The Amazing Transparent Man

source: The Amazing Transparent Man

Moviecut—The Amazing Transparent Man

The Amazing Transparent Man

This film has nothing to do with Universal's 'The Invisible Man' film series. This is a completely different film with a completely different story. The only similarity is the idea of a scientist inventing invisibility and an invisible person - that's it. This film does not have the same quality as any of the Universal classics nor do I think this film is better BUT it is a pretty neat sci-fi that is worth watching if you like the idea of invisibility or older sci-fi films. It has it's own charm - it's just not as good as the classic Universal "Invisible" films. I liked this film: A 'mad' scientist invents invisibility and plans on using it to take over the world by creating a group of invisible zombies. A neat sci-fi idea that is fun to watch. 5.5/10

The Amazing Transparent Man is very similar to The Invisible Man and one main difference with this movie is that involves the Atomic Age, radiation etc. A criminal who has escaped from prison is made invisible by a mad scientist and gets him to steal nuclear fuel to help with future experiments. Things go wrong when he robs a bank though as becomes visible and is also dying through radiation poisoning. This movie has some good special effects considering the low budget. Highlights include the "one man" fights. The cast includes Douglas Kennedy (The Land Unknown) and Marguerite Chapman (Flight To Mars). The Amazing Transparent Man is worth watching if you get the chance. A great way to spend just under an hour. Rating: 3 stars out of 5.

A prisoner is freed by people who want him to do a job for them -- he doesn't know what it is, just that he'll be "free", but he finds himself the subject of a weird experiment. He eventually turns "transparent" because of radiation treatments, and the guys who are doing it to him are Nazis out to conquer the world with an invisible army (?!!!?). They want him to use his transparency to rob military bases of plutonium for building their army, but he eventually goes back to his stock and trade -- bank robbery. When his floating bag finally attracts notice, he starts to flash in and out of visibility -- cool scene. Decent photography, tight direction redeem this seeming 5 day quickie.

Why are people so down on this modest but enjoyable movie? Beats me. Joey Faust (what a name!), safecracker, is busted out of the pokey and made an offer - turn invisible and steal radium for a mad scientist/soldier planning on setting up an invisible army to conquer the world. Joey goes along with it but quickly decides to use his powers for what comes naturally - stealing lots of do re mi. This causes conflict as you can imagine, and then his invisibility goes on the fritz. Faust is played by Douglas Kennedy who played one of the cops in 'Invaders From Mars', the baddie is James Griffith who had a bit part in Kubrick's 'The Killing', and the movie was directed by Edward G. Ulmer who made the strange Lugosi/Karloff classic 'The Black Cat' back in the 1930s. 'The Amazing Transparent Man' won't change your life, but it's entertaining enough. Worth a look for fans of 1960s/60s b-grade thrillers.