| "H.G. Well's Fantastic Sensation" |
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Invisible Man, The
DVD/APPROX. 68 MINS/1933/USA PG
DVD/APPROX. 68 MINS/1933/USA PG
10
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The classic Universal horror movies playing on late night TV when I was young is a big part of the reason I am a huge horror fan, for years the only
way I could experience them was in genre books and the odd TV screening and they became sparse over the years then in 1992 CIC TAFT video
released 3 VHS box sets of UNIVERSAL classics. In one of the box sets was THE INVISIBLE MAN a film I had read and seen pictures of only, so I left
it to last to view out of the 9 films. Why did I wait?! The film blew me away with its great characters and sly black humour which is a trade mark of
director James Whale.
The story based on H. G. Wells' science fiction novel starts with a mysterious stranger making his way through a fierce snow storm to a little village
and into a pub full of some classic English stereotypes, there he takes a room. Never leaving his quarters, the stranger demands that the staff
leave him completely alone. We soon learn the stranger is Dr. Jack Griffin (Claude Rains), a scientist who has discovered the secret of invisibility.
His secret is soon discovered much by accident by land-lady (Una O'Connor) who is so freaked out by it all, she demands that her husband the
innkeeper (Forrester Harvey) throw him out. At first Griffin begs to stay but when push comes to shove he tears off the bandages, laughing
maniacally, and throws the innkeeper down the stairs. He takes off the rest of his clothes, rendering himself completely invisible, and tries to
strangle a police officer.
We soon learn that a side effect of the drug called Monocane is that it also slowly drives one insane, at first Griffin just make a menace of himself
but as time goes by he begins to act more bold and evil (bank robbery for the fun of it, wrecking a train etc.) As the panic grows Griffin hides out
with Dr. Arthur Kemp (William Harrigan) a one-time partner and who also has eyes for Jack's Fiancee Flora Cranley (Gloria Stuart) who is the
daughter of Jack's old boss Dr. Cranley (Henry Travers), Flora is the only one that is remotely sane around. Soon Griffiin's madness is so strong
that he has desires to rule the world and it becomes and all out hunt to stop the Invisible Man.
John P. Fulton still brilliant effects have, deservedly, been wildly praised (accomplished by dressing a stuntman in black velvet underneath the
bandages and shooting the disrobing against a black velvet background) create a sense of amazement and wonder that takes us back to the
origins of cinema. The cast is brilliant with the role of Dr. Jack Griffin (a role Universal wanted for Boris Karloff) is the US film debut of screen legend
Claude Rains who's fantastic expressive voice gives us one the greatest performance ever in a horror movie, the supporting cast is made up of
Whale regular's like Una O'Connor who's semi-hysterical screeching will annoy the hell out of some viewers and TITANIC fans (are the any left?) will
be interested to see the old lady form that film in the role of Flora. James Whale again proves he was one the great director's of all time as he give
is he usual trademark brilliance. He can take us from black comedy to scary creepy in a one scene.
Universal gives this classic as part of their UNIVERSAL STUDIOS CLASSIC MONSTER COLLECTION and as with all their titles in the series they do an
outstanding job with this release: a beautiful clean print and great sound and the extras complete a great DVD, the extras are as follows:
- NOW YOU SEEN HIM: THE INVISIBLE MAN REVELED: a short but interesting look at how the film came to be, we find that the film went through
many different writers and ideas and the author H.G. Wells who was none too happy with PARAMOUNT's 1933 version of ISLAND OF LOST SOULS a
film based on his novel The Island of Dr. Moreau made sure he had script approval this time around, we also get a look at the rest of the film in the
"INVISIBLE" series would have to loved this documentary to be longer but it is still brilliant. Commentary with film historian Rudy Behlmer again a
fascinating track where we learn all sorts of facts surrounding the film and it's source material and people in the cast and crew, no stone is left
unturned as everything and everyone gets there due, the extras are rounded out with a gallery of movie posters and production photographs one
small complaint how no trailer like the rest of the series?
THE INVISIBLE MAN is landmark of horror/sc-fi that all horror fans should see, I know a lot of fans will not give it a chance because of its age but
they are missing out, I have seen this DVD for as little as $2.95 (Aust) in some stores so go out and grab it A.S.A.P.
