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DVD The Invisible Man
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
Claude Rains. The man. The myth. The legend. You cannot talk about this film, whether in conversation or in any review, without placing this actor on the tip of your tongue. He is the epitome of the madness that surrounded the power-hungry Invisible Man. In this day of modern cinematic wonder, most full-fledged actors would want their faces to be in front of the camera, showcasing the entire film. Directors would want this fledgling star to promote their film, get kiddies interested in spending their money, and for financiers to see the profits of their contributions. Let's face it, if Brad Pitt is in a movie, typically most audience members are actually going to "see" Brad Pitt. Thankfully, we have directors like James Whale and his interpretation of H.G.Wells' classic The Invisible Man. Whale took a powerful story, expanded it, breathed life into it, and followed up with quite possibly one of the most sinister villains in movie horror history since Hannibal Lector. He is crude, he is heartless, and he wants nothing more than world domination ... he is Claude Rains ... and yet, until the end of the film, we never see the white's of his eyes.
There are several reasons why I just fell in love with this film, outside of the cataclysmic performance of Claude Rains. Ohhhh, Claude Rains. I loved the way that this movie was filmed. I loved the scope of the Invisible Man's terror. Whale could have kept his antagonist to committing just single murders of friends and family, he could of just kept it confined to just one single town, he could have kept our focus directly on the turmoil of Rains, but instead, he decided (amazingly!) to open the entire can of worms with success. When I first began this film I was expecting the classic images of angry villagers with pitchforks storming the house that the Invisible Man lived within, but instead, Whale gave us this sort of random chaos that truly created fear around this character. Whale is able to give us the true terror of this madman by perhaps expanding his budget and showing us how big the terror of the Invisible Man is. For example, I never foresaw the horrific train accident, nor the random worker push off the mountain, and when Rains explained to Kemp what the human impact of falling down a ravine would be like, it literally sent shivers down my spine. Whale created a madman better than some modern horror films could ever accomplish.
For a film created in the 1930s, the special effects were spectacular. Sure, CGI was just a glimmer in Lucas' mother's eyes, but James Whale did a superb job of giving us these rare glimpses into the future of special effects. The way that he created the Invisible Man surprised me. I did not expect to ever see the creature without his bandages on, but within ten minutes we are shown the full scope of Whale's creativity. I thought the use of snow, dust, and even the early stages of the overused "green screen" was original for its time. To see Rains smoke as the Invisible Man put a smile on my face. This is a perfect example of a film that used just enough special effects, in the right way, to make the audience forget for a brief time that this was in fact a film ... not real life. While the special effects did have one or two flaws (see the Invisible Man riding the stolen bike - were those wires?), I must credit Whale for pushing the envelope for the time. It was surprising to see such quality from such an older film.
If there would be anything that I would change about this film would be the subtext concerning the relationship between Rains and Flora (played by Titanic star Gloria Stuart). I thought this was nearly unnecessary. I understand the value of trying to give a human element to this monster, but I thought that it could have been done without these random scenes. There wasn't really any connection between the two, and we were left with very little information of them prior to the start of the film. Perhaps if there had been a stronger pre-story it would have congealed better. The same can be said for the chemistry and reasonings for the plot points surrounding Rains and Kemp. I could understand why they occurred during the film, but there had to be something more prior to the opening scene. I wanted to know more. I think that is a good sign for a film, when you are left wondering what was the story before this one ... and even what was it afterwards.
Overall, I thought this was an exceptional film. I now have this newfound respect for Claude Rains, a man I knew nothing about prior to watching this film. He carried this film and honestly successfully pulled off one of the most frightening madmen this world has ever seen. I think what scared me the most about him was the fact that he actually, unlike some villains, actually followed through with his vile plans. He was evil, whether the invisibility did it or not, he was pure evil, and I loved every minute of it. The special effects were delightful, with a small subplot that this picture could have gone without. Amazing, and a perfect treat before Halloween!
