Not so much ‘from the vault’ as ‘from the void’, The Fantastic Four was never meant for public viewing. The rights had been optioned by Constantin Film with the caveat that a film had to be in production by the end of 1992 and so when the time came, and the proposed budget (a rumored forty million) was not available, B-movie legend Roger Corman collected between one and two million dollars and set the wheels in motion. A director was hired, as were actors and crew – all, apparently, on the understanding that they were starring in a film that would be released but once production was completed and the rights had been retained (producer Bernd Eichinger would go on to produce the recent ‘official’ versions) the film was shelved and disappointment reigned for those involved and fans alike… but thanks to dedicated fans the film found it’s way into the public sphere via bootleg videos and now, thanks to the internet, the film is more available than ever.
The story is, naturally, concerned with the origins of the Four, setting up the friends to enemies relationship of Reed Richards (Alex Hype-White) and Victor von Doom (Joseph Culp) plus the transformation of Richards, Ben Grim and Susan and Johnny Storm (Michael Baily Smith, Rebecca Staab and Jay Underwood) into Mr Fantastic, The Thing (played by Carl Ciarfalio), The Invisible Girl and The Human Torch. Along the way they tussle with Doom and his minions and there is some strange business with some bizarre homeless types whilst the heroes come to terms with their powers.
Yes, the shoestring budget is obvious in the decision to use camera angles and shaking, long sleeves and animation instead of the special effects one might expect. Yes, you could mock the acting, in fact you could mock the whole thing (not to mention The Thing) but it is actually very enjoyable. Joseph Culp’s Doom takes the top spot and a montage of medical examinations creates genuine laughs and represents the good humour on display throughout.
At the end of the day the cast and crew bring a sheer energy and enthusiasm to the production that is not only present on the screen but is utterly infectious – which is much more that I can say for the official releases.
