Invisible Avenger

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.

"The legendary mind-clouding man of mystery is back in this film noir tale set in New Orleans, where nothing is ever as it seems. Exiled Spanish leader Pablo Ramirez is hiding out on Bourbon Street as plans are laid to overthrow the oppressive dictatorship that currently exists in his country. A fascist generalissimo has planted assassins in the city to dispose of Ramirez and thwart his impending coup d'etat. Lamont Cranston (Richard Derr) - aka the Shadow - is summoned to protect Ramirez and thus ensure a successful revolution. The Shadow summons up his supernatural powers of hypnosis and invisibility to save Ramirez and stop his enemies' diabolical exploits," according to the DVD sleeve's synopsis.

This TV try-out may be re-edited to include the execution footage, which seems a little heavy for 1950s television - or, maybe did they did show executions in westerns back then - anyway, the eerie "Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men… the Shadow knows!" line interrupting the drama a couple of times perfectly illustrates why this series was successful on the radio - and, also, why this visual representation was unsuccessful; the picture simply does not live up to the mystery inherent in the series' famous catchphrase. Mr. Derr is a good lead, but not very mysterious; mystical sidekick Mark Daniels (as Jogendra), creepy Dan Mullin (as Pablo & Victor Ramirez), and shadowy James Wong Howe are interesting.

***** The Shadow: Invisible Avenger (12/2/58) James Wong Howe ~ Richard Derr, Mark Daniels, Dan Mullin

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.

The title of this garrulous and uninvolving retread set largely in New Orleans of the radio character popularized in the thirties by Orson Welles may be vaguely familiar to some from its presence as a rather mysterious footnote to the illustrious filmography of the Oscar-winning cameraman James Wong Howe. Howe directed one feature film, 'Go, Man, Go!' (1954), with the Harlem Globetrotters, and between his Oscars for 'The Rose Tattoo' (1955) and 'Hud' (1963) directed a few TV episodes, of which this may have been his first. Assembled from two unsold pilot episodes for a TV series (of which only one was directed by Howe, hence the joint credit) which were spliced together under the intriguing title 'Invisible Avenger' and released as a feature film, it thus finds itself by default among Howe's film credits.

The drab photography, however, belies Howe's contribution; and as an avowed stickler for realism I hope he wasn't responsible for the multiple set-ups employed on the public execution shown being screened on American television. Apart from the "Daddy O" jazz talk and the topical storyline about revolutionaries plotting against a Latin American dictatorship, it feels more like a Republic serial from the forties. Using his radio name of Lamont Cranston, the Shadow hangs out with a mystic sidekick named Jogendra who's taught him how to think himself invisible (hence the title), but rather than simply prowling about invisible he usually waits until he gets caught so he can then confound his captors by disappearing; sometimes for effect he casts a shadow only, and he only ever emits his trademark diabolical cackle when invisible.

Although billed third and cutting a striking figure as a hard-boiled nightclub hostess, Helen Westcott's role proves surprisingly irrelevant to the action.

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.