Customer Reviews

Memoirs of an Invisible Man [VHS]

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is the movie that established Chevy Chase as a serious actor. It's a pity nobody was watching. Chevy Chase plays Nick Halloway, a solitary man made invisible by a freak accident. Chevy does an incredible job conveying the horror of being completely unnoticed, and puts a dark, and credible spin on a rather outlandish plot. Sam Neil is the CIA agent that wants him for his 'gifts'. Like always, Sam hits it dead on. Daryl Hannah covers the love intrest, and plays the part to satisfaction, although it's fairly obvious she didn't land the part becuase of her acting talents. Special effects were the best for the time, and aren't dated to the point were they distract from the story. The plot is strong, and ever-present, and the direction is excellent thanks to John Carpenter. I strongly suggest everyone give this one a chance. You won't be disappointed.

I really enjoyed this movie when it came out and was quite surprised by all the bad reviews. I had read the book several years before I saw the movie and thought they did a great job of transfering it to film.

The funny thing is that most reviews criticize the film makers for their wierd story choices, but the film was just following the book.

Others criticize that the movie doesn't know whether to be a comedy, action thiller or an adventure story? The book was the same way and I thought the book and film did a great job of juggling these different styles.

John Carpenter takes a welcome change of pace with this invisible man movie that bring great new ideas to the genre. (best of all being that chevys clothes become invisible too so he doesn't have to walk around naked) Chevy Chase is suprisingly beleivable in the title role and Sam Neil is great as a rouge CIA agent. As you probably quessed, the special effects are also brilliant.

It's a bit depressing that many people on the world have not seen Memoirs of an Invisible Man. But chances are this might turn into a phenomenal cult hit sometime in the future. We can only hope.

This is another extravagant film by John Carpenter. Here, we get to see the disadvantages of having invisibility. It may sound fun, but in real life, you'll very well regret it if you really have it. Chevy Chase moves away from the comedic genre, and gives us a pretty believable performance as the man who we can't see. Sam Neill is the antagonist that everyone would just love to hate. Daryl Hannah is Chevy's love interest, though her good looks make up for her mediocre acting abilities. The special effects are very impressive, even if it was made in 1992.

This is one heck of a good film. Even if it's not as great as other films that mix humor with suspense and drama, I still enjoyed it. Fans of Chevy Chase, Sam Neill, and John Carpenter should never stop and think if they should see this or not.

Grade: A

This movie is indeed underrated, and perhaps largely unknown due more to its relatively low budget than to its concept or execution. Chevy Chase is strangely touching portraying in dramatic tones a character caught in what would at first seem a purely comedic situation. Nick Holloway's predicament is well-realized and well thought-out, and many of the special effects - though not elaborate - are both humorous and intriguing. Darrell Hannah is her usual sensuous and beautiful self. Well worth a watch.

This film I consider is the ultimate "Invisible Man" film. Carpenter had alot of grace and love for this film obviously and Chase's portrail of a stock broker turned invisible fugitive was just right. Chase tends to get alot of heckeling for this movie and his performance but this reviewer finds that same performance to be one of great effort (note his quiet aproch to dramatic situations and his fine comic timing to humorious ones). This film I thought had alot more to do with character and emotions than most filmakers would try on an "Invisible Man" project. One thing's for sure....this movie sure beats the heck outta "Hollow Man" (a movie that made the "Invisible Man" into a phsyco plus the whole movie just had a 2nd rate slasher vibe).

The last John Carpenter film to be released on DVD, "Memoirs of an Invisible Man" bombed at the box office during it's early 90's theatrical run. Shame too as it's a better film than some think.

The special effects were outstanding, and Sam Neill stole the show as the villian. Chevy Chase tries his best but even semi-dramatic roles are just not his thing.

The DVD will be 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen (as all Carpenter films should be presented), and will have a behind-the-scenes featurette, outtakes, and the film's trailer. The sad thing is, no Carpenter commentary track. Why Warner Brothers never bothered to ask Carpenter to take part, we can only guess.Buy this DVD and complete your John Carpenter collection!

This is one of Chevy Chase's lost movies. The special effects are great, and the plot keeps your attention. I don't know why so few people have seen it; it truly is an underrated film. Go rent this movie and check it out!

If you have not read the book, you may well find this an adequate, reasonably imaginative, and fairly entertaining film.

Unfortunately, because the excellent book of the same name by H.F. Saint (link: Memoirs of an Invisible Man) which inspired it is so superlatively brilliant, this film suffers by comparison.

Tells the story of an ordinary man (Chevy Chase) who is accidentally turned invisible, but still needs to eat, drink, sleep, open doors to pass through them, etc. Government agents see him as a huge opportunity for both spying and scientific reseach. Our hero realises that if the government gets hold of him his life won't be that of a human being but a lab rat, so he goes on the run. The main plot line of the story tells of his battle to keep out of the hands of the government forces and their sinister ringleader, excellently played by Sam Neill.

He also manages to set up a romance with Daryl Hannah's character.

The basic idea and plot are the same in the film as in the original book. But where Saint's novel was an edgy, sexy and exciting thriller packed with very plausible ideas about how human beings might react to the presence of an invisible person, and what he might have to do to survive, the film is much lighter in tone and the story is played mostly for laughs. Which is does often get, but seeing such a dramatic book filmed as light comedy is a bit of an anticlimax.

Probably one reason that the book worked so much better than the film is that invisibility is a subject more easily described by words than pictures. It was vastly easier for H.F. Saint to write about what was happening to his character than for the film to show that there was an invisible man in the room.

Having said that, one or two images from the film which DID manage this well are quite unforgettable, such as Sam Neill staggering towards a door with his hand up behind his back as if an invisible person were holding it there, and a gun magically suspended beside him with the business end pressed against the side of his head. All credit to Neill for a really good bit of acting there.

Overall I would have to describe this as competent but not brilliant, with some good acting from the three leads. But if you are looking for a story about an invisible man which really is brilliant, read H.F. Saint's book. (Or indeed HG Wells' classic original.)

Chevy Chase, Daryl Hannah and Sam Neill star
in John Carpenter's 1992 sci-fi film based on
the book. A businessman becomes invisible
after he's in a lab accident. I've always
liked this film and Chevy and Daryl have
good chemistry. I notice this is the only
one of John's films where his name isn't
above or before the title. This dvd has
good picture and sound plus some neat
extras. I recommend this underrated
Carpenter film.