THE INVISIBLE MAN (2020)

Elizabeth Moss

THE INVISIBLE MAN (2020). Written and directed by Leigh Whanell.

Cecelia Kass (Elizabeth Moss) finally manages to get away from her abusive and controlling boyfriend, Adrian Griffin (Oliver Jackson-Cohen), an optics genius, with the help of her sister, Emily (Harriet Dyer) and a cop-friend named James (Aldis Hodge). She relaxes for awhile when she learns that Adrian apparently committed suicide, but then weird things begin to happen which make her think that Adrian is not only alive, but stalking her -- invisibly. Is there any truth to her feelings, or is she losing her mind? Is Adrian still alive, or is someone else sneaking up on her in the night? 

Harriet Dyer with Moss

The Invisible Man has no relation to H. G. Wells' novel or film versions thereof, although the last name of "Griffin" is a nod to the protagonist of that novel. The Invisible Man is a slick, very well-made variation on Wells' classic tale that keeps you in suspense over what is really happening and who, if anyone, is doing what to whom. Director Leigh Whannell -- with the aid of a tense score by Benjamin Wallfisch --  keeps the creepiness factor at high level virtually throughout the movie. Elizabeth Moss offers an outstanding performance as Cecelia, with fine performances from the others named as well as Michael Dorman as Adrian's lawyer-brother and Storm Reid as James' teenage daughter. I might wish that some of the characters were better developed, but the movie is, understandably, mostly interested in tension and chills.

Fantasy or reality?

I believe The Invisible Man was simply meant to be an engaging thriller, but some critics and viewers have subscribed all manner of political motives to the movie. Some wish it was more "me/too," focusing more on the abuse suffered by Cecelia (interestingly her life with Adrian is never really shown) and others invoked that awful WOKE application simply because the hero in the film -- if he even is the hero -- is portrayed by a black actor and a couple of the white male characters are stinkers (in no way do I see this film as being guilty of "white-bashing.") Judge for yourself. I found The Invisible Man to be highly entertaining.

Verdict: The strengths of this film are hardly invisible. ***1/4. 

COBRA WOMAN

Maria Montez and Jon Hall

COBRA WOMAN (1944). Director: Robert Siodmak. 

Ramu (Jon Hall), betrothed to Tollea (Maria Montez), learns that his beloved has been kidnapped off their island home and taken to her birthplace, Cobra Island.  Her grandmother, the queen (Mary Nash), wants Tollea to take the throne from the High Priestess, Naja, who happens to be Tollea's evil twin.  Ramu sails to Cobra Island with his adoring buddy Kado (Sabu), to bring Tollea back, but they have to contend with Naja, who likes to sacrifice her people to a volcano, as well as her nasty associate, Bartok (Edgar Barrier). Ramu does receive some assistance from the mute Hava (Lon Chaney, Jr.), but will it be enough to reunite the lovers? 

Evil High Priestess: Montez

Arabian Nights, starring the trio of Jon Hall, Sabu, and Maria Montez, was so successful that they were reteamed for two other pictures, of which Cobra Woman is the third and last. Mildly entertaining, it was a step downward for the group, being similar to say, a Jungle Jim movie, only in technicolor and with better production values. The best scene is the wild and vivid "Cobra Dance" that is performed with a live cobra! Montez delineates her two different characters in the broadest of strokes, but she is fun spitting commands at her subjects and others. Mary Nash probably makes the best impression, although she has to compete with chimp Koko, who is given her own theme music. Universal recognized the publicity value of Montez' scantily-clad persona, so she is top-billed in this film whereas it was Hall in Arabian Nights. The co-screenwriter for this was Richard Brooks, who went on to write and/or direct some better-known Hollywood films such as Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. 

Verdict: Montez' Hollywood career was fast running out. **1/2. 

CORRUPTION

Peter Cushing and Sue Lloyd

CORRUPTION (1968). Director: Robert Hartford-Davis.

"The more you succeed, the more you fear the failures."

