THE INCREDIBLE MELTING MAN

US, 1977, 85 minutes, Colour.
Alex Rebar, Burr de Benning.
Directed by William Sachs.

The Incredible Melting Man is B-budget science fiction. It was written and directed by William Sachs. The film uses themes of space exploration and radioactivity contamination. An astronaut, returning from Saturn, is contaminated and gradually melts away. The film has a cannibalistic tone - the deranged astronaut murders and devours people. At a great rate!

The film is a mixture of the use of science fiction and horror conventions, sometimes quite effective, and some exploitation violence.

1. The appeal of this kind of science fiction horror? Popularity in the late 170s, early 180s? Science fiction and its interpretation of scientific advance, possible abuses and dangers? The use of horror for audience reaction?

2. Colour photography, special effects? Musical score? Suspense, shock, horror?

3. The popularity of B-budget science fiction films? Brevity? Quick establishing of situations, characters? Stereotypes? Audience expectations fox violence and deaths? Confrontations? The film using a comic strip style?

4. The point of the film about space exploration? Technological advances? Dangers? Radioactivity? The repercussions for the personality of astronauts? The consequences for birth? The plausibility of the plot? Credibility?

5. Steve West and his skill as an astronaut? His successful mission? A victim of radiation? Relationship with his wife ` Judy, her miscarriages? The discovery of his infection? The graphic picturing of the infection and its results? His decomposing and melting? His limbs dropping off? A radioactivity leprosy? The suggestion of the deaths and his cannibalism? The build-up to his stalking people - Judy's mother and Harold? General Perry's arrival and the investigation? Sheriff Blake trying to cope? His friend Dr. Nelson trying to help? The growing number of victims? The final confrontation? The human instinct to help Nelson? The final decomposition? The relentless tragedy of an innocent victim and his being transformed - living death?

6. Ted Nelson and his friendship? Inability to help? Dangers and confrontations? Sheriff Blake and his responsibilities, tracking down the killer, the background of police work and detection, his death? General Perry and the attitude of the American military? Incognito? Confrontations?

7. Judy and her miscarriages? Love for her husband? The death of her mother and friend? Her grief at Steve's disintegration?

8. The various supporting characters - the old pensioners and their being stalked, their death? The range of victims?

9. Audience response to visual horror? Emotional reaction? As used for criticism of space exploration, precautions, secrecy, administration and the military? The irony of Steve dying as the new Saturn mission is begun?