| The Return of Captain Invincible | |
|---|---|
 DVD cover | |
| Directed by | Philippe Mora |
| Written by | Steven E. de Souza Andrew Gaty |
| Produced by | 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 |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Seven Keys |
Release date |
|
Running time | 101 minutes |
| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
| Budget | A$7 million[1] |
| Box office | AU$55,110 (Australia) |
The Return of Captain Invincible is a 1983 Australiansuperheromusicalcomedy film directed byPhilippe Mora, and starringAlan Arkin andChristopher Lee. It was a box office disappointment on release but has become a cult film since then.[2]
The plot involves thesuperhero called Captain Invincible (also known as the 'Legend in Leotards', 'Caped Contender' and 'Man of Magnet') who is active duringProhibition,The Depression,World War II, and the early 1950s.
Once a popular hero to all Americans, the super-strong costumed crimefighter is forced into retirement byMcCarthy-style government persecution in 1953.
A congressional investigation accuses the patriotic Captain Invincible of being acommunist, citing his red cape and'premature anti-fascism'. He is charged with violating U.S. airspace by flying without a proper licence, impersonating a military officer and wearing underwear in public.
Angry at this bitter betrayal by the country he had fought to protect, he disappears from the public eye, moving toAustralia and becoming a hopelessalcoholic.
Thirty years later, Captain Invincible's old nemesis, the sinistersuper-villain Mr Midnight, re-emerges and steals a secret government super-weapon: thehypno-ray.
Tracking the former champion of justice down with the help ofSydney police detective Patty Patria, the US government asks Captain Invincible to return, and the story follows his attempts to return to super-heroing and redeem his reputation.
All he has to do is remember how to fly, regain control of his malfunctioning magnetic powers, and most importantly stay sober, his alcoholism now akryptonite-style weakness his fiendish foe is all too willing to exploit.
The Return of Captain Invincible was directed byPhilippe Mora, and produced bySeven Keys Production and Willara and distributed by Seven Keys in Australia. It was scheduled for release in the US byJensen 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 Magnum Entertainment. A widescreen DVD later followed from Elite Entertainment Inc.
LyricistRichard O'Brien and composerRichard Hartley, known for their prior collaboration onThe Rocky Horror Show and itssubsequent film adaptation, contributed three songs, including "Captain Invincible", "Evil Midnight" and "Name Your Poison".
After completion, producer Andrew Gaty, acting on the advice of his American distributor, recut. Mora objected and the matter wound up before theMinister of Home Affairs,Tom McVeigh, who 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]
| 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 |
The Return of Captain Invincible grossed a mere $55,110 at the Australian box office against a budget of $7 million.[7]
British fantasy novelistTerry Pratchett called the film "a series of bad moments pasted together with great songs and a budget of fourpence," but said that he had watched it a number of times.[8]Colin Greenland reviewedThe Return of Captain Invincible forImagine magazine, and stated that "Featuring hilarious musical routines from the man who wroteThe Rocky Horror Picture Show and tongue-in-cheek aerobatics by the effects team fromSuperman, this eccentric, extraordinary and utterly delightful Australian movie has been unforgivably denied to British audiences until now. All credit to Entertainment in Video for discovering it."[9]
| Award | Category | Subject | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Film Institute 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 |