James Whale's classic The Invisible Man features still-sharp special effects, loads of tension, a goofy sense of humor, and a memorable debut from Claude Rains.
James Whale's classic The Invisible Man features still-sharp special effects, loads of tension, a goofy sense of humor, and a memorable debut from Claude Rains.
A mysterious stranger, his face swathed in bandages and his eyes obscured by dark spectacles, has taken a room at a cozy inn in the British village of Ipping. Never leaving his quarters, the stranger demands that the staff leave him completely alone. Working unmolested with his test tubes, the stranger does not notice when the landlady inadvertently walks into his room one morning. But she notices that her guest seemingly has no head! The stranger, one Jack Griffin, is a scientist, who'd left
Ipping several months earlier while conducting a series of tests with a strange new drug called monocane. He returns to the laboratory of his mentor, Dr. Cranley (Henry Travers), where he reveals his secret to onetime partner Dr. Kemp (William Harrigan) and former fiancee Flora Cranley (Gloria Stuart). Monocane is a formula for invisibility, and has rendered Griffin's entire body undetectable to the human eye. Alas, monocane has also had the side effect of driving Griffin insane. With megalomanic glee, Griffin takes Kemp into his confidence, explaining how he plans to prove his superiority over other humans by wreaking as much havoc as possible. At first, his pranks are harmless; then, without batting an eyelash, he turns to murder, beginning with the strangling of a comic-relief constable. When Kemp tries to turn Griffin over to the police, he himself is marked for death. Despite elaborate measures taken by the police, Griffin is able to murder Kemp, considerately taking the time to describe his homicidal methods to his helpless victim. After a reign of terror costing hundreds of lives, Griffin is cornered in a barn, his movements betrayed by his footsteps in the snow. Mortally wounded by police bullets, Griffin is taken to a hospital, where he regretfully tells Flora that he's paying the price for meddling into Things Men Should Not Know. As Griffin dies, his face becomes slowly visible: first the skull, then the nerve endings, then layer upon layer of raw flesh, until he is revealed to be Claude Rains, making his first American film appearance. So forceful was Rains' verbal performance as "The Invisible One" that he became an overnight movie star (after nearly twenty years on stage). Wittily scripted by R.C. Sherriff and an uncredited Philip Wylie, and brilliantly directed by James Whale, The Invisible Man is a near-untoppable combination of horror and humor. Also deserving of unqualified praise are the thorouhgly convincing special effects by John P. Fulton and John Mescall. With the exception of The Invisible Man Returns, none of the sequels came anywhere close to the quality of the 1933 original. Trivia alert: watch for Dwight "Renfield" Frye as a bespectacled reporter, Walter Brennan as the man whose bicycle was stolen, and John Carradine as the fellow in the phone booth who's "gawt a plan to ketch the h'invisible man." ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
In his first cinema role, which must have been easy for him to play since it amounts to very little more than an offstage noise, Claude Rains gives an alarming performance, almost as frightening when he is present as when he is not.
James Whale's 1933 film plays more like a British folk comedy than a horror movie; it's full of the same deft character twists that made his Bride of Frankenstein a classic.
It is hardly necessary to dwell upon the performances of the cast beyond saying that they all rise to the demands of their parts. As for the settings, they seem very real, and the direction and acting of the uniformed police force are unusually good.
Rains, whose expressive gestures are also vital to his performance, recognised it as a career-making opportunity, a whole film that builds up to the revelation of his face.
Repleto de momentos deliciosamente bem-humorados (obra de James Whale), o filme tem bons efeitos visuais - mesmo para os padrões atuais - e uma performance marcante, mesmo que "invisível", de Claude Rains.
The Invisible Man based on the novel by H.G Wells is a stunning horror classic that is a benchmark in cinema. A brilliant film that has stunning special effects, considering that this was made in 1933. This is a brilliantly directed film. The cast here is terrific and they all deliver great performances. I especially
thought that Charles Rains performance as Jack Griffin / The Invisible Man was one of a kind. His performance as the title character is one of the best performances in the early years of horror. Along with other horror classics such as Dracula and The Mummy, The Invisible Man is a definite classic and the story and special effects are astounding. Though the film is quite short, the film does move along at a steady pace, and director James Whale effectively builds the tension on-screen as we see The Invisible Man go from scientist to psychopath. The film is phenomenal and is a definite must see for horror fans seeking to broaden their knowledge of horror films. The Invisible Man is a solid piece of horror history and remains a favorite of the genre. If you want a solid horror classic, then give this one a shot. This film has superb acting and directing. The special effects are astounding and will leave you in awe. This is by far the best in the series, as the sequels always fail to capture the magic of the first. The Invisible Man is not only a classic of horror, but is a classic of cinema as well. A superbly well acted film that every serious film buff should see.
October 20, 2011
Jeff "The Dude" Lebowski
Super Reviewer
one of the best of the early universal monster films, the film is full of scientific and philosophical intrigue. there are many iconic images and interesting stunts and the story is as good as it gets. rains is great as always. a must see classic.
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