If you would have told me 20 years ago, that filmmakers of the likes of Al Adamson, Andy Milligan, or William Grefé, were going to be getting a special box set of their films, I’d think you’re just plain nuts. But not only do those exist, we now have one coming on Wisconsin’s own Bill Rebane. Probably best known for his epic The Giant Spider Invasion (1975), he was one of these independent filmmakers that stayed away from Hollywood, making his own little version in Gleason, Wisconsin, producing films for over a 20-years. And now, thanks to Arrow Video, you’ll have the chance to witness 6 of these titles on Blu-ray in all new restorations in the Weird Wisconsin: The Bill Rebane Collection!

Now I will say that I have seen most of the films in this collection and while some are fun and entertaining in a low budget sort of way, one of them is barely watchable. In fact, back in the VHS days, I ended up watching it twice, under two different titles before I realized it. That film would be Invasion from Inner Earth, also released under the title simply as They. But you know what? I’ve already pre-ordered my set anyway! Because that is what we do as film fans. It is simply a way to look a little deeper and closer at someone’s work, maybe seeing it a different way. Not to mention there is so much bonus material in this collection that for me, it is simply a must have.

The films included in this collection is Monster A Go-Go (1965), Invasion from Inner Earth (1974), The Alpha Incident (1978), The Demons of Ludlow (1983), The Game (1984), and Twister’s Revenge (1988). But besides the films, you get this:

• Straight Shooter, a multi-part interview with director Bill Rebane about the making and release of each film in the set
• Who is Bill Rebane? A definitive brand new feature length documentary by historian and critic David Cairns, featuring contributions from filmmakers, fans, historians, critics, and the cast and crew who worked with Bill Rebane
• Fully illustrated 60-page collector’s booklet featuring extensive new writing by historian and critic Stephen Thrower, author of Nightmare USA: The Untold Story of Exploitation Independents
• Brand new interview with film historian Kim Newman about the films of Bill Rebane
• Two early short films from Rebane, Twist Craze and Dance Craze, plus a industrial short from 1973 called Kidnap Extortion
• A brand new visual essay by historian and critic Richard Harland Smith called Rebane’s Key Largo
• Discovering Bill Rebane, brand new presentation by historian & critic Stephen R. Bissette about his personal connections with the films of Bill Rebane and their importance to regional film making in America
• Who is Bill Rebane? An exclusive new feature length documentary by historian and critic David Cairns on the life and work of the Wisconsin auteur, featuring historians, critics, filmmakers, plus cast and crew members who worked with Bill Rebane
• King of the Wild Frontier a new almost two-hour impassioned conversation with historian and critic Stephen R. Bissette about the films of Bill Rebane
• There is also trailers, outtakes, and other behind-the-scenes items