Wednesday, May 1, 2024

Collectible Time: Invisible Agent/Invisible Woman Posters

In April, I posted on Universal Studios' The Invisible Man, lobby-card reproductions, gifted to me by my faithful, imagi-movie compatriot, Mel. However, there were two movies in this classic, Universal queue not represented, but lo and behold, the resourceful Mel has plugged the promotional gaps. 

The above featured is one such example, a 11" x 17" reprint of the prime poster for Edwin L. Marin/George Waggner/Curt Siodmak's Invisible Agent, which stars Jon (The Invisible Man's Revenge) Hall (as Jack Griffin's unwitting grandson, Frank); Sir Cedric (The Invisible Man ReturnsHardwicke; the legendary Peter (Mad Love/The Beast with Five Fingers/Mr. Moto) Lorre; and the gorgeous Ilona (Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman) Massey. The poster's menacing graphics encapsulate the spinoff's novelty of inserting H.G. Wells' imaginative novelty into WWII.

In addition to Invisible Agent poster, Mel surprised me with an 8.5" x 11" companion-piece reprint of A. Edward Sullivan/Robert Lee/Frederic L. Rinaldo/Gertrude Purcell's The Invisible Woman (1940), based on an concept by Curt Siodmak and Joe May (right on the heels of their Invisible Man Returns success). Virginia (Kongo/The Mighty Barnum) Bruce is the titular character, Kitty Carroll, who's joined by "The Great Profile," John (Jekyll & Hyde/Svengali) Barrymore, as the doddering, invisibility scientist. 

Even though The Invisible Woman is an all-out farce in the Universal lineup (later joined by Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man, though let's not forget that even Invisible Agent is marked by a zany, dinner scene), it's hands down the sexiest in this series, if only for those moments in which the beguiling Bruce roams naked per suggestive, transparency effects. 

These are great posters and fulfilling additions to my Universal invisible-character collection. Thanks again, Mel, for making another niche of my fandom complete!

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