Blu-ray Release: Weird Wisconsin: The Bill Rebane Collection

Blu-ray & DVD Release Date: June 1, 2021
Price: Blu-ray $79.99
Studio: Arrow/MVD


Bringing together six films, all new to Blu-ray and in brand new restorations, Weird Wisconsin: The Bill Rebane Collection celebrates the work of renowned Wisconsin-based independent filmmaker Rill Bebane.

Best know for his low-budget horror films, Reban has produced, directed, edited, and production designed at least one hundred commercial, industrial, corporate image, documentary or promotion films over the course of his career, as well as establishing the Wisconsin Film Office in 1960.

There’s some wild stuff to be found in Arrow’s new compendium of Rebane’s works. How’s this for some lively descriptions about the films: A a mutant astronaut bothering blissful sunbathers (Monster A Go-Go, 1965), a contagion apocalypse as seen from the vantage point of a remote mountain cabin (Invasion from Inner Earth, 1974), deadly alien spores from the rocks of Mars (The Alpha Incident, 1978), rural gothic and outright horror (The Demons of Ludlow, 1983), an eccentric ‘body count’ movie (The Game, 1984) and a comedy smash-’em up that pits three hillbilly stooges against a talking Monster Truck with artificial intelligence (Twister’s Revenge, 1988).

Here’s a rundown of everything that’s included in the Arrow’s limited edition:

  • High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentations on 4 Blu-ray discs
  • Original uncompressed mono audio for all films
  • Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
  • 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 [LIMITED EDITION EXCLUSIVE]
  • Fully illustrated 60-page collector’s booklet featuring extensive new writing by historian and critic Stephen Thrower [LIMITED EDITION EXCLUSIVE]
  • Reversible poster featuring newly commissioned artwork by The Twins of Evil [LIMITED EDITION EXCLUSIVE]
  • Reversible sleeves featuring newly commissioned artwork for each of the films by The Twins of Evil
  • DISC ONE – MONSTER A GO-GO + INVASION FROM INNER EARTH
  • Straight Shooter Part 1 and Part 2, two newly filmed interviews about the making of Monster A Go-Go and Invasion from Inner Earth with director Bill Rebane
  • Brand new interview with historian and critic Kim Newman
  • Twist Craze, and Dance Craze, two early short films by Bill Rebane
  • Kidnap Extortion (1973), a newly restored industrial short directed by Bill Rebane
  • Still Gallery
  • DISC TWO – THE ALPHA INCIDENT + THE DEMONS OF LUDLOW
  • Straight Shooter Part 3 and Part 4, two newly filmed interviews about the making of The Alpha Incident and The Demons of Ludlow with director Bill Rebane
  • Rebane’s Key Largo, a brand new visual essay by historian and critic Richard Harland Smith
  • The Alpha Incident original trailer
  • The Demons of Ludlow original trailer
  • Still Gallery
  • DISC THREE – THE GAME + TWISTER’S REVENGE
  • Two presentations of The Game (aka The Cold) in 1.85 and 1.33 aspect ratio
  • Straight Shooter Part 5 and Part 6, two newly filmed interviews about the making of The Game and Twister’s Revenge with director Bill Rebane
  • Discovering Bill Rebane, brand new presentation by historian & critic Stephen R. Bissette
  • The Game original trailer
  • Twister’s Revenge original trailer
  • Still Gallery
  • DISC FOUR – WHO IS BILL REBANE? (2021) + BONUS
  • Who is Bill Rebane? Exclusive new feature length documentary by historian and critic David Cairns
  • King of the Wild Frontier a conversation with historian and critic Stephen R. Bissette
  • Invasion from Inner Earth outtakes from the shoot
  • The Alpha Incident outtakes from the shoot
  • The Demons of Ludlow outtakes from the shoot
  • The Giant Spider Invasion original trailer
  • Gallery of Behind the Scenes stills
  • Still Galleries for the rest of Rebane’s filmography
  • Extras subject to change

Check out this awesome trailer for Rebane’s The Alpha Incident:

 

Buy or Rent Blu-ray Release: Weird Wisconsin: The Bill Rebane Collection

About Laurence

Founder and editor Laurence Lerman saw Alfred Hitchcock’s North by Northwest when he was 13 years old and that’s all it took. He has been writing about film and video for more than a quarter of a century for magazines, anthologies, websites and most recently, Video Business magazine, where he served as the Reviews Editor for 15 years.