partnership owned by the film's director Bill Rebane. The film is about giant spiders that terrorize the town of Merrill, Wisconsin and the surrounding area. The Giant Spider Invasion was given a U.S. release...
were featured on TV's "Mystery Science Theater 3000
Mystery Science Theater 3000
Mystery Science Theater 3000 is an American cult television comedy series created by Joel Hodgson and produced by Best Brains, Inc., that ran from 1988 to 1999....
".
Critical response
Doug Moe of Capital TimesCapital Times
The Capital Times is a newspaper published in Madison, Wisconsin by The Capital Times Company. The newspaper is primarily distributed in a 19-county region in south-central Wisconsin. The Capital Times formerly published paper editions Mondays through Saturdays, with a weekday circulation of...
reported that Rebane's film The Giant Spider Invasion, first released in 1975, has a growing cult following, selling out genre festivals such as it did at the Wisconsin Film Festival in 2003.
Addition reference materials
- Who’s Who in Leading American Executives 1994 ( U.S Registry)
- Gods In Polyester, or, a Survivors' Account of 70's Cinema Obscura by Suzanne Donahue, Succubus Press, 2004, ISBN 9080870013
- Gods In Spandex, or, a Survivors' Account of 80's Cinema Obscura, by Suzanne Donahue, Succubus Press, 2007, ISBN 9529224095
- Monthly Publications:
- Dun & Bradstreet ReportsDun & BradstreetDun & Bradstreet is a Fortune 500 public company headquartered in Short Hills, New Jersey, USA that provides information on businesses and corporations for use in credit decisions, B2B marketing and supply chain management...
- Nation's Business
- Wisconsin Report
- Dun & Bradstreet Reports
Further reading
- Film funding two-thousand by Bill Rebane
- From Roswell With Love by Bill Rebane
- Famous Wisconsin Movie Stars (Badger Books)
- Gods In Polyester, or, a Survivors' Account of 70's Cinema Obscura (Succubus Press/2004)
- Rebane contributed chapters on the making of The Giant Spider InvasionThe Giant Spider InvasionThe Giant Spider Invasion is a low-budget 1975 film produced by Transcentury Pictures, a partnership owned by the film's director Bill Rebane. The film is about giant spiders that terrorize the town of Merrill, Wisconsin and the surrounding area. The Giant Spider Invasion was given a U.S. release...
and The Alpha Incident.
- Rebane contributed chapters on the making of The Giant Spider Invasion
- Gods In Spandex, or, a Survivors' Account of 80's Cinema Obscura (Succubus Press/2007)
- Rebane contributed chapters on the making of The GameThe Game (1984 film)The Game is a low budget 1984 horror film directed by Bill Rebane. The film was made in Wisconsin and released theatrically by Trans World Entertainment.-Plot:...
, Demons of Ludlow, Twister's Revenge and Blood HarvestBlood HarvestBlood Harvest is an original novel written by Terrance Dicks and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features vampires in common with Dicks' 1980 television serial State of Decay and makes reference to that story's events as well as to those of The...
.
- Rebane contributed chapters on the making of The Game