The Incredible Melting Man

Astronaut Steve West (Alex Rebar, the toughest-named actor this side of Rock Hudson) gets himself irradiated out near the rings of Uranus Saturn. This kills his crew and turns him into the Incredible Melting Man of the title. How he gets back to Earth from Saturn isn't ever explained. But I guess we're just supposed to accept the premise that his gooey self is back home and running amok.

He's melting and more than a little agitated. He harries a nurse, some children, a fisherman (whom he decapitates), and a pair of feisty geriatrics. Apparently being irradiated and melting makes one hunger for human flesh. So, Steve (or Melty, as I like to call him) eats his way from one end of town to the other.

Determined to put an end to his killing spree, The Doc (Burr DeBenning) and The General (Myron Healey) are in hot pursuit. And by hot pursuit, I mean they have dinner, sit around the house a lot and occasionally go for a ride in their Land Cruiser.

Despite looking like he's spent the better part of the week in a crock pot, Melty remains pretty spry. He even manages to kill both the General and Jonathan Demme (cameo!) before disappearing into a... factory of some sort. Actually, it looks like your typical movie Steam and Flame factory, but without anything in the budget for steam or flame. Though, there are plenty of stairs.

Stairs and catwalks to be precise. And you know what that means. Yup, several people fall to their deaths, because you can't have a catwalk in a movie without someone falling off of it. But surprisingly Melty doesn't topple to his death. Most everyone else does...

As for Melty, he... well, he melts. The film ends with him being mopped up by an indifferent janitor. Poor Melty.

Directed by William Sachs • R • 1977 • 86 minutes