Invisible Avenger

This 57 minute film is of some historical interest, especially to collectors of films based on comic book characters. The plot is only mildly interesting and certainly not very original, the acting wooden, the production values low budget. In fact, I began to wonder if this was an early made-for-television effort rather than a film for cinemas.

At any rate, it does not follow the original concept except for Lamont Cranston's ability to "cloud men's minds" so that he seems to disappear. He does not don the familiar broad-brimmed hat and cape (although it is shown on the cover drawing), nor does he consort with Margo Lane, "the only person to know the Shadow's true identity." Instead he is in the constant company of a certain gentleman named Jogendra, who is trying to discipline him in the Oriental art of they are practising.

But all this aside, it is really a lot of fun in its own way because of its defects and a good example of how Hollywood had no respect for its sources. I have sought in the recent and in back copies of Maltin for some mention of this item, but it seems to have been forgotten by all except Video Yesterday--for which I thank them.

Proposed series looks cheap santa cruz ovrethrow of disctator films in NO despite thrilling movie, a low speed show sibling irvalry

"Invisible Avenger" was a pilot for a proposed series from Republic Studios that was never okayed by the networks as a weekly series. So, to recoup some of the production costs, the studio released it in theaters as a film. In some ways, the show looked pretty good, filming on location in New Orleans. But in most, it just seemed cheap and surprisingly dull. After all, the Shadow is a pretty cool character....just not in this incarnation.

The story is about the fictional country of Santa Cruz. It's ruled by a dictator and the opposition is hiding out in the States. Lamont Cranston (the Shadow) makes it his responsibility to protect the man and do what he can to help bring freedom to the people of Santa Cruz. However, a little bit of sibling rivalry is tossed into the mix...and you wonder how Cranston will manage to stay alive!

The biggest problem is the lack of energy in the film. For a TV show of the 50s, you might expect this....but not from a film released in theaters. I am pretty sure audiences left this one a bit bored and disappointed.

A Shadow movie thats rarely ever listed as a Shadow movie. Richard Derr plays Lamont Cranston, a man with the power to cloud men's minds and become the Shadow. Cranston is on the trail of the people responsible for the disappearance of a friend in New Orleans.

I really like this film. Its not completely faithful to the Shadow myth, but then again what film ever was? (Come to think of it even the stories and radio show changed things as they went along) It certainly plays better than the Rod LaRocque nightmares where the Shadow is some beefy guy in a cape and hat trying to solve some awfully plotted crimes. And it better than the Kane Richmond Shadow movies which are okay, but have the Shadow able to be seen by people. (it's not fair to compare the Alec Baldwin film or the serials since they are different animals)

Derr makes a good Cranston, although one wonders about the relationship with his teacher. Its fast paced and breezy with a good jazz score. It looks as cheap, due no doubt to the budget, but that somehow give it a grittiness it shouldn't have. The film also shows signs of the films troubled production, intended to be one thing it ended up another. There are also two directors listed. Still its a great film to put on at 2am and watch.

What the film really needs are bumpers for The Late Late Late Show and cheesy commercials to go with it for a perfect viewing experience. If you like films from the heyday of late night TV before cable, vcr's and infomercials then this is the movie for you.

Personally I am a radio drama fan who enjoys learning about the old time radio series's and I have come across a little information I would like to share about this movie.

1) The film was made in the attempt to make a series based upon the radio series. The movie was originally intended to be a pilot episode of a "Shadow" television series.

2) Someone made a comment about Margo Lane being needed. However, the creation of the Shadow as a character predates the creation of Margo Lane. The Shadow was originally a mysterious host of the "Street and Smith Dectective Story" program. Soon, however, the creators of the series realized that the mysterious host was more famous than the series. Thus, a series of novels came out identifying the Shadow as having the ability to steal identities of other people. He did not seem to have an identity of his own. Originally, Margo Lane first met him when he was pretending to be Lamont Cranston (originally, she meets the real Lamonte Cranston and mistakes the Shadow for him. Also, the identity of Lamonte Cranston was originally an identity that the Shadow stole).

I have not personally seen the movie "Invisable Avenger". I just wanted to clear some things about the Shadow up.

A nice waste of an hour. The acting was passable, though the Shadow's mentor guy was a little creepy. The plot was mostly predictable with a few plausibility issues. (Yeah, we're going to show what we believe to be an execution on television.) Having listened to quite a few episodes of the radio Shadow, my conclusion is the Shadow does best when operating like a Super Hero, as he did with Orson Welles in the lead. When the Shadow operates as a shamus with a special trick, it's a lot cheaper.

This is okay, but if it was a pilot for a TV show, I can see why it didn't make it. Still, for fans of the Shadow, this is a rare opportunity to see an attempt at bringing that mysterious voice to film.