In 2008, The Invisible Man was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally,
historically, or aesthetically significant".
way I could experience them was in genre books and the odd TV screening and they became sparse over the years then in 1992 CIC TAFT video
released 3 VHS box sets of UNIVERSAL classics. In one of the box sets was THE INVISIBLE MAN a film I had read and seen pictures of only, so I left
it to last to view out of the 9 films. Why did I wait?! The film blew me away with its great characters and sly black humour which is a trade mark of
director James Whale.
The story based on H. G. Wells' science fiction novel starts with a mysterious stranger making his way through a fierce snow storm to a little village
and into a pub full of some classic English stereotypes, there he takes a room. Never leaving his quarters, the stranger demands that the staff
leave him completely alone. We soon learn the stranger is Dr. Jack Griffin (Claude Rains), a scientist who has discovered the secret of invisibility.
His secret is soon discovered much by accident by land-lady (Una O'Connor) who is so freaked out by it all, she demands that her husband the
innkeeper (Forrester Harvey) throw him out. At first Griffin begs to stay but when push comes to shove he tears off the bandages, laughing
maniacally, and throws the innkeeper down the stairs. He takes off the rest of his clothes, rendering himself completely invisible, and tries to
strangle a police officer.
We soon learn that a side effect of the drug called Monocane is that it also slowly drives one insane, at first Griffin just make a menace of himself
but as time goes by he begins to act more bold and evil (bank robbery for the fun of it, wrecking a train etc.) As the panic grows Griffin hides out
with Dr. Arthur Kemp (William Harrigan) a one-time partner and who also has eyes for Jack's Fiancee Flora Cranley (Gloria Stuart) who is the
daughter of Jack's old boss Dr. Cranley (Henry Travers), Flora is the only one that is remotely sane around. Soon Griffiin's madness is so strong
that he has desires to rule the world and it becomes and all out hunt to stop the Invisible Man.
John P. Fulton still brilliant effects have, deservedly, been wildly praised (accomplished by dressing a stuntman in black velvet underneath the
bandages and shooting the disrobing against a black velvet background) create a sense of amazement and wonder that takes us back to the
origins of cinema. The cast is brilliant with the role of Dr. Jack Griffin (a role Universal wanted for Boris Karloff) is the US film debut of screen legend
Claude Rains who's fantastic expressive voice gives us one the greatest performance ever in a horror movie, the supporting cast is made up of
Whale regular's like Una O'Connor who's semi-hysterical screeching will annoy the hell out of some viewers and TITANIC fans (are the any left?) will
be interested to see the old lady form that film in the role of Flora. James Whale again proves he was one the great director's of all time as he give
is he usual trademark brilliance. He can take us from black comedy to scary creepy in a one scene.
Universal gives this classic as part of their UNIVERSAL STUDIOS CLASSIC MONSTER COLLECTION and as with all their titles in the series they do an
outstanding job with this release: a beautiful clean print and great sound and the extras complete a great DVD, the extras are as follows:
- NOW YOU SEEN HIM: THE INVISIBLE MAN REVELED: a short but interesting look at how the film came to be, we find that the film went through
many different writers and ideas and the author H.G. Wells who was none too happy with PARAMOUNT's 1933 version of ISLAND OF LOST SOULS a
film based on his novel The Island of Dr. Moreau made sure he had script approval this time around, we also get a look at the rest of the film in the
"INVISIBLE" series would have to loved this documentary to be longer but it is still brilliant. Commentary with film historian Rudy Behlmer again a
fascinating track where we learn all sorts of facts surrounding the film and it's source material and people in the cast and crew, no stone is left
unturned as everything and everyone gets there due, the extras are rounded out with a gallery of movie posters and production photographs one
small complaint how no trailer like the rest of the series?
THE INVISIBLE MAN is landmark of horror/sc-fi that all horror fans should see, I know a lot of fans will not give it a chance because of its age but
they are missing out, I have seen this DVD for as little as $2.95 (Aust) in some stores so go out and grab it A.S.A.P.
In 2008, The Invisible Man was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally,
historically, or aesthetically significant".
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