The Giant Spider Invasion is a 1975 science fiction horror film produced, composed and directed by Bill Rebane, and follows giant spiders that terrorize the town of Merrill, Wisconsin and its surrounding area. The film was theatrically released in 1975 by Group 1 Films, and enjoyed a considerable run to become one of the 50 top-grossing films of that year. After a three-time ABC network run, The Giant Spider Invasion achieved further exposure many years later, when it was featured in a 1997 episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000. It is now regarded as a cult classic in the B movie realm. Plot The central plot of the film revolves around the titular spider invasion, which occurs when what appears to be a meteorite crashes down in rural Wisconsin, and spawns spiders of varying sizes. Subplots include Dan Kester and his love/hate relationship with his wife Ev, Dan's adulterous affair with local barmaid Helga, Dave Perkins' attempts to make out with Ev's underaged sister Terry, a fundamentalist preacher leading a revival meeting, and Drs. Vance and Langer becoming romantically involved. The townspeople eventually panic when confronted with the spider. The invasion is deduced to be the result of some sort of interdimensional gateway, and is ultimately thwarted when Drs. Vance and Langer manage to close off the gateway, draining the spiders of their energy and causing them to melt into puddles of sludge. Cast Production Originally conceived as an idea from Richard Huff, he and actor Robert Easton, a friend of Rebane, were tasked to write the script. By the time filming began, creative differences led to a script not being made and only pages of dialogue had been written. To motivate Easton, who was told to write 10 to 15 pages a day, Rebane locked him in a cabin and told him to finish the daily task or he would not be fed. The cast of the film consisted of Hollywood veterans. It was tentatively titled The Great Spider Invasion. The Giant Spider Invasion was shot in Gleason, Tomahawk and Merrill, Wisconsin in six weeks with a budget of $300,000. The University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point was also used for filming. Former mayor of Madison, Wisconsin and future Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge William Dyke was an uncredited executive producer, helping to fund and find a distributor for the film. Special effects artist Bob Millay was hired to design the spiders