"Abbott and Costello meet the Invisible Man" is a lot better than what most would say it is.
**SPOILERS**
Fresh out of detective school, Bud Alexander, (Bud Abbott) and Lou Francis, (Lou Costello) are put in charge of the case of Tommy Nelson, (Arthur Franz) a man who was wrongly convicted for killing a mobster. Hearing of a serum that can make a man invisible, Tommy uses it and does become invisible, right in front of Bud. Even though the police don't believe his story, they let him continue to investigate. Leading back to the old boxing club where Tommy used to box to prove his innocence, all three run afoul of the gangster that had set Tommy up for murder.
The Good News: I honestly wasn't expecting this one to be as funny as it was, and it's one of the funniest ones in the series. There's a plethora of their trademark sight gags in here, and besides being quite funny, they are incredibly creative. The sight of watching Bud in a fight with a boxer, and any time he is landing punches, the boxer is beaten up with the blows heard landing on him. The other gags in there are just as creative, and are so uproarious that it has to be seen to be believed. Spread through-out the movie are other such moments that are just as creative and side-splitting hilarious. A dinner sequence with the Invisible Man quite drunk and a card game later, which itself is mind-blowing how well they were pulled off in the time, stand as highlights as well. A couple of very humorous word-plays at the beginning provide some more laughs, especially an interrogation scene that is fall-down funny. The effects are top-notch as well, and easily steal the show from the comedy. Whenever we see the Invisible Man, we are treated to show-stoppers. Here we are allowed to see the transparent pugilist through steam leaking out of a radiator and the effect is very impressive for one main example. A later sequence at the end, which was echoed to similar results in "Hollow Man," are just as effective and mind-boggling as they were back then. The fast-plot doesn't get too complicated, and serves as a backdrop for their brand of gags and word-play, and it easily entertains because of it.
The Bad News: I really didn't find much not to like here. Sure, the fast-moving plot is pretty similar to "The Invisible Man Returns," but it's easily forgiven. It's not one to think to hard about to figure out, and it's been mistakenly called as such. The main thing I can tell from this is that it follow in the footsteps of "Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein," and while any film that would follow that one have big shoes to fill, this one is unjustly criticized because of it.
The Final Verdict: This is a refreshing return to the fun and fantasy that buoyed their earlier features. It's more comedy than horror, but it pulls off most of the gags quite competently and remains a light, fancy-free film that any fans of the Abbott and Costello movies or comedy/horror fans will like.
Today's Rating-PG: Mild Violence
**SPOILERS**
Fresh out of detective school, Bud Alexander, (Bud Abbott) and Lou Francis, (Lou Costello) are put in charge of the case of Tommy Nelson, (Arthur Franz) a man who was wrongly convicted for killing a mobster. Hearing of a serum that can make a man invisible, Tommy uses it and does become invisible, right in front of Bud. Even though the police don't believe his story, they let him continue to investigate. Leading back to the old boxing club where Tommy used to box to prove his innocence, all three run afoul of the gangster that had set Tommy up for murder.
The Good News: I honestly wasn't expecting this one to be as funny as it was, and it's one of the funniest ones in the series. There's a plethora of their trademark sight gags in here, and besides being quite funny, they are incredibly creative. The sight of watching Bud in a fight with a boxer, and any time he is landing punches, the boxer is beaten up with the blows heard landing on him. The other gags in there are just as creative, and are so uproarious that it has to be seen to be believed. Spread through-out the movie are other such moments that are just as creative and side-splitting hilarious. A dinner sequence with the Invisible Man quite drunk and a card game later, which itself is mind-blowing how well they were pulled off in the time, stand as highlights as well. A couple of very humorous word-plays at the beginning provide some more laughs, especially an interrogation scene that is fall-down funny. The effects are top-notch as well, and easily steal the show from the comedy. Whenever we see the Invisible Man, we are treated to show-stoppers. Here we are allowed to see the transparent pugilist through steam leaking out of a radiator and the effect is very impressive for one main example. A later sequence at the end, which was echoed to similar results in "Hollow Man," are just as effective and mind-boggling as they were back then. The fast-plot doesn't get too complicated, and serves as a backdrop for their brand of gags and word-play, and it easily entertains because of it.
The Bad News: I really didn't find much not to like here. Sure, the fast-moving plot is pretty similar to "The Invisible Man Returns," but it's easily forgiven. It's not one to think to hard about to figure out, and it's been mistakenly called as such. The main thing I can tell from this is that it follow in the footsteps of "Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein," and while any film that would follow that one have big shoes to fill, this one is unjustly criticized because of it.
The Final Verdict: This is a refreshing return to the fun and fantasy that buoyed their earlier features. It's more comedy than horror, but it pulls off most of the gags quite competently and remains a light, fancy-free film that any fans of the Abbott and Costello movies or comedy/horror fans will like.
Today's Rating-PG: Mild Violence