While watching Not Quite Hollywood: The Wild, Untold Story of Ozploitation!, the excellent documentary by Mark Hartley which recounts the other, dirtier and wilder side of Australian cinema, there was a clip for a 1983 superhero-movie musical, directed by Phillipe Mora and starring Alan Arkin and Christopher Lee (seriously!), featuring songs written by Richard O Brien and Richard Hartley of "Rocky Horror Picture Show" fame. I said to myself I need to see this movie, and now I have.
The plot is straight forward enough, Captian Invincible (Arkin) is your typical 50s American superhero, but is then accused of being a Communist (he wears a red cape) and charged for flying without a licence. He decides to flee America and head to Australia to become an alcoholic for the next thirty years, as you do. However when his nemesis, Mister Midnight (Lee), steals a hypno-ray, Invincible is called upon to come out of retirement and get it back. The musical number in which the President of the United States of America decides this, played by Michael Pate, is mind blowing. (warning contains the word Bullshit, a lot!)
The film then follows the madcap attempts of Invincible to get his powers back and in check, aided by an Australian police woman, played by Kate Fitzpatrick.
The film reaches its peak when Christoper Lee attempts to stop Invincible by trying to get the reformed alcoholic to drink in this amazing musical number, with a dare I say it, "Born To Run"-esque chorus.
This film has to be seen to be believed, and is worth watching, just for its sheer individuality. See full trailer below.