Neither a Man nor Incredible. He’s barely a “The,” director William Sachs’ science fiction horror doubles also as a melodrama featuring characters you really don’t care about. How many times can character Ted Nelson mention his wife having a baby, or his efforts to have a baby, or his aspirations to father a baby? What importance does it have to the overall premise of “The Incredible Melting Man”? Nothing, really. It’s an effort to garner sympathy for a series of lifeless characters.
William Sach’s horror science fiction film doesn’t do much to convince us that the melting man is a unique horror character. He merely melts and drips. And pours. And he walks around in the darkness. And looks through windows. There isn’t much to the monster, and there isn’t a lot to fear, except for the innate stupidity present in many of the supporting characters. After an expedition to explore Saturn goes awry, a space crew returns to Earth eviscerated from massive radiation save for one astronaut named Steve. He was burned very badly and is kept in a top secret hospital. When he breaks free, he realizes he’s become a melting man. An incredible one, if you will. To garner support, he begins wreaking havoc by murdering a nurse, murdering a fisherman and terrorizing some children.
Meanwhile, he melts. The title promises a melting man and damn it, we get a man who is melting. And does literally nothing else but melts. The acting is by far the biggest downfall of “The Incredible Melting Man,” as the performers either over act or under act. Burr DeBenning looks like he’s being forced to act in the film by gunpoint, as the protagonist and hero of the picture. Whether you like it or not. Even when discussing his upcoming baby, or his relationship with his wife, he looks angry and bitter. And when he begins searching for Steve the Melting Man with a Geiger counter, he barely does much but call for him and then go back to dealing with his upcoming baby. Ann Sweeney acts like her life is at stake, with a goofy and over the top portrayal of Ted’s wife who is being terrorized by Steve, The Melting Man.
The story borders on tedious and dives in to monotonous so spectacularly you’ll be begging for it to end by the hour mark. Not even the inadvertent camp will keep the attention, as the film is topped by a hilarious first kill where the overweight nurse runs in slow motion through the hospital, bursts through a glass door like the Hulk and is murdered by Steve, The Melting Man as he seemingly hovers to her. Rick Baker’s make up effects are the only highlight, as the Incredible Melting man is often disgusting and Baker seems to really deliver on a grotesque fiend that–well, melts. William Sachs’ horror film “The Incredible Melting Man” has aged poorly, and should only be appreciated by folks who want to see early Rick Baker make-up work.
Scream Factory’s treatment of the film comes with the original cover art, and features a three minute interview with make up artist Greg Cannom. There’s also a twenty minute interview with writer and Director William Sachs, and Make-up Artist Rick Baker. Both men are interviewed separately and have interesting things to say about their experience on the film. Especially Baker, who explains he didn’t even want to do the film. There are theatrical trailers, a photo gallery, a radio spot, and a commentary with director William Sachs. Sachs is admittedly sour about the film and his time making it, but it’s an engrossing look at a terrible movie.