Indestructible Man
Encyclopedia
Indestructible Man is an American black-and-white
science fiction film
, an original screenplay by Vy Russell and Sue Dwiggins for producer-director Jack Pollexfen and starring Lon Chaney, Jr.
. It was produced independently, and picked up after completion for distribution in the United States by Allied Artists Pictures Corporation. It is somewhat of a remake of Chaney's 1941 film, Man Made Monster
and owes much to Frankenstein
. It was later featured in the fourth season of Mystery Science Theater 3000
, alongside chapter two of the Ray "Crash" Corrigan Undersea Kingdom
serial.
, pre-McHale's Navy
), Benton sets out to avenge himself on his shyster lawyer and the lawyer's henchmen who, in collusion with his attorney, betrayed him in order to steal his loot. Benton left the location of his stash to his stripper-girlfriend (Carr) who has gone straight and begun dating the detective who brought Benton to justice after rejecting the lawyer.
The story then follows Benton' revenge on his enemies and the police who first learn of a wave of mysterious killing, then of Benton's reanimation, as well as the developing relationship between the detective and the stripper. Along the way is a fair mystery, some gruesome murders and just enough backstage visits at the burlesque theatre to please the target audience of the film.
Black-and-white
Black-and-white, often abbreviated B/W or B&W, is a term referring to a number of monochrome forms in visual arts.Black-and-white as a description is also something of a misnomer, for in addition to black and white, most of these media included varying shades of gray...
science fiction film
Science fiction film
Science fiction film is a film genre that uses science fiction: speculative, science-based depictions of phenomena that are not necessarily accepted by mainstream science, such as extraterrestrial life forms, alien worlds, extrasensory perception, and time travel, often along with futuristic...
, an original screenplay by Vy Russell and Sue Dwiggins for producer-director Jack Pollexfen and starring Lon Chaney, Jr.
Lon Chaney, Jr.
Lon Chaney, Jr. , born Creighton Tull Chaney, was an American character actor. He was best known for his roles in monster movies and as the son of famous silent film actor, Lon Chaney...
. It was produced independently, and picked up after completion for distribution in the United States by Allied Artists Pictures Corporation. It is somewhat of a remake of Chaney's 1941 film, Man Made Monster
Man Made Monster
Man-Made Monster is a science fiction horror film released by Universal Pictures. The film stars Lon Chaney Jr. in his horror debut. Man-Made Monster was re-released under various titles including Electric Man and The Mysterious Dr. R...
and owes much to Frankenstein
Frankenstein
Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus is a novel about a failed experiment that produced a monster, written by Mary Shelley, with inserts of poems by Percy Bysshe Shelley. Shelley started writing the story when she was eighteen, and the novel was published when she was twenty-one. The first...
. It was later featured in the fourth season of Mystery Science Theater 3000
Mystery Science Theater 3000
Mystery Science Theater 3000 is an American cult television comedy series created by Joel Hodgson and produced by Best Brains, Inc., that ran from 1988 to 1999....
, alongside chapter two of the Ray "Crash" Corrigan Undersea Kingdom
Undersea Kingdom
Undersea Kingdom is a Republic Pictures film serial released in response to Universal's Flash Gordon. It was the second of the sixty-six serials made by Republic...
serial.
Plot summary
Told in flashback by police dectective Dick Chasen (Showalter), the movie concerns a 72-hour period of horror for the main characters. Charles "Butcher" Benton (Chaney) was a double-crossed convicted robber and murderer who was executed in the gas chamber. His body is unlawfully sold to a a lone-wolf cancer researcher (Robert Shayne, moonlighting from the Inspector Henderson character featured in the Superman TV series of the time), who plans to move his testing to human subjects. The corpse is subjected to chemical injection and massive jolts of high-frequency electricity in order to study the effect on human tissues. But Benton's heart is restimulated and he completely revives (though rendered mute due to electrical damage to his vocal cords), immensely strong and with skin virtually impervious--even to bazooka shells. After killing the doctor and his assistant (Joe FlynnJoe Flynn (US actor)
Joseph A. Flynn was an American character actor. He was best known for his role in the 1960s ABC television situation comedy, McHale's Navy. He was also a frequent guest star on 1960s TV shows such as Batman and appeared in several Walt Disney film comedies...
, pre-McHale's Navy
McHale's Navy
McHale's Navy is an American television sitcom series which ran for 138 half-hour episodes from October 11,1962, to August 31, 1966, on the ABC network. The series was filmed in black and white and originated in a one-hour drama called Seven Against the Sea, broadcast on April 3, 1962...
), Benton sets out to avenge himself on his shyster lawyer and the lawyer's henchmen who, in collusion with his attorney, betrayed him in order to steal his loot. Benton left the location of his stash to his stripper-girlfriend (Carr) who has gone straight and begun dating the detective who brought Benton to justice after rejecting the lawyer.
The story then follows Benton' revenge on his enemies and the police who first learn of a wave of mysterious killing, then of Benton's reanimation, as well as the developing relationship between the detective and the stripper. Along the way is a fair mystery, some gruesome murders and just enough backstage visits at the burlesque theatre to please the target audience of the film.
Production background
- Chaney has almost no dialogue in the film.
- Angels FlightAngels FlightAngels Flight is a landmark funicular railway in the Bunker Hill district of Downtown Los Angeles, California. It has two funicular cars, Sinai and Olivet ....
appears prominently in this film. - The doctor's assistant is played by Joe FlynnJoe Flynn (US actor)Joseph A. Flynn was an American character actor. He was best known for his role in the 1960s ABC television situation comedy, McHale's Navy. He was also a frequent guest star on 1960s TV shows such as Batman and appeared in several Walt Disney film comedies...
who went on to bigger and better roles in Disney filmWalt Disney PicturesWalt Disney Pictures is an American film studio owned by The Walt Disney Company. Walt Disney Pictures and Television, a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Studios and the main production company for live-action feature films within the Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group, based at the Walt Disney...
s and in the TV series McHale's NavyMcHale's NavyMcHale's Navy is an American television sitcom series which ran for 138 half-hour episodes from October 11,1962, to August 31, 1966, on the ABC network. The series was filmed in black and white and originated in a one-hour drama called Seven Against the Sea, broadcast on April 3, 1962...
.
DVD releases
- The film has been released by numerous studios as a "bargain bin" disc.
- The MST3K version of the film has been released by Rhino Home VideoRhino EntertainmentRhino Entertainment Company is an American specialty record label and production company. It is owned by Warner Music Group.-History:Rhino was originally a novelty song and reissue company during the 1970s and 1980s, releasing compilation albums of pop, rock & roll, and rhythm & blues successes...
as part of the Collection, Volume 11 box set.