Grade: ***** out of *****
"There's A Souvenir For You"
Haven't we all fantasized about what it would be like to be invisible? Most of the common perks come to mind: spying, getting into movies and amusement parks free, even the baser peeping tom inclinations come to mind. James Whale would pair his Frankenstein masterpieces with this equally trend-setting film. The film is only loosely based on the popular H.G. Wells novel and is played more for chills. Claude Rains does such a wonderful role when you consider that for most of the film he is denied a physical presence on the screen.
Jack Griffin develops a formula that can render a man invisible. When he experiments on himself he finds that regaining his visibility another matter. Griffin slowly goes insane from the effects of the mixture. His colleague must stop him before he destroys himself and maybe the world.
"Now You See Him: The Invisible Man Revealed" is another grand documentary created for this DVD release. You will be treated to the very birth of modern special effects. The DVD includes trailers, bios, production notes and stills, and web links. Menus remain simple and easy to use.
Boris Karloff turned down the title role in much the same fanfare Lugosi did with Frankenstein. Although not as famous as other monsters, the Invisible Man is not without its influence. This is more the story of having power and being intoxicated and eventually corrupted by that power. Also look for Titanic's Gloria Stewart and the hilarious Una O'Connor who has the unfortunate luck to stumble upon the Invisible Man in all his invisibility. Universal's given us this DVD with the warning: "There's a souvenir for you."
Now you see him, Now you don't
If you are interested in this film, you may want to check out Universal Studios LEGACY COLLECTION great offering of THE INVISIBLE MAN. Although it did not come with the gorgeous character busts available with the earlier releases, the set includes all the INVISIBLE MAN franchise films with a nice making of documentary and a running commentary.
Many of the classic horror films have a problem with age. If you are looking for jump out of your seat scares, these films just don't stack up. But scares are not why I watch them! These early films are a joy to watch if only to see where modern horror came from, the birth of many special effects techniques, and an occasional social statement.
1933s THE INVISIBLE MAN is one that deserves recognition. Directed by James Whale, the subject of the film GODS & MONSTERS the film is a showcase on many fronts. Whale also directed FRANKENSTEIN, THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN and SHOWBOAT. Those films also showcase a wry creative sense of character, humor and design.
The story is based loosely on H.G.Welles classic novel of the same name, but the film is quickly more sinister. Where the novel painted a sympathetic character, the film's invisible dude is a downright megalomaniac bent on destruction, mayhem and murder. Even so, he still has time to laugh at his own new power, whether teasing a group of people who can't apprehend what they can't see or when he skips down the road singing a childhood nursery rhyme wearing only pants.
Many of the films invisible effects were at the time revolutionary and even stand up well to some extent. The invisible process used black velvet in much the same way modern films use "greenscreen" effects. Of course, there are also plenty of wirework shots, when the invisible man is handling or moving an object. Even matte painting and a rather impressive model train accident are given plenty of screen time.
CLAUDE RAINS portrays the man underneath all the bandages. If you don't believe me, fast forward to the last 15 seconds of the film. His performance is powerful as it is made interesting through his impressive and unique vocal sound and style. Gloria Stuart who would much later play Old Rose in James Cameron's TITANIC portrays his love interest. And Henry Travers, who played CLARENCE in IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE is a surprisingly laid back scientist. And in typical James Whale fashion, the film is scattered with interesting and colorful characters.
The film was followed up by several sequels from 1940s THE INVISIBLE MAN RETURNS and THE INVISIBLE WOMAN, 1942s THE INVISIBLE AGENT and 1944's THE INVISIBLE MAN'S REVENGE. The character even resurfaced in a couple Abbot and Costello comedies.
Even a man who is pure in heart, And says his prayers by night, May become a wolf when the wolfbane blooms And the autumn moon is bright.
