The Return of Captain Invincible
| The Return of Captain Invincible | |
|---|---|
 DVD cover | |
| Directed by | Philippe Mora |
| Written by | Steven E. de Souza Andrew Gaty Peter Smalley |
| Produced by | Brian Burgess Andrew Gaty |
| Starring | Alan Arkin Christopher Lee Kate Fitzpatrick Bill Hunter |
| Cinematography | Mike Molloy |
| Edited by | John Scott |
| Music by | Richard Hartley William Motzing Richard O'Brien |
| Distributed by | Seven Keys Willara |
Release date |
|
Running time | 96 min |
| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
| Budget | A$7 million[1] |
| Box office | AU$55,110 (Australia) |
The Return of Captain Invincible is a 1983 Australian musical comedy superhero film starring Alan Arkin and Christopher Lee. It was a box office disappointment on release but has become a cult film since then.[2]
Plot[]
The plot involves the super-hero called "Captain Invincible" (also known as "Legend in Leotards", "The Caped Contender", and "Man of Magnet") who is active during Prohibition, World War II, and afterwards. Once a popular hero to all Americans, he is forced into retirement by McCarthy-style government persecution in the 1950s.
A congressional investigation accuses him of being a communist, citing his red cape and "premature anti-fascism". He is charged with violating U.S. airspace by flying without a proper license, impersonating a military officer, and wearing underwear in public. He disappears from the public eye, moving to Australia and becoming an alcoholic.
Thirty years later, his old nemesis, the super-villain "Mr. Midnight", re-emerges and steals a secret government super-weapon: the hypno-ray. The US government asks Captain Invincible to return, and the story follows his attempts to return to super-heroing and redeem his reputation.
Cast[]
- Alan Arkin as Captain Invincible, US superhero who fought for the allies during WWII, but fell on hard times.
- Christopher Lee as Mr. Midnight, Invincible's nemesis; dedicated to evil, his latest plan involves the eradication of the ethnic minorities in New York.
- Kate Fitzpatrick as Patty Patria, Australian policewoman who helps Invincible get back to his former glory.
- Bill Hunter as Tupper / Coach
- Michael Pate as The US president, who as a child met Invincible. The meeting left an impression on him.
- Doug McGrath as Adolf Hitler
- Graham Kennedy as Prime Minister
- Max Phipps as Admiral
- Alfred Sandor as New York Police Captain
- Ron Becks as Black Salesman
- Garth Meade as Polish Salesman
Production[]
The Return of Captain Invincible was directed by Philippe Mora. It was produced by Seven Keys Production and and distributed by Seven Keys in Australia. It was scheduled for release in the US by Jensen Farley Pictures, but the company went out of business days before the scheduled national opening; it was later offered on American VHS and laserdisc by . A widescreen DVD later followed from It was filmed in Australia.
Lyricist Richard O'Brien and composer Richard Hartley, known for their prior collaboration on The Rocky Horror Show and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, contributed three songs, including "Captain Invincible" sung by O'Brien, "Evil Midnight" sung by Lee and Arkin, and "Name Your Poison" sung by Lee during which the evil Mr. Midnight tempts the alcoholic Captain Invincible with a well-stocked bar.
After the film was finished, producer Andrew Gaty, acting on the advice of his American distributor, recut the film. Mora objected and the matter wound up before the Minister of Home Affairs, Tom McVeigh. McVeigh declared that the film was not "Australian" and thus did not qualify for the 150% tax deduction available for investors. Gaty challenged this decision in court and won.[3][4]
Original songs[5][6][]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Performer | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Captain Invincible" | Richard O'Brien,Richard Hartley | Richard O'Brien | 2:59 |
| 2. | "Name Your Poison" | Richard O'Brien,Richard Hartley | Christopher Lee | 3:37 |
| 3. | "Mr. Evil Midnight" | Richard O'Brien,Richard Hartley | Alan Arkin and Christopher Lee | 3:44 |
| 4. | "Into the Blue" | Brad Love | Alan Arkin | |
| 5. | "We Need a Hero" | Brad Love | Michael Pate | 1:49 |
| 6. | "Bullshit" | Brad Love | Michael Pate | 0:31 |
| 7. | "The World I Knew" | Billy Field, Tom Price | Alan Arkin | |
| 8. | "Amazing How They're Alike" | Jan Bunker, Mike Scarpiollo | Alan Arkin | 2:16 |
| 9. | "Heaven in Your Eyes" | Beth Lawrence, Norman Thalheimer | Beth Lawrence |
Reception[]
The Return of Captain Invincible grossed a mere $55,110 at the Australian box office against a budget of $7 million.[7]
British fantasy novelist Terry Pratchett called The Return of Captain Invincible "a series of bad moments pasted together with great songs and a budget of fourpence," but said that he had watched the film a number of times.[8]
Colin Greenland reviewed The Return of Captain Invincible for Imagine magazine, and stated that "Featuring hilarious musical routines from the man who wrote The Rocky Horror Picture Show and tongue-in-cheek aerobatics by the effects team from Superman, this eccentric, extraordinary and utterly delightful Australian movie has been unforgiveably denied to British audiences until now. All credit to Entertainment in Video for discovering it."[9]
Accolades[]
| Award | Category | Subject | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| AACTA Awards (1983 AFI Awards) |
Best Production Design | David Copping | Nominated |
| Avoriaz Fantastic Film Festival | Grand Prize | Philippe Mora | Nominated |
| Sitges Film Festival | Caixa de Catalunya for Best Special Effects | Bob McCarron | Won |
References[]
- ^ Anna Dzenis, "The Return of Captain Invincible", Australian Film 1978-1992, Oxford Uni Press, 1993 p137
- ^ Vagg, Stephen (30 December 2019). "10 Aussie '80s Films That Attempted to Jazz Up Things with an Inappropriate Rock Soundtrack". Filmink.
- ^ Parliamentary Paper No. 173/1987 Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Government Operations: The circumstances surrounding the various court actions relating to the film The Return of Captain Invincible
- ^ David Stratton, The Avocado Plantation: Boom and Bust in the Australian Film Industry, Pan MacMillan, 1990 p79
- ^ "The Return of Captain Invincible". IMDB. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
- ^ "The Return of Captain Invincible". RockyMusic. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
- ^ Film Victoria – Australian Films at the Australian Box Office
- ^ Terry Pratchett Quotes
- ^ Greenland, Colin (June 1985). "Fantasy Media". Imagine (review). TSR Hobbies (UK), Ltd. (27): 47.
External links[]
- The Return Of Captain Invincible at IMDb
- The Return of Captain Invincible at Rotten Tomatoes
- The Return of Captain Invincible at Rocky Music
- The Return of Captain Invincible at Oz Movies
- 1983 films
- English-language films
- Australian films
- Australian fantasy comedy films
- 1980s English-language films
- 1980s musical comedy films
- 1980s superhero films
- Superhero comedy films
- Films directed by Philippe Mora
- Australian alternative history films
- Science fiction musical films
- Fantasy music
- 1983 comedy films
- Films with screenplays by Steven E. de Souza