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25 out of 31 people found the following review useful: Film Still Holds Up, Is Fun Except For Shrieker, 10 October 2006 Author: ccthemovieman-1 from Lockport, NY, United States
This was great the first time I watched it, but slowly declined with multiple viewings over the years.Why I slowly lost interest in this, I'm not sure, except for perhaps the incredibly annoying hysterical woman character played by Una O'Connor. Her constant screaming and shrieking took away my enjoyment of this film.This was Claude Rains' first starring role and he did a fine job, even though you never see his face until the final minutes. His voice was good and his character interesting as he slowly went insane. He had this silly, sadistic laugh as he'd kill people. That's one thing that made this movie a bit different. When I watched this on DVD after a long absence, I was shocked to re-discover how violent Rains' character was in this film.Even though the film is almost 75 years old, it's still fairly entertaining and not dated as much as you might expect. It also brings out a few interesting dilemmas that an invisible human being would have trying to stay undetected.By the way, I still think this should be classified "science fiction," not horror.
16 out of 16 people found the following review useful: Visibly stunning!!!, 5 October 2005 Author: The_Void from Beverley Hills, England
James Whale is, for good reason, most famous for his Frankenstein films. However, better than both (albeit marginally) is this film - The Invisible Man. When I first saw this, I couldn't believe that it's over seventy years old and upon a second viewing; the film just gets better and better. Considering the time in which it was made, The Invisible Man is one of the most amazing films of all time. The special effects are what really make the film. CGI has pretty much spoilt this sort of reaction to a movie. The Invisible Man really has that 'how did they do it?' feel, which movie audiences of yesteryear so often enjoyed, and it's done such a good job with it that I'm still wondering today. The plot gives way to lots of trickery and visual magic as it follows a mad scientist who has turned himself invisible. However, things aren't so simple because one of the drugs he used has properties that can turn a man insane; and this side of the drug has had a huge effect on our man. Believing he can take over the world, he recruits the help of one of his fellow scientists and sets about a reign of invisible terror.You would think that it would be hard to convince an audience that one of your characters is invisible; but Whale makes it look easy! Claude Rains spends much of the film either under the cover of bandages or not even in it, but it doesn't matter because it's not him but his voice that makes the performance. The fiendishness of his voice is compelling and pure evil, and I don't believe that there is a better man in existence for this role. There isn't a lot of physical acting for him to do, but this is made up for with a dazzling array of special effects. We get to see a shirt move on it's own, things fly around rooms and havoc is caused. It really shows Whale's genius to pull this off. Whale is best known as a horror director, but it's obvious that he has a great respect for comedy also as his Frankenstein films were very tongue-in-cheek, and so is this film. The scenes that see the invisible man causing mayhem are hilarious, and will delight anyone who sees the film. Whale's ability to entertain is absolute, and that is why the films he made for the studio were always the biggest successes. The Invisible Man is one of the greatest achievements in cinema history, and anyone who tells you otherwise is wrong!
18 out of 20 people found the following review useful: Classic horror, 18 December 2004 Author: perfectbond
I actually saw The Invisible Man (1933) shortly after I saw the James Whale bio-pic Gods and Monsters (1998), starring Ian MacKellan and Brendan Fraser. So it was with that image of the director in my head that I watched this film. Claude Rains (Casablanca) is perfectly cast as the mad scientist/invisible man. The remainder of the cast, though not really challenged much, are more than serviceable in what they are required to do. As has been mentioned by most of the other posters, the special effects hold up rather well even today. An amazing feat considering the film is over 70 years old! The DVD has several interesting documentaries / commentaries that made me appreciate not only this film's entertainment value but its historical significance as well.
18 out of 21 people found the following review useful: Transparency is not all that bad, is it?, 8 September 2001 Author: Michael O'Keefe from Muskogee OK
Talented direction from James Whale. Mildly chilling tale based on the imagination of H.G. Wells. Introduction to a versatile star, Claude Rains. Short movie in length, but the mixture of thrills, chills and humor help make this a real classic. The special effects of the 30's seem so unsophisticated, but very enjoyable to this day. Rain's starring debut is 99.98 percent vocal and very memorable. The changes in his voice from glee to madness gives certain character to his invisible role.A brilliant chemist/scientist(Rains) discovers how to make himself invisible. He wrecks havoc in a small British country village as pranks turn to murder. Memorable are the scenes of the invisible man smoking and riding a bicycle; and of course unwrapping.Also in the cast are:William Harrigan, Gloria Stuart, E.E. Clive and Una O'Connor. At a certain point you wish that O'Connor's funny, but obnoxious character was shorter lived. Dated or not, this is a classic that still demands watching. Creepy and fun for all.
