''The Return of Captain Invincible'' is a 1983 Australian

superhero A superhero or superheroine is a stock character that typically possesses ''superpowers'', abilities beyond those of ordinary people, and fits the role of the hero, typically using his or her powers to help the world become a better place, ...

musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film and television, a genre of film and television that incorporates into the narr ...

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...

directed by

Philippe Mora Philippe Mora (born 1949) is a French Australian film director. Early life and career Philippe Mora was born in Paris, France in 1949, and grew up at the centre of the Australian arts scene of the 1950s and began making films with an 8mm camera ...

, and starring

Alan Arkin Alan Wolf Arkin (born March 26, 1934) is an American actor, director and screenwriter known for his performances on stage and screen. Throughout his career spanning over six decades, he has received various accolades, including an Academy Award ...

and

Christopher Lee Sir Christopher Frank Carandini Lee (27 May 1922 – 7 June 2015) was an English actor and singer. In a long career spanning more than 60 years, Lee often portrayed villains, and appeared as Count Dracula in seven Hammer Horror films, ultimat ...

. It was a box office disappointment on release but has become a cult film since then.

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 Prohibition is the act or practice of forbidding something by law; more particularly the term refers to the banning of the manufacture, storage (whether in barrels or in bottles), transportation, sale, possession, and consumption of alcoholic ...

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, 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 Communism (from Latin la, communis, lit=common, universal, label=none) is a far-left sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology and current within the socialist movement whose goal is the establishment of a communist society, a s ...

, 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 Alcoholism is, broadly, any drinking of alcohol that results in significant mental or physical health problems. Because there is disagreement on the definition of the word ''alcoholism'', it is not a recognized diagnostic entity. Predomin ...

. 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

as Captain Invincible, US superhero who fought for the allies during WWII, but fell on hard times. *

as Mr. Midnight, Invincible's nemesis; dedicated to evil, his latest plan involves the eradication of the ethnic minorities in New York. *

Kate Fitzpatrick Kerry Kathleen Fitzpatrick (born 1 October 1947) known as Kate Fitzpatrick, is an Australian television, film, and theatre actress. Early years Kate grew up in the Adelaide suburb of Dover Gardens, and it was in Adelaide that her love for cl ...

as Patty Patria, Australian policewoman who helps Invincible get back to his former glory. * Bill Hunter as Tupper / Coach *

Michael Pate Michael Pate OAM (born Edward John Pate; 26 February 1920 – 1 September 2008) was an Australian actor, writer, director, and producer, who also worked in Hollywood in the 1950s and 1960s. Biography Early life Pate was born in Drum ...

as The US president, who as a child met Invincible. The meeting left an impression on him. *

Doug McGrath Doug McGrath (born April 13, 1935) is a Canadian actor whose most notable role was that of "Peter" in the acclaimed Canadian film ''Goin' Down the Road'' (1970) and its sequel ''Down the Road Again'' (2011). He also played in acclaimed Canadia ...

Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...

Graham Kennedy Graham Cyril Kennedy AO (15 February 1934 – 25 May 2005) was an Australian entertainer, comedian and variety performer, as well as a personality and star of radio, theatre, television and film. He often performed in the style of vaudevilli ...

as Prime Minister *

Max Phipps Maxwell John Phipps (18 November 1939 – 6 August 2000) was an Australian actor, known for a number of roles in theatre, films and television during the 1960s until the end of the 1990s. Life and career Phipps was born in Dubbo and grew up in ...

as Admiral * Alfred Sandor as New York Police Captain * Ron Becks as Black Salesman *

Garth Meade Garth Meade (born 1925, Johannesburg, South Africa, died 2002 Sydney) was a South African and later Australian actor and comedian, best known for his roles on television series and mini-series. He also worked numerously in cabaret and the clu ...

as Polish Salesman

Production

''The Return of Captain Invincible'' was directed by

. It was produced by Seven Keys Production and Willara and distributed by Seven Keys in Australia. It was scheduled for release in the US by

Jensen Farley Pictures Jensen Farley Pictures was an American independent film distribution company based in Utah that released several films between 1980 and 1983, founded by Raylan Jensen and Clair Farley, former heads of Sunn Classic Pictures. The company filed for C ...

, 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 ''Magnum'' is a Latin word meaning "great". Magnum may also refer to: Businesses and organizations * Magnum Research, a firearms maker * Magnum Semiconductor, a spin-off of Cirrus Logic * Magnum Photos, a photojournalist cooperative * Magnum C ...

. A widescreen DVD later followed from Elite Entertainment Inc. It was filmed in

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

. Lyricist

Richard O'Brien Richard Timothy Smith. known professionally as Richard O'Brien, is a British-New Zealand actor, writer, musician, composer, and television presenter. He wrote the musical stage show ''The Rocky Horror Show'' in 1973, which has remained in conti ...

and composer Richard Hartley, known for their prior collaboration on ''

The Rocky Horror Show ''The Rocky Horror Show'' is a musical with music, lyrics and book by Richard O'Brien. A humorous tribute to the science fiction and horror B movies of the 1930s through to the early 1960s, the musical tells the story of a newly engaged couple ...

'' and ''

The Rocky Horror Picture Show ''The Rocky Horror Picture Show'' is a 1975 musical comedy horror film by 20th Century Fox, produced by Lou Adler and Michael White and directed by Jim Sharman. The screenplay was written by Sharman and actor Richard O'Brien, who is also ...

'', 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 completed, producer Andrew Gaty, acting on the advice of his American distributor, recut. Mora objected and the matter wound up before the Minister of Home Affairs,

Tom McVeigh Daniel Thomas McVeigh (born 7 May 1930) is a former Australian politician. He served in the House of Representatives from 1972 to 1988, representing the National Party (previously the National Country Party). He held ministerial office in the ...

. 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.David Stratton, ''The Avocado Plantation: Boom and Bust in the Australian Film Industry'', Pan MacMillan, 1990 p79

Music

Reception

''The Return of Captain Invincible'' grossed a mere $55,110 at the Australian box office against a budget of $7 million. British fantasy novelist

Terry Pratchett Sir Terence David John Pratchett (28 April 1948 – 12 March 2015) was an English humourist, satirist, and author of fantasy novels, especially comical works. He is best known for his ''Discworld'' series of 41 novels. Pratchett's first nov ...

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.Terry Pratchett Quotes
/ref>

Colin Greenland Colin Greenland (born 17 May 1954 in Dover, Kent, England) is a British science fiction writer, whose first story won the second prize in a 1982 Faber & Faber competition. His best-known novel is ''Take Back Plenty'' (1990), winner of both majo ...

reviewed ''The Return of Captain Invincible'' for ''

Imagine Imagine may refer to: * Imagination Music Albums * ''Imagine'' (Armin van Buuren album), 2008 * ''Imagine'' (Eva Cassidy album), 2002 * ''Imagine'' (Janice Vidal album), 2012 * ''Imagine'' (John Lennon album), 1971 ** ''Imagine: John Lennon' ...

'' 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."

Accolades

References

External links

* *
''The Return of Captain Invincible''
at Rocky Music
''The Return of Captain Invincible''
at Oz Movies {{DEFAULTSORT:Return Of Captain Invincible, The 1983 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