Ah, The Incredible Melting Man—where science fiction meets body horror and results in something that feels like the awkward third cousin of Night of the Living Dead and a bad LSD trip. Directed by William R. Sachs, this 1977 B-movie masterpiece takes us on a journey into the depths of ridiculousness with a plot that’s barely held together by some very questionable special effects and a script that seems to have been written during a blackout.
The story is so absurd that calling it a “meltdown” would be an understatement. The plot follows Colonel Steve West (played by Alex Rebar), a man who survives an ill-fated trip to Saturn only to return to Earth and begin melting. But the real question is—why do we have to watch this happen for a whole 88 minutes? Spoiler alert: It’s not because of some brilliant science fiction story, but rather because it’s a film that desperately tries to be both horrific and humorous but ends up being neither.
What’s the Plot? If You Can Call It That
Colonel West, a hero of space who couldn’t even survive a radiation blast, is exposed to some cosmic cosmic radiation and returns to Earth as a walking, talking puddle of goo. Instead of finding a cure for his melting body, he decides to embark on a journey of murder and mayhem. Why? Because his skin is falling off and, apparently, eating human flesh slows the process. Yes, eating human flesh. Which makes perfect sense, of course. In fact, I’m sure we all know that the best solution for your melting body is a hearty meal of victim of your choice.
For the first 20 minutes, we’re subjected to the melodrama of West’s downfall. He starts killing random people, including a fisherman and an old lady. For some reason, instead of, you know, seeking help or going to the hospital (he is an astronaut, after all), he just goes on a rampage. The film wants to create tension by portraying West as both a victim of space radiation and a monstrous killer. Sadly, the only thing that’s terrifying is how much time we waste watching him drag his melted carcass through the town, all the while delivering an unintentional comedy performance worthy of a worst actor award.
What Are the Characters Doing? Trying to Stop the Meltdown? Nope, Just Waiting for It
Burr DeBenning plays Dr. Theodore Nelson, the “intelligent” scientist who figures out that eating flesh could stop the melting process. Yet, instead of, you know, researching more useful options, Dr. Nelson’s grand plan is to follow the melting guy around and try to reason with him. Seriously. That’s the strategy. Watching this is like seeing someone try to stop a house fire by throwing more gasoline on it. Eventually, Dr. Nelson gets involved in a “final confrontation” with West that somehow devolves into a wrestling match over a railing. The stakes are high, the drama is thick, and the tension—well, it’s nonexistent.
Meanwhile, Myron Healey, as General Michael Perry, spends most of his screen time being utterly useless, staring blankly while the “big action” happens off-screen. He might be the only sane one in the movie, but who’s going to be impressed when your best acting involves staring at an actor covered in latex goo and saying, “We have to stop him!” Well, it’s too late, buddy. It’s not the melting man we’re watching; it’s the melting plotline.
The Body Horror – Or Lack Thereof
Let’s talk about the body horror. It’s honestly the only thing that gives this film some semblance of worth, and even then, it’s a grotesque joke. Make-up artist Rick Baker, who later went on to do real special effects magic in films like An American Werewolf in London and The Howling, tried to create a melting man that was both horrifying and tragic. Instead, he created something that looks like a prop you’d see at a Halloween store on sale. At first, West’s melting is mildly interesting, but after about the fifth scene of him losing a finger, you’re left wondering, “Am I supposed to care?” Spoiler: You’re not.
The constant exposure of West’s decaying body is almost laughable. His melting skin looks like something from a cheap student film. It’s the kind of “horror” where you can almost hear the latex stretching every time he moves. You want to feel sympathy for the poor astronaut turned mass murderer, but the film does everything in its power to stop you from doing that by constantly showing us the most over-the-top reactions. You want to feel pity? Too bad. Instead, all you’ll feel is second-hand embarrassment for the filmmakers.
The Plot: The Only Thing That Melts Faster Than West’s Body
Now, you’d think the plot would pick up once West starts murdering people at random, but alas, this is where The Incredible Melting Man really loses its charm. The film goes from confusing to downright comical as West’s rampage through town makes less and less sense. He kills people for no real reason, and the whole town’s authorities act like they’ve been asleep for a decade.
The film keeps pushing the same ridiculous plot points: West eats people to stop the melting, but still manages to slip and slide all over the place as his skin melts like a melting popsicle in the sun. The sequence where he’s shot by security guards feels like a slapstick comedy moment—he’s literally slapping the bad guys in the face with his gross, gooey self. But that’s what you get when you try to mix drama and horror with a plot that was probably written during a lunch break. The only thing that’s melting is the logic, not West’s body.
In Conclusion: The Real Meltdown
What’s the takeaway from The Incredible Melting Man? That, sometimes, even the most intriguing body horror ideas can’t save a sinking ship. The film’s attempt at mixing horror, sci-fi, and gross-out special effects falls flat. There’s not a single redeeming feature except for its makeup effects, and even those look more like something you’d find at a low-budget Halloween store than an actual special effects masterpiece. The acting is terrible, the plot is laughable, and the horror—well, it’s only scary in the way that watching a car crash is. You don’t want to look, but you can’t tear your eyes away. And by the time you get to the “ending” (if you can even call it that), you’ll find yourself questioning if your brain has begun to melt as well.
In summary: If you’re looking for a film that’s so bad it’s good, then congratulations, you’ve found it. But if you’re looking for anything remotely coherent or logical, you’re in for a melting disappointment.
