The Invisible Man (1975)

"Blast From the Past SciFi TV"

Fabulous Films are releasing all 13 episodes of Universal's 1975 TV 'adaptation' (now there's a very loose use of the word) of H G Wells' novel as a Blu-ray or DVD box set.

Dr Daniel Westin (David McCallum) works at the Klae Corporation, a scientfic research think tank where he has been working on matter transmission. So far his work has had an interesting side effect wherein inorganic matter to be transported has instead been rendered invisible. The next step? Living tissue, of course! Next up is a rabbit. "You seem fine," says Dr Westin as the bunny reappears and before you can say 'Brundlefly' he's putting himself through the process.

It works, as does the serum he's developed to bring himself back. But it turns out there are plans for his research to be used by the military so he turns himself invisible once more, destroys his lab and goes on the run. He becomes visible again for only a short time before the process becomes permanent and he has to call on the expertise of colleague and plastic surgery specialist Nick Maggio (Henry Darrow) who creates a mask and hand-gloves for him. The pilot episode concludes with Westin uncertain about his future.

Presumably creators Harve Bennett (Six Million Dollar Man) and Steven Bochco (Hill Street Blues) were also uncertain if their show would get picked up. It also explains why each episode of the subsequent series opens with a caption explaining Daniel Westin is now a sort of secret agent acting on behalf of the Klae Corporation with only his wife (Melinda Fee) and boss (Jackie Cooper in the film, Craig Stevens in the show) wise to his 'superpower'. While the pilot is dead serious, some of the TV episodes are played for laughs, almost as if the makers got bored  with the possibilities of the concept almost as soon as it was out of the gate. Fans of 1970s TV will get to see some familiar faces (Nancy Kovack, Roger C Carmel, John Vernon), a couple of episodes are written and / or produced by Leslie Stevens of Outer Limits TV fame, and the engaging TV series theme tune is by Henry Mancini. The show was a bigger success in the UK than the US, where Bennett and the gang had another go the following years with Gemini Man. Fabulous Films' set has all 13 episodes over three discs with no extras. 

The Invisible Man is out from Fabulous Films in a three disc DVD or Blu-ray set on Monday 10th April 2023