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The Return of Captain Invincible [1983] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
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Dracula Sings!!!
Review date: 2007-02-02 Rating: 10 out of 10
Wow, how do I begin to describe this movie? It's a sort of tribute to and send-up of super hero movies with slapstick comedy and musical numbers thrown in for good measure. I remember seeing this for the first time on television in the 1980s and thinking to myself what on earth is going on here?
Alan Arkin is Captain Invincible - once a great American hero but now an outcast drunken bum after being betrayed by the country he was sworn to protect. His drink problem has become so bad he does not even realise that he is now living in Australia! Christopher Lee (who else?) is Mr Evil Midnight, Captain Invincible's arch enemy. When Midnight hatches a plot to steal a military hypno-ray and create his own perfect society it's time for the US Government to try and track down the Captain and ask him to save the world one more time.
There are some memorable scenes in this movie - the scenes where Captain Invincible has to learn how to fly again and when his "amazing computer brain" gets stuck and he starts talking like Joe Pasquale in overdrive, for instance.
Musical highlights include the songs "The Good Guys and The Bad Guys", sung by Alan Arkin, and the totally amazing "Name Your Poison" sung by Christopher Lee. The latter was composed by Richard O'Brien and this for me is the highlight of the whole film. Christopher Lee's performance of this song, where he tempts the poor Captain with an assortment of cocktails and other alcoholic drinks, is one of the funniest and most bizarre scenes of any film ever. This film is worth watching just for this scene alone. Look out for Chris Lee's Max Schreck/Nosferatu pose near the end of this song!
There are not many extras on this DVD version but if you love the film or wish to discover an often overlooked cult classic then this is an essential purchase.
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Reviews
forgotten classic
Review date: 2006-05-26 Rating: 6 out of 10
A film I wish was still available in Europe. I saw this many years ago and loved it, especially for the singing of Christopher Lee as Mr. Midnight "There's nothing sicker in society/Than the lack of booze and sobriety whoa-ho!"
The songs are generally funny and I'm surprised that this film hasn't achieved cult status as I believe the songs were written by a post-Rochy Horror Richard O'Brien. (I can't remember whether he appears or not, its so long since I saw it- I'm only writing this as no one seems to have got the Rocky Horror connection.)
It's not a masterpiece, it's trashy and funny and Alan Arkin seems to be playing it too 'straight', given the material, but it's well worth a look.
Drinks with Midnight
Review date: 2005-08-19 Rating: 8 out of 10
This isn't a film for everybody, it's for people who can appreciate the finer points of irony. Captain Invincible is a washed up super hero, reduced to the status of an alcoholic bum until saved by a girl and then battles his one weakness (see he's not invincible after all) Alcoholism. Christopher Lee stars as the evil Mr Midnight, surely his finest performance to date, he even sings (which is a joy to behold. In fact thsi film is practically a musical! There's lots of cheap tacky pro-America tunes which add to the colour. I saw this at my local cinema on my birthday when I was a kid and the cinema staff had to keep asking us kids to stop laughing so loudly. If you see this you won't be able to stop laughing too.
Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
Alan Arkin
Christopher Lee
Bill Hunter
Kate Fitzpatrick
Michael Pate
Creators:
Alan Arkin (Primary Contributor)
Christopher Lee (Primary Contributor)
Mike Molloy (Cinematographer)
John Scott (Editor)
Andrew Gaty (Producer)
Andrew Gaty (Writer)
Brian Burgess (Producer)
Peter Smalley (Writer)
Director(s):
Recording label: Elite
Manufacturer: Elite
EAN: 0790594762520
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: Colour, DVD-Video, NTSC,
Release date: 2003-03-25
Universal product code (UPC): 790594762520
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Region code: 1
Running time: 90 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1983
Language: English (Original Language)