The Invisible Man Returns (1940)

Thirteen years before making his mark as a horror icon in "House of Wax", Price was second billed under Hardwicke in Universal's follow up to Whale's "The Invisible Man", many scholars and fans considering this his first true horror film. The special effects are a highlight, such as the rope tying up Napier's legs and a phone and cord pulled from receiver, a newspaper folding and unfolding, and especially the smoke trick by Kellaway identifying Price. But Price's voice, even as he isn't seen, is as much a star as the effects, with his Sir Geoffrey going mad for revenge against Hardwicke. While franchise films into the 40s started to decline in quality, functioning more as quickly made programmers to get into theaters at a speedy clip to make further profit for the studio, some of the early sequels were quite good and stock actors could be seen in multiple monster movies. This sequel was also such an example.

November 2006 user comments

Invisible Man Returns opens with certain characters mourning over Vincent Price's situation on death row for the murder of his brother. But when he's to be led to the gallows, Price is gone from his cell, and we learn that he has used an invisibility potion to escape. Price is Geoffrey Radcliffe, his associate, Dr. Frank Griffin (John Sutton), a scientist (and brother to Claude Rains' invisible scientist from the first film), are best friends. Griffin works in a laboratory located inside the building that funds a coal mining operation which provides the Radcliffe fortune. Cecil Kellaway is Scotland Yard's Inspector Sampson, out to find Geoffrey, a fugitive on the lam. Nan Grey (many might know her as a female victim of Dracula's Daughter) is Helen, Geoffrey's fiancé, an obsession of Richard Cobb (Sir Cedric Hardwicke), a member of the operating group overseeing Radcliffe Collieries—and also responsible for the elevator shaft murder of Geoffrey's brother, eyeing the head position if the Radcliffes are out of the way, as well as, attaining Helen. So when Geoffrey learns of Cobb's crime from boozing coal mine leader (made superintendent by Cobb after seeing Richard murder Geoffrey's brother), Spears (Napier who is a hoot as the drunken, uncouth nitwit), he will use his invisibility to outwit Scotland Yard's finest and seek revenge (or, more importantly, a murder confession). But, as the invisibility drug remains in Geoffrey's system, the more he goes mad, soon rambling about using this power for villainous, nefarious purposes to Helen and Frank who become rightfully worried of losing control of their beloved. Will Geoffrey get a confession, lose his sanity, or get caught (or, worse, shot) by the police?

"The Invisible Man Returns" is recognized by some (including me) to be Vincent Price's first horror film. But, you will have critics saying this movie is not a horror film, even though it has an invisible man slowly going mad, the Scotland Yard after him, Hardwicke concealing his crime, and the threat of murder if Geoffrey doesn't get an antidote to halt his progressing dementia. There's a gnarly scene where a victim falls from an escalator to his doom when the coal buggy unlocks sending him plummeting several feet. You get some cool "invisibility effects" such as contents removed from a hidden suitcase and bushes brushed aside or removing his articles of clothes and the bandages that cover his face ("He took off his clothes…no wonder she fainted!"). Especially neat is how you can see an impression of Price in rain, cigar smoke, and gas as Sampson and the police of Scotland Yard try to bottle him up in Radcliffe manor. Someone like me would particularly find the scene where a wounded Price (shot by police during a scuffle up a coal mining escalator with Cobb) steals the clothes off of a scarecrow amusing. Familiar faces, known by us who have watched countless Universal horror films in the famous monster franchises, appear in bit parts. I think Price buffs owe it to themselves to seek out this underrated, relatively undervalued sequel to the heralded James Whale classic, with similarly praise-worthy effects, but a more serious approach (although, there's still plenty of humor) and an ending that will probably be more audience-friendly (if you prefer a more happy ending). Price only has one scene where he is visible to us; his voice has to inform to us how he feels. There's an entire scene where Hardwicke must convince us that he is being forced to confront Spears, held by an invisible man at gunpoint the whole way—he doesn't fail in this regard.