ALL SCI-FI

[Bogmeister]

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_______ Now You See Him, Now You Don't - clip


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This was the 2nd Disney film — and the funniest for me — concentrated around Medfield College and Dexter Riley (Kurt Russell) and his gang (the first one was The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes in 1969), and in which the young students — notably Dexter — are in the middle of some new, astounding scientific phenomenon and invention.

In this case, it's the funny take on the Invisible Man concept.

Dexter is working on this theory in the science lab, but naturally there's little or no chance of him actually producing any results. However, one night during a thunder storm (just like in the previous film), lightning strikes the building and affects his solution. Anything dipped in this solution instantly becomes invisible.

Dexter and his buddies quickly modify it into a spray gun which can make a person invisible with a couple of quick sprays.

NBC promo Now You See Him, Now You Don't 1978


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There follows a number of hilarious sight gags, especially on the golf course, where the eternally clueless Dean Higgins (Joe Flynn) becomes a golfing phenomenon thanks to an invisible Dexter. Higgins needed to impress a bigshot (Jim Backus) and this he certainly does.

Unfortunately, Dexter is unable to be around the next time that Higgins is on a golf course.

The plot revolves around Medfield's continuing financial problems, and they need to win the prize money in a science competition. Dexter's invisibility formula would certainly make that possible, but this also features the return of rich crook Arno (Cesar Romero) — mysteriously out of prison — where he had been sent at the end of the last film.

Arno soon steals the solution and uses it for a bank robbery. Besides invisible people, this also has an invisible car. The other hilarious scene is with Dexter's buddy Schuyler (Michael McGreevey), who is sprayed by a fake solution and thinks he is invisible when he's not!

Now You See Trivia: small early role for Ed Begley, Jr. as the one true science nerd who planned to use bumblebees in his science project. The next and last film was The Strongest Man in the World (1975).

Star Trek TOS actor alert: William Windom plays the school's professor. He was terrific as the doomed commodore Decker in the episode The Doomsday Machine.

BoG's Score: 7 out of 10


BoG
Galaxy Overlord Galactus

[Krel]

[Pow]

The exterior scenes for Medfield College were filmed on the Walt Disney lot.

How come Medfield is always so desperate for $$$. You would think that good ole' Professor Brainard's Flubber discovery would have created an enormous source of revenue for the college.

The green Volkswagen Beetle that is used by Schuyler are two re-purposed "Herbie" vehicles from the Love Bug movies.

One was a gutted car that was used when it was carried by Tang Wu's Chinese camp students.

The other was used for driving scenes.

[Bud Brewster]

[Pow]

Oh I saw "Son of Flubber" but I never bought the whole premise regarding Prof. Brainard's miraculous scientific breakthrough.

Even if the US government declared his Flubber as being a national security issue, they'd still be required to pony-up major $$$ to him. Government contracts, NASA, military and so forth would still owe him big bucks.

How the IRS got into the act I don't know. If the government has sole possession of the Flubber and the IRS is a part of the government, what's the problem. This a case of the government going after the government.

I realize it was all a plot point creating obstacles for Brainard in the sequel. But between the Flubber solid and Flubber gas, Brainard should have ended up wealthier than Bill Gates.

[Bud Brewster]

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You're absolutely right, Mike.

However, the whole bit about the government taking over Brainard's invention (while the IRS tries to collect taxes on money he hasn't been paid) is all part a running joke about how incompetent the government and the military are.

For example, the meetings in Washington with the three top brass from the Army, Air Force, and Navy are funny.

The naive Secretary of State thanks them for their admirable inter-branch cooperation — while the two generals and the admiral each quietly conspire to get control of Flubber as they sit at the conference table side-by-side wearing bogus smiles.

Of course, we all know how honest and trustworthy the government is, so these scenes are just pokin' fun at our True Blue Boys in Washington.
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Gord Green]

Gee....Are you trying to say that we can't trust the government?

The biggest lie is..."I'm from the government and I'm here to help you." Regardless of the party or affiliation it seems that they'll tell you what you want to hear...and then actually do whatever they feel like!l
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There comes a time, thief, when gold loses its lustre, and the gems cease to sparkle, and the throne room becomes a prison; and all that is left is a father's love for his child.

[Bud Brewster]

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Have you ever scene that terrific Tom Cruise movie, Knight and Day (2010)?

Tom is a government agent on the run from rogue elements of this own agency, and he calmly tells heroine Cameron Diaz to beware of certain phrases if she's "asked" by "friendly" men in black suits to come along because they want to take her into "protective custody" at a "safe location".

Later, when Cameron ends up in hands of the government agents, they smile and promptly start spouting the very terms and phrases Tom warned her about!

That's a great movie.
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)