9 out of 9 people found the following review useful: Somewhat Shocking!, 6 November 2000 Author: BaronBl00d (baronbl00d@aol.com) from NC
Oh! What a wonderful film! The Invisible Man is fraught with witty dialogue, excellent character acting, inventive and creative special effects, insightful direction, and solid, tight scripting. The story is about a scientist that develops a serum which turns himself invisible, for good intent initially. The serum has negative side effects, one of which is turning the scientist into a raving,mad megalomaniac bent on conquering mankind and the world. What is most surprising about the film is its rather perverse sense of black humour(a James Whale specialty) and its cruelty. The Invisible Man is not a benign horror monster but rather a frightening, destructive force capable of acts of violence, madness, and viciousness. The direction is the real star of the film as Whale combines script, acting, mood, and setting amidst the background of ground-breaking special effects that are still impressive to this day. Whale laces his special humour throughout, and this film has no shortage of dark comedic moments. The acting all around is very good with people like Henry Travers, Gloria Stuart, Una O'Connor and William Harrigan especially as a jealous doctor giving all the support they can to a formless Claude Rains. Rains's voice is magnificent and one senses he was made to play the part that would make him famous. Look for Dwight Frye in a small role. A wonderful film experience!
13 out of 17 people found the following review useful: Bone-chilling Rains debut - a true sci-fi classic, 10 April 2003 Author: george.schmidt (george.schmidt@hbo.com) from fairview, nj
THE INVISIBLE MAN (1933) **** Claude Rains is super scary as mad scientist Griffin in HG Wells' classic horror novel about the power of being invisible thanks to a serum with some dangerous effects. Atmospherically directed by James Whale ("Frankenstein"). Great visual effects for its time that stand up well to today's standards. Chilling.
9 out of 10 people found the following review useful: Works Very Well, 1 December 2004 Author: Snow Leopard from Ohio
This film version of the H.G. Wells science fiction classic works very well. It has a number of strengths, but it benefits most of all from James Whale's direction, creativity, and technical excellence. Both the flashier aspects of the movie (such as the "invisibility" effects) and also most of the basic elements are done with skill.The story is for the most part based on the one main idea of "The Invisible Man" who combines his scientific genius with a generous supply of madness. The story is interesting enough in itself, and of course it provides all kinds of opportunities for visual tricks. Whale hits just the right balance in making good use of these opportunities without over-indulging himself.The visual effects themselves are of excellent quality, and they are far better than all but the very best of the present-day computer imagery. While it is usually rather easy to spot which parts of a movie are computer-generated, Whale's effects are all but seamless, with the exception of a handful of brief moments. They are often quite impressive, without resorting to tired devices, such as explosions and the like, in order to impress those with shorter attention spans.Claude Rains does quite well for having such limitations on what he could do. The rest of the cast is solid, if mostly unspectacular, letting the story do the work. Una O'Connor somewhat overdoes it with the screaming this time, but otherwise the characters are believable. The acting may seem slightly quaint to those who are accustomed to the pretentious styles of the present generation of performers, but it's certainly better than the grating, self-important performances in some of the recent movies of the same genre.While the story does not have the thematic depth or the suggestive imagery of horror classics like "Frankenstein" or "Dracula", this adaptation gets everything it can out of the material, telling the story in an entertaining fashion and with technical skill.
