| |
| BijouFlix Releasing
presents |
|
| An
exploitation expert reflects on his long career as a king-hell triple threat
producer-director-writer, almost directing a former prez, and digital
distribution as the future of indie flix. |
Innerview
by Dave Coleman |
| |
Wisconsin-based
flickmaker 'Wild' Bill Rebane would be a legend in the indie flick world if for
no other reason than his first
 mini-feature was purchased by H. G. Lewis -- the Gore'dfather of
Splatter -- and re-edited into Monster A-Go Go. And while the resulting
feature is nothing Rebane claims as his own (Lewis butchered Bill’s
version by combining it with footage shot at a later date with different
actors!), it still marked a noteworthy new voice in the exploitation movie
making circuit.
Rebane didn't let the setback stop him. Rather, he was
encouraged by the control he saw others wielding over his work to set out to
build his own studio... in Wisconsin! And so began construction of what would
ultimately become one of the earliest 'non-coastal' film production studios in
America, complete with soundstages, production and post-production equipment,
the works. Like Romero and his Image Ten partners who created the machinery
necessary to make their feature Night of the Living Dead by first doing
industrial training and local
 commercials, Rebane set about making countless educational and
industrial flix to finance his dream of becoming a drive-in major
domo.
Without a doubt, The Giant
Spider Invasion (1975) is the best known and most retro-cherished of his
long career of fantasy, sf and horror efforts. There are several reasons this
giant arachnid flick was seen by so many during its initial release phases.
First, it was a big success during its theatrical release, which consisted
primarily of drive-in theaters (which in those days still numbered in the
thousands in America alone). Secondly, it sold into late night t.v. programming
via the CBS Late Night Movie, a dependable staple for good B flix
throughout the 70's. Before cable and v.c.r.s, such lifelines to fantasy
 flicks were hard to come by, which meant a repeatedly loyal viewing
audience for the long-running CBS series. The fact the flix were only shown on
Friday and/or Saturday nights after prime time and local news only made the
flix more alluring to preteens such as myself (it has to be good if they won't
let you see it until after the weather report, one correctly reasoned).
Finally, the flick enjoyed success on home video, gladly rented by folks who
remembered it fondly from a few years earlier.
We caught up with
“Wild” Bill and forced the normally reticent Wisconsinite to hold
forth about his amazingly durable career in the exploitation fields of
flickmaking. It’s a testament to endurance in the face of extinction, and
knowing when to fold the cards when the game is too rigged to win.
BijouFlix: Your date of
birth is listed as 1937 at the Internet Movie Database. Is this correct? If so,
can you tell us a bit about your personal background – where you were
born, went to school, etc.?
Bill
Rebane: I was born in 1937 in Riga, Latvia. My education was in post-war
Germany until the age of fifteen. Then I came to the United States and went to
high school and followed that by attending Goodman’s Art Institute in
Chicago’s theater classes.
Was your love of
movies born as a child seeing them, or did you come to appreciate them later in
life?
In brief, in order to learn the English language,
I saw a lot of movies.
 That’s actually an understatement. I saw as many as four to
five features a day in the days when our theaters had double or triple bills. I
never missed a musical, comedy or western. It was then that I became interested
in either being an actor, singer, dancer or maybe even director.
Your first credit is Monster A-Go Go. This was a shorter
effort completed by you. H.G. Lewis acquired and shot new footage to make it
feature-length. Can you tell us a little bit about H.G. Lewis and your
experience working with him so early on in your career?
I had known Lewis for some time. I actually worked for his
commercial studio as a kid doing part-time sales in 1959. Lewis was the first
producer in Chicago to make a feature film called Prime Time. It was a
flop at the time, but it gave me ideas about feature production. I was an
inquisitive kid who listened and learned from everyone I met, in or out of the
business. |
| |
|
