The Invisible Monster

The Invisible Monster
Directed by Fred C. Brannon
Produced by Franklin Adreon
Written by Ronald Davison
Starring Richard Webb
Aline Towne
Lane Bradford
Stanley Price
John Crawford
George Meeker
Music by Stanley Wilson
Cinematography Ellis W. Carter
Distributed by Republic Pictures
Release dates
 May 10, 1950 (serial)[1]
1966 (TV)[1]
Running time
 12 chapters / 167 minutes (serial)[1]
100 minutes (TV)[1]
Language English
Budget $153,070 (negative cost: $119,343)[1]

The Invisible Monster is a 1950 Republic film serial.

Plot

A would-be dictator and scientist, known only as The Phantom Ruler, has developed a formula which, when sprayed on some solid object, renders that object and everything it contains invisible when exposed to rays emitted by a special lamp, also his own invention. Covered from head to toe in formula-treated cloth, he thus moves about unseen, presently with the objective of stealing enough money and formula components to render an entire army of willing followers invisible. Two henchmen assist him, along with several illegal aliens smuggled into the US by him and used to infiltrate, as employees, possible sites for him to later rob while invisible. When he successfully robs a bank vault, an investigator from the bank's insuror teams up with a woman police detective to solve the mystery of the money which to all outside appearances has just vanished. Tracking clues and interrupting other attempts by the Phantom Ruler to commit crimes, the protagonists round up enough evidence that they are not merely dealing with an ordinary crime ring. Eventually they discover the invisibility fluid and lamp, and the Phantom Ruler is killed when he trips over an open high-power electric cable he had laid on the floor of his den to do in the forces of law and order closing in upon him.

Cast

Production

The Invisible Monster was budgeted at $153,070 although the final negative cost was $152,115 (a $955, or 0.6%, under spend).[1]

It was filmed between March 7 and 30, 1950 under the working title The Phantom Ruler.[1] The serial's production number was 1707.[1]

Stunts

Special effects

Special effects created by the Lydecker brothers.

Release

Theatrical

The Invisible Monster's official release date is May 10, 1950, although this is actually the date the sixth chapter was made available to film exchanges.[1]

Television

The Invisible Monster was one of twenty-six Republic serials re-released as a film on television in 1966. The title of the film was changed to Slaves of the Invisible Monster. This version was cut down to 100-minutes in length.[1]

Critical reception

Cline describes this serial as just a "quickie."[3]

Chapter titles

  1. Slaves of the Phantom (20min)
  2. The Acid Clue (13min 20s)
  3. The Death Car (13min 20s)
  4. Highway Holocaust (13min 20s)
  5. Bridge to Eternity (13min 20s)
  6. Ordeal by Fire (13min 20s)
  7. Murder Train (13min 20s)
  8. Window of Peril (13min 20s)
  9. Trail to Destruction (13min 20s)
  10. High Voltage Danger (13min 20s) - a re-cap chapter
  11. Death's Highway (13min 20s)
  12. The Phantom Meets Justice (13min 20s)

Source:[1][4]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Mathis, Jack (1995). Valley of the Cliffhangers Supplement. Jack Mathis Advertising. pp. 3, 10, 118–119. ISBN 0-9632878-1-8.
  2. ↑ Cline, William C. (1984). "3. The Six Faces of Adventure". In the Nick of Time. McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 51. ISBN 0-7864-0471-X.
  3. ↑ Cline, William C. (1984). "5. A Cheer for the Champions (The Heroes and Heroines)". In the Nick of Time. McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 91. ISBN 0-7864-0471-X.
  4. ↑ Cline, William C. (1984). "Filmography". In the Nick of Time. McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 250. ISBN 0-7864-0471-X.
Preceded by
Radar Patrol vs Spy King (1949)		 Republic Serial
The Invisible Monster (1950) 		Succeeded by
Desperadoes of the West (1950)
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