The Invisible Man (1984)
TV Miniseries
Article 5702 by Dave Sindelar
Date: 11-10-2019
Directed by Brian Lighthill
Featuring Pip Donaghy, David Gwillim, Lila Kaye
Country: UK
What it is: Faithful Wells adaptation

A mysterious stranger arrives at a country inn and stays to perform mysterious experiments. It turns out he is a scientist who has turned himself invisible.

No, this TV miniseries of the H.G. Wells novel is not up to the classic Universal version from 1933, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have its uses. It’s a solid and faithful take on the tale, and even if there aren’t any big names in the cast, it is adequately acted and directed; the most familiar names in the credits were Terrance Dicks and Barry Letts, both veterans of DOCTOR WHO. It was originally shown in 6 30-minute segments, but was edited into 3 60 minute segments when sold abroad; it is that version I’ve watched. Though it’s certainly made with a small budget, it does have a few interesting moments in the special effects, especially of the invisible man eating. It’s a bit long for one sitting, but that’s what you’d expect from a mini-series.