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The Invisible Monster (1950) - Blu-ray Review

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2 stars

When Olive Films announced that they would be releasing Republic's The Invisible Monster, a 12-part serial from 1950, on blu-ray my excitement shot through the roof.  Audiences (myself included) would finally be able to see the Phantom Ruler in all his HD glory.  Of course, my enthusiasm for the release was overlooking the fact that the serial is little more than a series of cops-and-robbers chase sequences but, damn it, the whole science fiction angle of it – especially in 1950 – is just too cool to ignore. 

Stanley Price is the Phantom Ruler.  His evil plan for dominating America involves building an army of soldiers that are completely invisible and eager to do his will.  The Phantom Ruler is a criminal who is all about science and, to his credit, has created a way to actually become invisible.   Think of all the evil one could do with the recipe for invisibility!  Of course, it’s a matter of reflection and requires a spotlight to be projected upon a person in order to create the effect of invisibility.  But, really, who cares?! 

He and his vile henchmen, Burton (Lane Bradford) and Harris (John Crawford), work alongside some immigrant refugees from the Eastern Bloc to plot and scheme in defiance of the American way.  Enter insurance investigators Lane Carson (Richard Webb) and Carol Richards (Aline Towne) who put in a whole lot of overtime duty as they chase – in a series of high-risk adventures involving cars, boats, bullets, and a whole lot of bullets – and attempt to stop the Phantom Ruler’s plans.

If you suspect that the high-minded concept of invisibility is the serial’s high-water mark, you’d be correct.  Much of The Invisible Monster is distraction and, yes, predictable.   That’s the serial format at work.  There’s a cliffhanger every 10 or 12 minutes, credits roll, and we soldier on to the next chapter.  Once this routine is established, there’s little more to appreciate than the science fiction concept that started the entire ordeal. 

Writer Ronald Davidson follows the serial genre rules to a “T” and allows for a more practical explanation for the invisibility effect – even if it is limited to a lamp, an electrical cord, and chemically sprayed clothing.  It’s cool.  The rest of his writing – including some of the chase sequences – is routine and unremarkable.  That’s the major fault with The Invisible Monster; a marginal script dominates a cool concept.  Hollywood STILL struggles with this.

The serial market is virtually untapped in the HD world and, while the quality of serials are sometimes wafer thin, hope springs eternal that more serials on blu-ray will follow.

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The Invisible Monster (1950) - Blu-ray Review

MPAA Rating: Unrated
Runtime:
167 mins
Director
: Fred C. Brannon
Writer:
Ronald Davidson
Cast:
Richard Webb, Aline Towne, Lane Bradford
Genre
: Sci-fi | Horror
Tagline:
SUSPENSE CHARGED SERIAL THRILLS!...As The Monster Ruler Wreaks His Mad Vengeance Upon All Who Dare To Defy Him!
Memorable Movie Quote:
Distributor:
Republic Pictures
Official Site:
Release Date:
May 10, 1950
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date:
September 22, 2015
Synopsis: Evil villain plots to take over the world using an army of invisible soldiers.

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[tab title="Blu-ray Review"]

The Invisible Monster (1950) - Blu-ray Review

Blu-ray

Blu-ray Details:

Available on Blu-ray - September 22, 2015
Screen Formats: 1.37:1
Subtitles
: None
Audio:
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
Discs: 50GB Blu-ray Disc; Single disc (1 BD)
Region Encoding: A

The serial is presented with a 1080p/AVC-encoded transfer using an aspect ratio of 1.37:1. The black-and-white serial is surprisingly clean given the age of the film, without any over-processing lending the picture an artificial appearance. Certainly, despite the clarity of the presentation, the film is still allowed to breathe and retains a level of grain that ensures an authentic and credible appearance. Even dark scenes are rarely problematic, with the blacks proving extremely solid. The audio is presented in Linear PCM 2.0 mono track.

Supplements:

Commentary:

  • None

Special Features:

None

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