The Invisible Man
 | Directed by James Whale Starring: Claude Rains, Gloria Stuart, William Harrigan, Henry Travers, Una O'Connor Universal Studios, 1933, DVD Customer Rating: 50 reviews Recommend |
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Claude Rains delivers a remarkable performance in his screen debut as a mysterious doctor who discovers a serum that makes him invisible. Covered by bandages and dark glasses, Rains arrives at a small English village and attempts to hide his amazing discover. But the same drug which rends him invisible slowly drives him to commit acts of unspeakable terror. Based on H.G. Well' classic novel and direct by the master of macabre James Whale, The Invisible Man no only fueled a host of sequels but features some special effects that are still imitated today.
Claude Rains practically owns his film debut in The Invisible Man, despite the fact that his face (let alone his body) is seen only for seconds in the final moments. As the brilliant scientist who discovers the secret of invisibility, Rains steps into the film wrapped up like a mummy behind a layer of bandages and blanketed in heavy clothes. When he removes his garments, there's nothing underneath, a simple but effective bit of 1930s movie magic that, apart from a few glitches, works as well today as it did in 1933. Like Frankenstein, another cautionary tale of science gone horribly wrong, the consequences of the doctor's experiments are dire: the chemicals drive him insane. Director James Whale infuses the film with plenty of humor, much of it arising from the quaint quirks of the local villagers, but it turns to black comedy as the doctor transforms from an impish prankster upsetting bicycles and taunting tavern patrons to a megalomaniac bent on world domination. It's slow going even at 71 minutes, but full of delightful touches and boasts a terrific performance by the all but unseen Rains, whose rich, cultured voice envelopes the picture in a kind of omnipresent fog. Vincent Price took up the role in the sequel, The Invisible Man Returns. — Sean Axmaker
Title: The Invisible Man
Sales Rank: 30357 in DVD
Actor: Claude Rains, Gloria Stuart, William Harrigan, Henry Travers, Una O'Connor
Director: James Whale
Studio: Universal Studios, 2000-08-29, Theatrical Release: 1933-11-13
Format: Black & White, Closed-captioned, DVD-Video, NTSC, Acpect Ratio 1.33:1
Languages: English (Original Language)
Audience Rating: Unrated
Region Code: 1
Running Time: 71 minutes
Item Dimensions: 1 pounds
Package Dimensions: 7.1 x 5.42 x 0.58 inches, 0.18 pounds
- Still Amazing After Seventy+ Years
- Many reviewers say the film's special effects look "dated". Well, DUH! What do you expect?? The movie is almost 80 freakin' years old, people! And you know what? Like all of the Whale films, it holds up better than 99% of the films made back then. Believe it or not folks, just because a movie is in black and white and doesn't… More reviews
- The quality is quite visible
- A maverick researcher (Claude Rains) uses an invisibility drug on himself, then goes into hiding while attempting to develop an antidote. Unbeknownst to himself, the drug also induces megalomania, and before long he will become the terror of the English countryside.
Although it may have been a severe miscalculation for Jack Griffin to subject himself to the drug before he had a countermeasure,… More reviews
- Excellent film that needs to be seen!
- This is a classic film. Bear in mind while watching it that this was done in 1933 and the effects are amazing for it's time. If you have read HG Well's book, upon which the movie was based, you will not be disappointed. While it is not a verbatum screen play, this movie is true to the spirit of the story and does follow… More reviews
- One Of The Classics of Sci-Fi Horror
- Although this film deviates somewhat from H.G. Welles novella this is an excellent adaptation that is still entertaining seventy years after its first release. The setting of England in winter is well conveyed though we know that in all probability the film was made on a Southern California sound stage. The special effects are amazing for 1933 and one can… More reviews
- A CLASSIC UNIVERSAL PICTURE! RAINS & CO. SHINE!
- The Invisible man is one of those old movies that gets lost in the crowd. This picture is one of Universal's best. The Invisible Man Legacy collection includes this film with the 2 sequels, plus two unrelated films about invisibilty. 'The Invisible Man' film is the only film from Universal's Invisiblity catalog that is available on a single DVD by itself… More reviews
