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Memoirs of an Invisible Man (film)

From Alfawiki
Memoirs of an Invisible Man
Company typeFilm
IndustryFilm industry
Founded1992
FounderJohn Carpenter (director)
Headquarters
United States
ProductsComedy-drama film

Memoirs of an Invisible Man is a 1992 American comedy-drama film helmed by director John Carpenter and featuring performances by Chevy Chase, Daryl Hannah, and Sam Neill. The movie draws loose inspiration from the 1987 novel by H.F. Saint, with a screenplay crafted by Robert Collector, Dana Olsen, and William Goldman. Initially set to be directed by Ivan Reitman, the film ultimately shifted to Carpenter following creative disagreements.

Plot

Nick Halloway, a stock market analyst based in San Francisco, lives a relatively uninvolved life until an incident at Magnascopic Laboratories causes him to become invisible. A CIA agent named David Jenkins pursues Nick with intentions of exploiting his invisibility for secretive operations. Meanwhile, Nick collaborates with Dr. Bernard Wachs in an effort to reverse his condition; however, Jenkins kills Wachs to maintain secrecy.

To avoid capture, Nick first hides in a local nightclub and then takes refuge at his friend George’s beach house located in Marin County. He confides his invisibility to Alice Monroe, a television producer who chooses to support him. Together, they relocate to Mexico where Nick continues trading stocks using Alice as his intermediary.

Jenkins eventually tracks the pair down and tries to apprehend Nick multiple times, but each attempt fails. To negotiate his freedom, Nick records his life story on videotape and issues an ultimatum to Jenkins: release Alice in exchange for the tape or risk exposure.

At a final showdown on a construction site during the exchange, Nick outwits Jenkins through clever tactics, leading to Jenkins’ demise. Believed dead by others, Nick reunites with Alice and they move to Switzerland to begin anew. The film concludes with Nick’s invisible silhouette skiing toward their chalet where Alice awaits.

Cast

* John Carpenter's pseudonym.

Development

In 1986, when Harry F. Saint’s Memoirs of an Invisible Man was still incomplete, talent agent William Morris Jr. introduced it to Chevy Chase, igniting competitive interest; Warner Bros secured the rights for $1.35 million.

William Goldman penned the screenplay during the mid-1980s with Ivan Reitman initially attached to direct. This project marked Goldman's comeback after a period of diminished demand, facilitated by CAA representation. The film was largely driven by Chase’s ambition to shift into more serious acting roles by exploring themes of isolation linked to invisibility. Warner Bros was prepared to approve Goldman’s script; however, Chase considered it overly comedic, prompting Reitman’s withdrawal and Goldman's exit amid compensation disputes and subsequent litigation.

Seeking a more earnest adventure narrative, Chase commissioned Dana Olsen and Robert Collector to revise the screenplay. Richard Donner was originally involved due to his expertise in visual effects but departed after eight months. Ultimately, John Carpenter was engaged despite his reputation for horror films and ongoing legal conflicts with Alive Films. Although hesitant initially, Carpenter accepted the role after Chase persuaded Warner Bros of his suitability for directing the project.

Writing

Carpenter collaborated for a year and a half with Olsen and Collector to develop a screenplay described as "North by Northwest meets Starman," enriching the romantic element to provide the main character Nick with more compelling reasons to evade his pursuers. During this period, Chase shed 20 pounds in preparation for the physical requirements of filming and special effects.[1][2]

Carpenter remarked, "Our goal with Memoirs was to portray his character undergoing transformation," highlighting Chevy's desire for a role that extended beyond a static comedic persona.[3] Chase commented, "The story mainly revolves around the danger of invisibility—not its excitement or amusement."[4]

Filming

The shooting schedule lasted 84 days, running from April through June 1991,[1] and included scenes filmed in Snowbird, Utah.[5]

Because of the involvement of Industrial Light & Magic for visual effects, Carpenter explained that they essentially "had to film the same movie twice"—once using conventional methods, then again employing cumbersome VistaVision motion control cameras to capture digital data.[6]

Visual effects supervisor Bruce Nicholson highlighted the complexity involved in achieving detailed invisibility effects. After spending nine months analyzing earlier works such as The Invisible Man (1933) and Ghost (1990), Nicholson spearheaded efforts to create new techniques.[7]

To facilitate chroma key compositing, Chase wore a blue bodysuit underneath his costume, enabling the digital rendering of clothing interiors and shadows. A particularly intricate effect required covering his invisible face with flesh-toned makeup; this entailed applying thick blue cosmetics, blue food dye on his tongue and teeth, as well as blue contact lenses—an uncomfortable process made worse by intense heat and studio lighting.[1][8]

An alternate ending where Alice delivers an invisible baby was removed after Warner Brothers expressed concerns about audience reception. Carpenter criticized the studio’s conservative stance, arguing it resulted in a diluted final version following test screenings.[9]

Carpenter described the production as challenging, citing disagreements with studio executives alongside difficulties directing Chase and Hannah. He noted that Chase frequently resisted or prematurely removed special effects makeup, causing disruptions during filming.

Music

This film is among the rare John Carpenter projects not scored by himself; instead, Shirley Walker composed the soundtrack. Unlike previous collaborators such as Ennio Morricone on The Thing and Jack Nitzsche on Starman, Walker reunited with Carpenter later to co-compose Escape from L.A.. She was recommended for this project after Nitzsche declined—a significant milestone since Carpenter typically created his own scores and because it marked one of the earliest occasions a female composer received sole credit on a major studio release. This was Walker’s first official solo film score; she independently composed, orchestrated, and conducted the entire symphonic soundtrack. Following this achievement, she gained prominence and contributed to films including Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, Turbulence, Willard, and the initial three Final Destination installments.

Box office

The movie opened in the second position at the box office, earning $14.36 million USD.

Critical reception

Overall, critics responded unfavorably, with the film receiving a 28% approval on Rotten Tomatoes from 36 critiques, averaging a score of 4.8 out of 10. The general consensus acknowledged the notable cast and innovative special effects but condemned the "unfortunately mundane screenplay." On Metacritic, it attained a weighted average of 48/100, signifying "mixed or average reviews."

Roger Ebert characterized the storyline as "uninspired and formulaic," yet he commended Chase and Hannah for their compelling portrayal of an unconventional relationship. The Washington Post's Desson Howe pointed out the film’s uncertain tone, questioning its direction under John Carpenter alongside Chevy Chase’s comedic style.

In his review of the DVD edition, Bill Chambers from Film Freak Central lauded Carpenter’s creative use of visual effects, notably a sequence where raindrops reveal the invisible protagonist’s form, considering it more inventive than a comparable scene in Daredevil.

The distributor Shout! Factory released a Blu-ray edition featuring a fresh 2K scan derived from the original film materials.

Reflecting on the experience in 2023, John Carpenter stated:

It allowed me to create a somewhat serious film. However, collaborating with Chevy Chase, Sam Neill, and Warner Bros. proved difficult—it was a nightmare that nearly ended my filmmaking career. There were challenging personalities involved... but I managed to endure it.

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named latcover
  2. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Swires p 30
  3. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Ferrante p 43
  4. ↑ Ferrente p 43
  5. ↑ D'Arc, James V., When Hollywood Came to Town: The History of Moviemaking in Utah, 2010
  6. ↑ Swires pp 31–32
  7. ↑ Swires pp 31–32
  8. ↑ Lew, Julie, The New York Times, 1992
  9. ↑ Boulenger 2001 p.222
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