Orloff and the Invisible Man

Image | minutes | | | Standard DVD reviewed by: Fusion3600

Dr. Orloff (Howard Vernon) has some problems and as such, he calls in a specialist to handle the situations at hand. You see, his daughter Cecile (Brigitte Carva) is going through some mental issues, as she seems to be slipping down the path to madness. She has been behaving in strange manners and before she gets more out of hand, Orloff wants her to be seen and taken care of. So he calls in Dr. Gardonet (Fernando Valladares), who he thinks can stabilize the situation and perhaps make his life a little more peaceful. Although Gardonet has a rough time finding the place, he finally arrives at Orloff's castle and makes his way inside to meet Cecile. It seems as though she is convinced an invisible phantom stalks Orloff's castle and the grounds around it, which sends chills down her spine in terror. Orloff and Gardonet have a discussion about her and the events that led to this point, but little does Gardonet know that Orloff has done some work with invisible creations...

This unusual flick comes as part of Image Entertainment's Euroshock Collection, which seems like as good a place as any for this one. I don't think it fits in with some the other entries in the series, but it does come from Europe and it could shock some viewers, so the logic is solid with the placement of the disc. I haven't seen all of the movies with an Orloff in them, but I have seen some of them and I think Orloff and the Invisible Man is a welcome addition to the series. It seems to have all the needed elements and if one thing is for sure, this flick is more than strange enough to keep up with the other Orloff films. This movie has some offbeat sequences to be sure and in the end, the scenes with the alleged invisible phantom prove to be the most memorable. But there are so many strange scenes found in this picture, so don't think the phantom sequences are the only ones worth a look. Add in a very out of place, but really good jazz soundtrack and some naked ladies, and man, we're in business. This one is a certain recommendation to fans of films like this and in truth, the plot twist that involves the phantom is alone worth the price of admission.

I want to preface this section by telling you that no one expects good acting or direction from a movie like this. Well, maybe some do, but no one who has seen a lot of genre films like this one expects stuff like that. The acting is not miserable, but it is bad most of the time, but the nature of the film allows for that kind of thing, so all is well in the end. I mean, when you think about the kind of lines and events these performers have to work with, I'm amazed they didn't just give up and laugh their heads off ay times. Howard Vernon is present as Dr. Orloff and in case you didn't know, he took on the role in other installments of Orloff adventures as well. Vernon is good, given his role and the conditions of the material and production limitations. Vernon can also be seen in such films as Faceless, The Sinister Dr. Orloff, Zombie Lake, How To Seduce A Virgin, The Erotic Rites of Frankenstein, and Alphaville. The cast here also includes Fernando Sancho (The Satanic Mechanic, Cross of the Devil), Brigitte Carva, Isabel del Rio, and Francisco Valladares (Snakes and Ladders).

Orloff and the Invisible Man is presented in a 1.66:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. The source materials used here have seen better days, as frequent debris and damage are evident here. A lot of small white specks can be seen in most scenes, while larger scratches and other serious damage marks are less frequent here. But aside from the print flaws, this is a pretty good transfer, as the colors and contrast seem solid enough. The problems with the source materials are serious however and as such, I have to knock the score more than a little.

The audio here is decent enough, but I don't think anyone will be all that impressed. The basics elements seem solid, with the music and sound effects coming across in clean, never harsh form. I do wish the music were given more life in this case, as the tunes are really cool, but the soundtrack isn't that bad in the provided mono form. The dialogue is hilarious and as such, I am pleased the vocals are presented in such rich, crisp form here. The disc includes mono tracks in English, German, and French, which should cover most of the bases.

This disc includes the original French theatrical trailer, as well as some alternate scenes, in which the ladies have their clothes on. I think this feature is terrific and if not that enriching, it is nice to have the clothed sequences, if just for reference sake.