The Amazing Transparent Man (1960)

Director:

Edgar G. Ulmer

Writer:

Jack Lewis (original screenplay)

Release Date:

July 1960 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Invisible and Deadly!

Plot:

A crazed scientist invents an invisibility formula. He plans to use the formula to create an army of invisible zombies.

Plot Keywords:

Invisibility | Scientist | Safecracker | Invisibility Ray | Atomic Weapons

Cast

Marguerite Chapman	...	Laura
Douglas Kennedy	...	Faust
James Griffith	...	Krenner
Ivan Triesault	...	Dr. Ulof
Boyd 'Red' Morgan	...	Julian (as Red Morgan)
Cormel Daniel	...	Maria
Edward Erwin	...	Drake
Jonathan Ledford	...	Smith
Norman Smith	...	Security Guard
Patrick Cranshaw	...	Security Guard
Kevin Kelly	...	Woman
Dennis Adams	...	State Police
Stacy Morgan	...	State Police

Also Known As:

Search for a Shadow (USA) (original script title)

Runtime:

57 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Australia:G | USA:Not Rated (DVD rating) | Australia:M (TV rating) | USA:Unrated (2005 DVD release) | USA:Approved

Filming Locations:

Berkshires, Massachusetts, USA

Company:

Miller Consolidated Pictures (MCP)

Trivia:

This was shot back-to-back with Beyond the Time Barrier (1960). The combined shooting schedule was only two weeks. They became Edgar G. Ulmer's last American films.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Drake uses binoculars to view what is left of ground zero for the lab explosion, the perspective of what he is seeing through the binoculars changes four times (one of the views is from ground up at a man in a fallout suit), all of which are technically impossible from his vantage point.

Quotes:

Laura Matson: I know what I've been, Joey, but I can change all that. What are you doing?
Joey Faust: Giving you your split. You're on your own, Baby!
Laura Matson: But you... you said we would be together!
Joey Faust: Honey, right now I need a car more than I need you. You can start walking anytime.
Laura Matson: But you can't just go off and leave me... Joey?
Joey Faust: Goodbye, Laura!

Movie Connections:

Edited into Out of this World Super Shock Show (2007) (V)

Interesting plot-heavy take on the invisible man theme

Some aspects of Ulmer's Amazing Transparent Man are, in retrospect, pretty funny. James Griffith's poorly mimed fight with an invisible man, the occasional continuity disasters, and the infrequent technobabble are examples. This is not, however, quite funny enough or cheesy enough to have been good MST3K fodder. Underlying the mediocre special effects, the occasionally overblown dialog, and the uneven performances, the story line presents an interesting take on the invisible man theme.

The heavy, played without much verve by James Griffith, is an ex-Nazi spy who looks and speaks like Mr. Rogers. His plan, involving all manners of extortion, involves forcing refugee German scientist (Ivan Triesault) to use radiation to turn an escaped convict safe-cracker (Douglas Kennedy) invisible. His goal is ostensibly to steal money and radioactive materials to further his experiments. In the role of his co-conspirator and femme fatale we find Marguerite Chapman.

Chapman and Kennedy have some on-screen chemistry which is used to good advantage in the film, but Chapman's performance is below par. Kennedy does well in a role which used his experience well. Griffith's performance, given his credentials, is surprisingly poor. The ancient and experienced Triesault, the class of the acting talent in this film, steals the show to an extent, but is also the only really sympathetic character in the lot.

The movie has a somewhat plodding pace at first, but the character development is good enough to draw the audience in. The Amazing Transparent Man is no action film, but once the action begins, it doesn't really let up until the nicely climactic end. Despite all of the bad press this film has received here on IMDb, this film really isn't a bomb, and I recommend it to sci-fi and low budget b movie buffs.