This daring film documents a secret suburban plan to turn Richard Nixon into a super-powered invisible guy. No wait, not quite that, but the main guy certainly looks like Richard Nixon, and invisibility certainly would have helped Nixon and his plumbers avoid a good deal of the nastiness that eventually brought the whole mean, greedy empire crumbling onto the White House lawn.

The Amazing Transparent Man is about as amazing as The Incredible Petrified World was incredible, and like that film, despite the low budget and crummy script, there's some decent acting and a few strands of a good idea. It does force one to ask the question, "What would you do if you could turn invisible?" Would you be a miraculous force for good, traveling the world to right wrongs, save people, and kick Osama bin Laden in the crotch? Or would you give in to criminal tendencies? Steal money and cars, sneak free plane rides, and freak out old ladies by moving stuff around in front of them? Or, finally, would you just be a perv and sneak in to look at naked people?

Me? Easy. I'd be all three. I'd have no problem using my power for good, but my soul is dark and corrupt, and I am ultimately a weak-willed creature of vice, so I'd definitely steal some stuff, take free plane rides, and try to watch Freema Agyeman take a shower. Don't think Nixon or G. Gordon Liddy wouldn't do the same. I would not, however, turn that into a paparazzi opportunity. If I can turn invisible and watch Freema Agyeman take a shower, then I'm going to just keep that little treasure to myself. Maybe I'll sell you a video of Bill Clinton in the shower, but then, Bill Clinton would probably sell a video of Bill Clinton in the shower. Hell, he'd probably give it away for free.

It wouldn't be all sleaze and crime, of course. I'd take time out to help catch terrorists or whatever else I'm able to do while invisible. I'm not that familiar with the Middle East or Central Asia, so I doubt I'd be able to get bin Laden even if I was invisible, but Kim Jung Il? Forget it, man. I'll take care of that weird little guy, no problem. And since he's a film buff, his dying words would probably be, "Ahh, just like The Amazing Transparent Man." Then, to celebrate, I'd go look at some naked people.

Amazing Transparent Man isn't a good movie, but it's not an especially bad film either. Criminal Faust busts out of "the joint" (that's what we call it) and ends up falling in with a weird mastermind, a gun moll, and the scientist they keep locked in the basement of their suburban home. This makes two scientists in the basement of a suburban home, as the previous film on this disc, Atomic Brain, also featured one of these guys. Who knew there were so many labs and lairs in the 'burbs? Obviously, Faust is going to get the power to turn invisible, and then he'll be faced with all sorts of life choices he never thought he'd have to make. Mostly, he just steals and cracks safes, which is odd. If you are invisible, you'd think you'd pick an easier form of stealing than safe cracking. But I guess he worked hard honing the skills required to crack a safe, and just because he's invisible now doesn't mean Faust wants to squander his talents.

So, not too good, not too bad. Pretty dependable, run of the mill B-movie fare that mixes sci-fi with a bit of noirish crime thrills. Definitely the best film on disc one. And just like Atomic Brain, it teaches us a valuable lesson that can be applied to just about anyone's life: if you are going to turn a guy invisible and have him commit crimes, don't act like an asshole to him, or he'll probably turn invisible and kick your ass.

Labels: Set: Sci-Fi Classics