Discover Top Posts Tagged with #captain invincible

Captain Invincible will return in Avengers: Doomsday (2026).

#The Return of Captain Invincible #Captain Invincible #Alan Arkin #Patty Patria #Kate Fitzpatrick #musical comedy #Avengers: Doomsday

That song will always live rent-free in my brain.

Christopher Lee as Mr. Midnight singing "Name Your Poison" in The Return Of Captain Invincible (1983).

#christopher lee #sir christopher lee #alan arkin #the return of captain invincible #name your poison #captain invincible #mr midnight #that singing voice #i like how he keeps looking at the camera while he sings #it's like he was singing for the audience #youtube

#I’m 💀#misfits #simon bellamy #nathan young #curtis donovan #Jesus look at nathan stewart jarrett’s physique the arms ohmygod #iwan rheon #robert sheehan #rob sheehan #nathan stewart jarrett #captain invincible

Christopher Lee: A Sinister Centenary - Number 18

Welcome to Christopher Lee: A Sinister Centenary! Over the course of May, I will be counting down My Top 31 Favorite Performances by my favorite actor, the late, great Sir Christopher Lee, in honor of his 100th Birthday. Although this fine actor left us a few years ago, his legacy endures, and this countdown is a tribute to said legacy! Today’s Subject, My 18th Favorite Christopher Lee Performance: Mr. Midnight, from The Return of Captain Invincible.

Before “The Incredibles,” there was the extremely odd superhero spoof musical comedy “The Return of Captain Invincible!” And there’s a good reason one is better remembered than the other. XD Captain Invincible is a very bizarre film, for a lot of reasons, and it’s a film that’s difficult to categorize: it’s such a strange blend of elements, in terms of plot, characters, and even editing that it’s legitimately hard to tell where the level of competency making it begins or ends. How much of the madness is intentionally funny and how much of it is just weirdness beyond comprehension, where is the line between them drawn? So many questions, so few answers…but hey, at least it gives Christopher Lee a chance to shine in a big way. The movie focuses on the adventures of the titular Captain Invincible (played by Alan Arkin). He's a typical quasi-Superman type of character, crossed with a hint of Captain America: he was a big deal in the days of WWII, but disillusionment with the world around him has caused the former hero to go into a reclusive retirement. He’s brought back into the fold, however, when he learns of evil schemes concocted by his old arch-nemesis: Christopher Lee’s evil Mr. Midnight – a mad scientist who is implied to possibly be the literal embodiment of evil itself. Disregarding the fact his name sounds like something you’d call your cat (seriously, “Midnight” alone would have been cool, but putting the “Mister” before it makes it sound oddly cute, in my opinion), this really is one of Lee’s finest performances, and apparently it was a personal favorite of his. This is basically what you would have gotten had Christopher Lee ever played a 60s Batman Villain: he’s campy and over-the-top, but there’s an edge to him that gives him genuine menace in several scenes, despite the overall screwball tone of the piece. All of the movies’ absolute best scenes belong to Sir Christopher, as you might expect, and he brings an air of unusual dignity to this completely batty flick. The main reason to watch this film, however, is the musical numbers…most particularly the two that Lee gets. This is actually the main reason Lee loved the part so much: as I said before when discussing his Metal Albums, Lee loved music and chances to sing, but he very rarely got those opportunities onscreen. “The Return of Captain Invincible” is one of those rarities: first, there’s a duet between Mr. Midnight and the Captain, as each realizes their old nemesis is back in business, and begin to get ready for the oncoming, inevitable confrontation. Then – more famously – there’s the more comedic song “Name Your Poison,” which might well be one of the single most INSANE villain songs of all time. So, try to follow me here: Captain Invincible’s “kryptonite” is alcohol. (In other words, he’s a drunk, but they literally treat it like it’s kryptonite, if that makes sense.) During his final encounter with Mr. Midnight, the dark scientist summons a fully-stocked bar, and while Captain Invincible cowers and writhes, trying to resist the power of the alcohol and his urge to indulge…Mr. Midnight sings a wild, showstopping song about…well…how much fun it is to get drunk, basically. Practically every other lyric is a pun or name drop involving various beverages, as Lee dances like he’s in “Cabaret” and his vocals rock the room, racing through the full breadth of his range as he extolls on the pleasures of being a total soak. It is…exactly as gloriously demented as it sounds, and honestly, the two songs alone are worth checking out on their own terms, let alone watching the rest of this equally demented movie. As weird as “The Return of Captain Invincible” may be, I think all of us can agree on this: any film that gives Christopher Lee a chance to play an old-fashioned comic-book-style baddy AND gets not just one, but TWO musical numbers? Clearly, that movie is doing SOMETHING right. Tomorrow, the countdown continues, as I present my choice for Number 17!