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The Invisible Man

The Invisible Man

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Rating: 4 stars
Summary: An Universal movie monster that you must see!
Review: 'Invisible Man, The' is one of the most sucessful Universal monster movies of the thirties, along with 'Frankstein' and 'Dracula'. A superior adaptation of a H.G. Welles novel, the movie has humour, suspense and a excelent development of the story that made this movie actual for all ages.
Claude Rains (the actor that made 'Phantom of the Opera) gives life to Jack Griffin, a young scientist that discover a strange formula to turn himself invisible and goes crazy along the process. The movie has some great scenes,like the tricks that Griffin plays with the people of a little village and the persecutions of the police, always confused by the inteligent and unusual invisible enemy. Great special effects for the time makes the movies even more valuable and Rains gives a strong and convincible performance, although all the time 'invisible' for the public.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Equally good but less popular than Dracula or Frankenstein
Review: Although it is not as popular, i believe it is just as good as Drac 'n Frank, because there is a little bit of action mixed in i.e. the train wreck, the barn burning, which it's rivals haven't.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A Spooky, Atmospheric Monster Classic
Review: Another masterpiece from James Whale, the director of Frankenstein, Bride of Frankenstein and The Old Dark House. Where the later Invisible Man sequels from Universal got campier, sillier and less scary with each film, this first film adaptation of H.G. Wells classic sci-fi story exploits all the fright value possible out of the character and the setting; the story is set in an English village during a blustery, snowy winter spell, and Whale gets surprisingly good atmosphere out of the surroundings. The characters, even the minor supporting cast, are colorful and delightfully 'off-center'; this was another of Whale's trademarks. Although the special effects are dated by today's standards, the sight of the Invisible Man (? I can't think of how else to put it...) as executed by Whale is still spooky enough to pack a punch, as helped by a masterful performance by Claude Rains, whose wacky insane laugh and gravelly intimidating voice are the only tools needed to pull of the characterization of the transparent, doomed Dr. Griffin. The rest of the cast is adequate, but for the most part does not have a lot of familiar faces for the casual fan; probably the most recognizable name aside from Rains is Gloria Stuart, who 60-some years later won a Supporting Actress Nomination for "Titanic". All in all a good spook fest with ocassional lulls, but some great memorable scenes that make up for it. A Classic of it's genre.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Whale Does it Again
Review: Claude Rains is the invisible one, and this his him at his best in the genre. Look fast for John Carradine(I am still trying to spot Walter Brennan in The Bride Of Frankenstein!), and that is a young Gloria(TITANIC) Stuart playing the girlfriend of the invisible one!Creaky old Universal thriller is one of their gems from the 1930s.This one ranks right up there with Frankenstein(31), Bride of(35), Mummy(32),and Dracula(30).Una O'Connor is the comic relief and she is even more annoying here than she was in the Bride of, but why carp?Excellent film.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Without today's visual effects, this film still works.
Review: Claude Reins gives a very chilling performance as a man who discovers the power of invisability and then uses it to kill people and then wants to take over the planet before fate finally interveins in this James Whale classic, based on H.G. Wells book about what happens when science is used for the wrong reasons.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: For 66 years, an exciting SciFi movie classic.
Review: Delightful special effects, a good story, and a remarkable INVISIBLE performance by Claude Raines make this picture a SciFi classic that excites my imagination as much today as it did 60 years ago when I first saw it. I'll never forget it!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Claude Raines was spectacular!
Review: Even though we don't see him till the very last scene, Claude Raines gives probably his best performance. This was by far the best invisible man themed movie that I have seen.

There are some really tense parts especially after Raines tells Kemp he is going to kill him. There is also some extremely amusing scenes (Raines going through the countryside with nothing but a basket and singing a children's song while scarring all the townfolk.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Claude Raines was spectacular!
Review: Even though we don't see him till the very last scene, Claude Raines gives probably his best performance. This was by far the best invisible man themed movie that I have seen.

There are some really tense parts especially after Raines tells Kemp he is going to kill him. There is also some extremely amusing scenes (Raines going through the countryside with nothing but a basket and singing a children's song while scarring all the townfolk.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: The Lost Meaning of Horror.
Review: For those of you who have read my reviews, you may ask why a hard core English Major who sticks to Marlowe, Shakespeare, Milton, Hawthorne, and Dickens finds this old horror movie so important. I am glad to answer this. In this modern movie world of special effects and gore, I feel the true meaning of horror has been lost. This movie is an obvious example of the true meaning of horror. Rains' character was a good and decent man who could not stay behind the line of 'this far and no further.' (Resembles Marlowe's techniques.) He crossed the line and made himself invisible and was unable to reverse the formula. (This passes plausibility, but with all of this film's merits, it is easy to overlook.) For a while Rains actually has fun with his power, and the events are very comical. (Not unlike Marlowe's Dr. Faustus.) However, the invisibility is NOT what presents us with horror. What DOES fill us with horror is the degeneration of this good and decent man into a psychotic killer obsessed with power. His former friend Kemp turns into an enemy (and we can scarcely blame him). Even Rains' former employer (who wants to help him) is expressed by Rains as having 'the mind of a tapeworm.' Eventually, Rains' character goes on a mindless and random killing spree. So Rains has gone from being an intelligent decent man, to a prankster, to one who alienates his friends, to one who rebukes people who want to help him, to killing randomly and mindlessly. The effects are simple and do not overshadow the true horror of this. I tip my hat to Claude Rains for displaying one of the most frightening things so well. (The gradual degeneration of a human being.)

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Best of the Universal creepshows
Review: I like this one more than any other classic frightfest -- more than the first two Frankensteins, Dracula, the Wolf Man, the Mummy, and anything with Shirley Temple, put together! The only thing more frightening, perhaps, is the phrase "See more about me" that accompanies some of the more pompous opinions in this site. Anyway, check out this movie. Not so much scary as creepy, and also very funny.


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