If you haven't heard this piece of horror-movie doggerel before, you'll never forget it after seeing The Wolf Man for two reasons: it's a spooky piece of rhyme and nearly everybody in the picture recites it at one time or another. Set in a fog-bound studio-built Wales, The Wolf Man tells the doom-laden tale of Lawrence Talbot (Lon Chaney Jr.), who returns to the estate of his wealthy father (Claude Rains). (Yes, Chaney's American, but the movie explains this, awkwardly.) Bitten by a werewolf, Talbot suffers the classic fate of the victims of lycanthropy: at the full moon, he turns into a werewolf, a... More Info about this DVD Actor(s): Claude Rains - Warren William Director(s): George Waggner DVD Release Date: Released the 28 August 2001 This item is currently not available.
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You have to hand it to the walking dead. What they lack in speed and agility, they more than make up for in sheer single-minded determination. Im-Ho-Tep is a case in point. He's an ancient Egyptian priest, cursed for his terrible crimes against the gods. A team of British archaeologists digs up his sarcophagus, along with a box inscribed with a warning that opening it will unleash death and destruction. You'll never guess what they do. Once freed, Im-Ho-Tep takes on the appropriately evil alias Ardath Bey and gets to the task of resurrecting his ancient lover--which will, of course, require a living human surrogate. While the premise may sound formulaic, The Mummy in fact turns out to be bracingly weird, relying on atmospheric creepiness rather than on jump-out-and-scare-you... More Info about this DVD Actor(s): Boris Karloff - Zita Johann - David Manners Director(s): Karl Freund DVD Release Date: Released the 28 August 2001 This item is currently not available.
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"It's alive! Alive!" shouts Colin Clive's triumphant Dr. Frankenstein as electricity buzzes over the hulking body of a revived corpse. "In the name of God now I know what it's like to be God!" For years unheard, this line has been restored, along with the legendary scene of the childlike monster tossing a little girl into a lake, in James Whale's Frankenstein, one of the most famous and influential horror movies ever made. Coming off the tremendous success of Dracula, Universal assigned sophomore director Whale to helm an adaptation of Mary Shelley's famous novel with Bela Lugosi as the monster. When Lugosi declined the role, Whale cast the largely unknown character actor Boris Karloff and together with makeup designer Jack Pierce they created the most memorable monster in... More Info about this DVD Actor(s): Colin Clive - Mae Clarke - Boris Karloff Director(s): James Whale DVD Release Date: Released the 27 April 2004 Usually ships in 24 hours
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Jack Arnold's horror classic The Creature from the Black Lagoon spawned not one but two iconic images: the web-footed humanoid gill-man with a hankering for women and the leggy, luscious Julia Adams, the object of his desire, swimming the lagoon in a luminous white bathing suit. Not since King Kong has the "beauty and the beast" theme been portrayed in such sexually charged (though chaste) terms. Arnold turns an effectively B-movie plot--a small expedition up a remote Amazon river captures a prehistoric amphibian man, who escapes to wreak havoc on the team and kidnap his bathing beauty--into a moody, stylish, low-budget feature. The jungle exteriors turn from exotic to treacherous when the creature blocks their passage and strands them in the wilds. Much of the film is shot... More Info about this DVD Actor(s): Richard Carlson - Julie Adams Director(s): Jack Arnold DVD Release Date: Released the 28 August 2001 This item is currently not available.
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When Universal Pictures picked up the movie rights to a Broadway adaptation of Dracula, they felt secure in handing the property over to the sinister team of actor Lon Chaney and director Tod Browning. But Chaney died of cancer, and Universal hired the Hungarian who had scored a success in the stage play: Béla Lugosi. The resulting film launched both Lugosi's baroque career and the horror-movie cycle of the 1930s. It gets off to an atmospheric start, as we meet Count Dracula in his shadowy castle in Transylvania, superbly captured by the great cinematographer Karl Freund. Eventually Dracula and his blood-sucking devotee (Dwight Frye, in one of the cinema's truly mad performances) meet their match in a vampire-hunter called Van Helsing (Edward Van Sloan). If the later... More Info about this DVD Actor(s): Bela Lugosi - Helen Chandler - David Manners Director(s): Tod Browning DVD Release Date: Released the 28 August 2001 This item is currently not available.
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