News Release!

NEWS RELEASE SEPT. 30, 2022

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thirty years of Wisconsin movie history will be remembered by the Merrill Historical Society on Saturday, Oct. 22, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., with the grand opening of the exhibit, “Bill Rebane’s Hollywood Midwest.”

Archival materials and memorabilia cover the production of “The Giant Spider Invasion,” Rebane’s 1975 top-grossing movie that put Wisconsin on the map to millions of moviegoers around the world. One of the original giant spiders, recently saved from destruction, will be on display, rejuvenated to its original state to show how difficult it was before the digital age to create special effects for creature features.

Also honored will be The Shooting Ranch studios of Gleason, Wisconsin, which flourished for over a quarter of a century as the only full-time feature film studio in the Midwest.

Curator Brandon Johnson has been researching this new exhibit for more than two years. Listen to the fascinating stories about Bill and the people he worked with to make many feature films, several in Lincoln County with local citizens as extras.

“The Giant Spider Invasion” will screen at the Northwoods Veterans Post banquet facility at 601 Johnson St. in Merrill. Screening at 1 PM

The Merrill Historical Society is located at 100 E. 3rd St., Merrill, Wisconsin.

For further information:

Brandon Johnson, Merrill Historical Society
715-536-5652 or 608-692-0471
Merrillhistory.org

Northwoods Veterans Post: 715-536-5708

Independent Artists Pictures (Bill Rebane): 715-893-2254

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Author: Bill Rebane

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