I would make a joke for this title.... but that would be disrespectful.....

HISTORY LESSON!!! In 1985, a rather divisive story of Doctor Who aired called Timelash. In it, there was a secondary character called Herbert. Basically, he was the Victorian humanistic equivalent of Adric. And then, they gave us a... actually a pretty good twist. Turns out that Herbert's last name was Wells. As in Herbert George Wells.And if you have absolutely no idea who that is, then to quote Stuart Hardy (AKA stubagful), "YOU ARE DOING CULTURE WRONG! THIS MUST BE CORRECTED!" Thankfully, because Wells' stories are now in the public domain, Big Finish have come up with a way to help you with that!

BIG FINISH CLASSICS REVIEW

HG WELLS' THE INVISIBLE MAN

By Jack Ryan

BEWARE: THIS POST CONTAINS SPOILERS. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK

Where do I begin with The Invisible Man? Well, it is most likely best that you take the Claude Rains film out of your head. Well, in most cases, anyway. Big Finish take great cares to make any adaptation of a classic novel as accurate and as authentic as they can, but are aware that most people will know of the more high profile tales they adapt from other areas such as film, television or noteworthy illustrations. So whilst the look and style of Dr Griffin most people will know of is the one of the aforementioned Rains, the style should be the only thing that should remain in your mind. For the original story, which this follows to a tee, is far from the classic film....

On a cold, dark Winter's evening, two men are meeting to discuss some bizarre occurrences. Incidents at a countryside inn, a cavalcade of delinquents, a doctor who knows more than he lets on and scientist, whose single minded determination has led him down a terrible path. It is this scientist that Doctor Kemp and Mr Marvel are discussing, and the one behind the occurrences, for they have met him, and experienced his terrifying  thoughts and powers. That is because, thanks to his work and his genius, Dr Griffin is no longer a mere human. He has a new name..... The Invisible Man!

So.... what makes this different? What makes this version of The Invisible Man unique from that of the ones that star Claude Rains, or Kevin Bacon, or Tony Curran, or even the upcoming Johnny Depp version forming part of the Universal Modern Monsters Range? Well, each has their own little change or quirk that makes it their own. Jonathan Barnes' adaptation manages this by being the only adaptation I am aware of that follows the novel as impeccably as it can (I can only assume as I have yet to read said novel, although I wish to, and have not seen every adaptation of it). And because of this, Barnes' treatment of Wells' immaculate tale truly showcases the proper horror and psychotic element of being blessed with the power of invisibility. Any overdose of power is capable of corruption and this shows that in a fantastically terrifying way.

And to bring this terrifying tale to life, director Ken Bently has brought together a cavalcade of truly impressive acting legends, with the likes of Doctor Who's Annette Badland and Dan Starkey, Peter Noble, Game Of Thrones' David Rintoul, Taboo's Richard Dixon, Foyle's War's Alex Clatworthy and Alexander Forsyth forming the bulk of the impressive cast of this story. Everyone present fall into their respective roles with ease and utter each Victorian word with a air of authenticity that makes it sound as if it could be uttered today with the greatest of ease. But, of course, the true highlight of this tale's cast is that of the voice of Dr Griffin, the late and legendary Sir John Freaking Hurt. There is no other word I can describe Hurt's performance with other than perfect. Equal parts intriguing and sorrowful, and immensely psychopathic, Hurt's take as Griffin is purely terrifying as it is exhilarating to listen to, even with a tinge of sorrow at the fact that this was one of his last roles before his untimely death back in January. And although that untimely turn caused this release to be delayed for a month, it was the right thing to do, to give us time to accept that the unthinkable had happened.

On a much lighter note, the sound design and music for this release are as astounding as ever. Matthew Cochrane succeeds in the same vicinity as the cast, making every noise, every sound, feel as it it could be both set in the era of Victoria and the era of today. And as for the music, Jamie Robertson has once again gone from strength to strength by delivering an impeccable soundtrack that is both awe-inspiring and mood fitting, by being, like Hurt's performance, greatly terrifying.

Although tinged by a saddening sense of coincidence, that does not detract the quality of this fantastic and horror-filled tale. A brilliant adaptation, with a stellar cast, perfect sound design and a truly prefect final performance from one of history's most legendary acting greats, this is a release thoroughly deserving of Wells' name and of your ears and imagination.

VERDICT: 10/10 A brilliant start to a new range of classics and a powerful farewell to an acting legend.

Dedicated to the memory of The Legendary Sir John (Freaking) Hurt. (1940 - 2017)

HG Wells' The Invisible Man is available to purchase on CD and Download from the Big Finish website here, and from all good stockists.

Cover (C) Tom Newsom