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About the Production... |
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| Memoirs of An Invisible Man captured the interest and passion of CHEVY CHASE and his producing partner, Bruce Bodner, five years ago, when it was still an unfinished manuscript by first-time novelist H.F. Saint. They acquired the property and set out to develop it as a motion picture. John Carpenter, whose films, such as the cult classics Halloween and The Thing, have brought him international fame, was immediately asked by Chase and Bodner to direct Memoirs of An Invisible Man. They were drawn, says Chase, to his sense of the darker aspects of the story, but just as important was Carpenter’s thoughtful work on the much-praised Starman, about an alien who assumes a human shape and falls in love with an American woman. "John understands the humor in difficult situations, and he has a great feel for illuminating the behavior of people who are out of their elements," says Chase. Adds Carpenter, "We’re telling the story of a guy who is turned invisible and the terrible things he goes through. Many of those terrible things are funny, but they are motivated by reality—or what we imagine reality would be in that situation. They’re not fabricated for the sake of a gag." "Chevy has a tremendous ability to bring irony to his character without going over the top," continues the director. "The plot hinges on Nick’s ability to think fast, to adapt and to be resourceful; Chevy develops Nick’s personality before the accident and after to make the story seem plausible and involving." DARYL HANNAH was cast as a woman who defies stereotyping: Alice, whose gorgeous appearance is wrapped around the active mind of a brilliant documentary filmmaker. "Daryl has played such diverse roles, from fantasy parts in films like Splash to her recent role in At Play in the Fields of the Lord," says producer Bodner. "We wanted her character to be someone who takes the unexpected in stride, so that when the truly amazing comes along, she can handle that, too." The trio of lead roles was completed with SAM NEILL playing the part of David Jenkins, a covert operative gone corrupt. Neill, whose quietly expressive presence on the screen has frequently had him cast as the protagonist in such films as Dead Calm and Until the End of the World, enjoyed the chance to play a cool and calculating villain. "It’s possible that a government operative in this day and age could become confused about what’s right and wrong," muses Neill with a smile. "I think Jenkins is just a case of someone who tried a little too hard and lost his sense of perspective once and for all." Supporting roles were cast with MICHAEL McKEAN (The Big Picture, This is Spinal Tap) as George Talbot, Nick’s best friend, and STEPHEN TOBOLOWSKY (City Slickers, The Grifters) as Singleton, the high-ranking government agent who tries to rein in Jenkins’ manhunt. Academy Award-nominees WILLIAM A. FRAKER as director of photography and LAWRENCE G. PAULL as production designer brought their superb behind-the-camera skills to the project. |
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About the Story... |
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Creating an Illusion... |
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Locations, Real and Otherwise... |
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