6 out of 6 people found the following review useful: "I think we'll start with a reign of terror.", 17 May 2006 Author: bensonmum2 from Tennessee
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
People tend to use the word "classic" too freely. I can't help but laugh when I hear some of the movies that people call "classics". The term gets thrown around so much that it often looses some of its importance and real meaning. I try to reserve "classic" to a select group of films that I believe have achieved a certain status and have withstood the test of time. And I have no problem putting the label "classic" on The Invisible Man.James Whale made a lot of great films in the 1930s. Some (Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein, for example) may be better known, but I've always thought of The Invisible Man as the best of the bunch. It's got everything. Terrific performances, incredible special effects, nice comedic touches, and technical brilliance are found in abundance throughout the film.- Terrific Performances: For someone who only has a few seconds of actual screen time, Claude Rains is amazing. His voice creates such a presence that at times it's easy to forget that he's not actually there. As for Una O'Connor, I've seen some people complain about Whale's use of her, but I think she was never better than in The Invisible Man. She's great whether playing the proper landlord showing a new guest to his room or as the overly hysterical woman afraid for her life. The rest of the cast, especially E.E. Clive and Gloria Stuart, is exceptional.- Incredible Special Effects: It's amazing to revisit The Invisible Man and see how well the special effects have withstood the passage of time. They were state-of-the-art in 1933 and they remain impressive today. It took some real craftsmanship to pull-off the invisibility gags seen in The Invisible Man. To me, none is more impressive than the first time we get a glimpse under the bandages while he's eating and we see no lower jaw. Impressive stuff! - Nice Comedic Touches: Billed as a horror film, The Invisible Man actually contains more scenes of humor than horror. I've already mentioned O'Connor, but she's only a small part of the humor in the film. The police, the various frightened passersby, and even Claude Rains himself add to the fun found in The Invisible Man. I'm of the opinion that it never goes overboard, but fits nicely into the plot.- Technical Brilliance: Beyond the special effects, the film is wonderful from a technical standpoint. Lighting, cinematography, and set design are incredible and some of the best of the 30s. Everything looks perfect. In my opinion, Whale never did better. I've always been impressed by the way Whale used his camera as part of the action when many of his contemporaries seemed content with the "plant it and shoot" style of film-making.The only negative aspect of the film that I can possibly complain about is William Harrigan in the role of Rains' rival, Dr. Arthur Kemp. He's just not as good as those around him. Other than that little quibble, I've got nothing to complain about. I believe it should be easy to see why I, for one, consider The Invisible Man a classic!
6 out of 6 people found the following review useful: Terrific movie...and it always will be, 4 August 2003 Author: Coventry from the Draconian Swamp of Unholy Souls
This year, 2003, it's been 70 years since HG Wells' the Invisible Man was made. It's a very long time ago, but this film hasn't lost anything of his power yet. If you watch it these days, you still see a movie with lots of suspense and amazingly good special effects. Really, although it was made in 1933, the effects are flawless and very believable. Dr. Griffin discovered a drug which makes you invisible. At first, he only wanted to prove himself as a good scientist towards his girlfriend, but pretty soon he realizes a man has a lot more possibilities when he can not be seen. Blinded by power, he turns into a madman who terrorizes a small town and kills police men. Only when his girlfriend appears ( she's also his boss' daughter ) he seems to be reasonable again. Can she change his mind and make his thoughts normal again?A very high level op suspense is reached here in the Invisible Man. Surely a lot more than in nowadays horror films to say the least. No matter how hard they try to be scary nowadays, it always make me laugh instead of being frightened. This film doesn't do that. The atmosphere and the black and white screen give a lot of extra value to the story. Claude Rains is excellent as usual. He is one of my favorite actors during this wonderful decade of horror. Sure, he didn't became as famous as Boris Karoff or Bela Lugosi, but he played a few very memorable early movie 'monsters' as well. In this movie of course and also in Phantom of the Opera (1943). The girl he's in love with here is played by Gloria Stewart. It's funny to see her act her while you know she'll receive an Oscar nomination 65 years later for the biggest movie production ever : Titanic. This particular film comes with my highest recommendation. It's a must see for all and I give it a rating 10 out of 10. If possible, try to watch it in the right atmosphere. During a cold and dark winter night for example. With the lights turned down and maybe a few candles lit. If you follow these tips, you'll certainly wonder a few times if someone invisible isn't standing in the same room with you....
13 out of 21 people found the following review useful: Best Special effects ever, 20 August 2000 Author: the narrator from Sydney, Australia
The Invisible Man is a classic movie, with special effects that can still be wowed at today. The reason why these special effects are so great is that they didn't have computers 70 years ago, so you can watch and say 'How'd they do that?". The acting is great, too, and there is even a bit of humour in there too. One of the best horror movies of the 30's. 9/10.
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