Musical Mondays Week 71 The Return of Captain Invincible

[Quasar Sniffer 4174]

I think anyone who read my Letterboxd review can probably guessed I enjoyed this movie more than most, at least it seems that way. I guess since so much of my life is comics (selling them, reading them in my own free time, writing about them) that I sort of have a instantaneous connection to any narrative that approaches superheroes with affection. Even though there is a lot of parody and satire of the superhero genre and comics, this was 1983, decades before the current glut of superhero films, years before the 1989 Batman, and just a few years after the Richard Donner Superman (though it was released in the same year as the rather stale Superman III, so I guess it COULD be skewering the first two Superman films).

So I guess, in 1983, this movie would only be speaking to people who grew up with the Gold and Silver Age of comics and watched the Batman '66  TV show. Hell, it's even three years before Alan Moore's 'Watchmen' and Frank Miller's 'Dark Knight Returns' blew the doors open on commentary on superheroes and comic-book-stories about stories. To be so familiar with the Golden Age of superheroes, and how they were treated in the post-war era of Communist paranoia, to create this character in 1983, I just instantly felt reciprocal affection for Captain Invincible and for the filmmakers themselves. I guess that shifted my viewpoint for the rest of the film, especially since I enjoy watching Alan Arkin and Christopher Lee do anything.

[theworstbuddhist 572]

1 hour ago, Quasar Sniffer said:

I think anyone who read my Letterboxd review can probably guessed I enjoyed this movie more than most, at least it seems that way. I guess since so much of my life is comics (selling them, reading them in my own free time, writing about them) that I sort of have a instantaneous connection to any narrative that approaches superheroes with affection. Even though there is a lot of parody and satire of the superhero genre and comics, this was 1983, decades before the current glut of superhero films, years before the 1989 Batman, and just a few years after the Richard Donner Superman (though it was released in the same year as the rather stale Superman III, so I guess it COULD be skewering the first two Superman films).

So I guess, in 1983, this movie would only be speaking to people who grew up with the Gold and Silver Age of comics and watched the Batman '66  TV show. Hell, it's even three years before Alan Moore's 'Watchmen' and Frank Miller's 'Dark Knight Returns' blew the doors open on commentary on superheroes and comic-book-stories about stories. To be so familiar with the Golden Age of superheroes, and how they were treated in the post-war era of Communist paranoia, to create this character in 1983, I just instantly felt reciprocal affection for Captain Invincible and for the filmmakers themselves. I guess that shifted my viewpoint for the rest of the film, especially since I enjoy watching Alan Arkin and Christopher Lee do anything.

Ha, small world. I have been making comics since the early 90s and zines for a while before that. Working on one now for a convention here in town this weekend.

[Quasar Sniffer 4174]

3 hours ago, theworstbuddhist said:

Ha, small world. I have been making comics since the early 90s and zines for a while before that. Working on one now for a convention here in town this weekend.

Awesome! Good luck! 

[tomspanks 9039]

On 8/12/2019 at 7:15 PM, Cam Bert said:

I can see that. It's that general vibe of "Let's take this old thing and make it a camp musical" that made it feel Rocky Horror to me. That and Christopher Lee's number with the dancers.

I got a Attack of the Killer Tomatoes vibe 

[Cam Bert 8145]

3 hours ago, tomspanks said:

I got a Attack of the Killer Tomatoes vibe 

Ah, I get that except I think "Attack of the Killer Tomatoes" people knew they were making a legit bad movie.