Surgeon Sir John Rowan (Peter Cushing) is in love with a greedy young model named Lynn (Sue Lloyd). When Lynn refuses to leave a party given by photographer Mike (Anthony Booth), Rowan tries to force her to come with him, resulting in an arc light falling over and smashing into Lynn's face, disfiguring her. Surgery helps for a time, but Rowan discovers he needs fluid from women's pituitary glands to repair the damage to his lover's face time and again. This leads into a series of gruesome murders and even a beheading on a train. Where will it all end? Rowan thinks he's gotten his latest unwilling donor in Terry (Wendy Varnals), a girl runaway who turns out to have some cretinous friends. This leads into a nerve-wracking laser surgery sequence and a gross climax with an out-of-control laser that is one of the wildest things I've ever seen. 

In addition to its delightfully lurid plot, what Corruption has going for it is two excellent lead performances from Cushing and Lloyd. Kate O'Mara also scores as Lynn's sister, Val, as does Noel Trevarthen as Dr. Steve Harris; a friend and colleague of Rowan's. After the climax, the best scene is the grisly train murder with an especially intense and determined Cushing doing his best to achieve his horrible objective. The one element of the film that not only doesn't work but almost works against it is the jazzy, inappropriate score by Bill McGuffie. An advertising campaign (see photo) suggested that no woman would be admitted to the film without an escort!

Verdict: Lurid and tasteless as hell but a lot of wicked fun! ***1/4. 

THE VIOLENT YEARS

THE VIOLENT YEARS (1956).  Director: William Morgan. Written by Ed Wood.

Paula Parkins (Jean Moorhead) comes from a good family but is neglected by her parents. It is still quite inexplicable that she decides to form a gang of teenage girls and commit numerous jobs, mostly at gas stations. At one point Paula and her gals force a man into the woods and apparently have their way with him, although this is never shown. A "pajama party" that Paula throws for her friends includes both boys and girls, all in pajamas, for heavy petting sessions. Paula's fence is a hard-boiled dame named Sheila (Lee Constant), but if she thinks she can order Paula around she's got another think coming. Paula does decide to do some work for Sheila, which includes wrecking the high school, an act which brings in the police for a shoot out. Will the authorities finally catch up with Paula before she has many deaths to her credit?

Written by the infamous Ed Wood, The Violent Years is passable enough until the final quarter, when a tiresome judge (I. Stanford Jolley) goes on -- and on and on -- about Paula's case and juvenile delinquency in general. This tedious verbosity was a hallmark of Wood's screenplays, unfortunately. 

Paula gets her man!

The actors can best be described as modestly talented amateurs. Moorhead was actually 21 at the time of shooting, and was a Playboy playmate; she managed to amass 38 credits. Reporter Barney Stetson is played by Glen Corbett, but he is not to be confused with Glenn Corbett of Route 66 and Homicidal. Timothy Farrell is Lt. Holmes. Lee Constant offers the most vivid performance in this. but this was her only film. The movie seems to suggest that the parents are always entirely to blame for juvenile delinquency, but that doesn't stop the judge from giving Paula a pretty stiff sentence.

Verdict: Shut off before the last fifteen minutes. **1/4. 

DAREDEVILS OF THE RED CIRCLE

Bennett, Sharpe and Quigley

DAREDEVILS OF THE RED CIRCLE (1939/12-chapter  Republic serial). Directors: John English; William Witney. NOTE: This is a colorized version. 

Harry Crowel (Charles Middleton) has escaped from prison and disguised himself as industrialist Horace Granville (Miles Mander), who is kept prisoner in a cell in his own basement. Opposing Crowel are the three circus daredevils Tiny Dawson (Bruce Bennett of Mystery Street), Burt Knowles (David Sharpe) and Gene Townley (Charles Quigley of The Crimson Ghost). The fellows get involved when Gene's little brother Sammy, (Robert Winkler), is killed in a fire at an amusement pier started by Crowel's henchmen. With the assistance of Granville's granddaughter Blanche (Carole Landis), the Daredevils do their best to stop the nefarious plans of the sinister Crowel. 

Daredevils of the Red Circle is a good and exciting serial, even if the fisticuffs in this are perhaps not as lively as in other Republic cliffhangers. Still there are good sequences: a raging flood in a tunnel; a factory pool that catches fire; and especially a locked garage that fills with gas. As expected Charles Middleton offers the best performance as Crowel. 

Verdict: Some thrilling fun -- in color! ***.