The Return Of Captain Invincible

Director Phillippe Mora is one of the most interesting filmmakers out there. A Frenchman who resides in Australia, Mora has a filmography that makes him impossible to pigeonhole. He has brought us such films as the bloody Dennis Hopper western Mad Dog Morgan. The strange horror comedy Howling II: Your Sister's A Werewolf. The action yarn A Breed Apart, where Rutgar Hauer is a one man army out to protect endangered species. And the Christopher Walken alien abduction flick Communion. Let's just say I am a huge fan. Probably my favorite work of his is a very silly superhero musical, that's right musical, from 1983. The Return Of Captain Invincible.

Captain Invincible, Alan Arkin, was once a hero to the world. But after a McCarthy style hearing in the 1950's, where the committee felt the red in his cape was too communist, the Captain is blacklisted. He goes into hiding in the mountains of Australia and turns to the bottle.

Thirty years later, his old rival Mr. Midnight, Christopher Lee, reemerges bent on world domination. The world looks to the Captain to be it's savior once again. The now alcoholic and out of shape Captain see's this as his opportunity to redeem himself and make the world safe again.

This is a funny flick. I really think The Incredibles stole it's storyline from it. It is pretty similar. Arkin and Lee are terrific as always and seem to be having a field day in their roles. And Mora does a terrific job handling the material, keeping it loose and fun. The music was written by Rocky Horror's Richard O'Brien, and it is a very catchy score. It's worth the price of admission alone to see Arkin and Lee belt out these tunes.

Captain Invincible never got a big release in America. The studio that was supposed to release it went bankrupt before it was supposed to hit theaters, causing it to go directly to video.

This should have a bigger following. It has the makings of a cult classic.

It's available on dvd.