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THE INVISIBLE MAN (1933) (***1/2)

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Director James Whale had a lot of clout in Hollywood after the success of FRANKENSTEIN and was able to cast the relatively unknown actor Claude Rains in the lead role as Jack Griffin, which is part of the success of the film. Rains’ face is only seen once, but it’s his voice and dialogue delivery that really sells the material.

Griffin is a scientist who has invented a serum that turns people invisible, but also turns them mad. He desperately wants to find a cure so that he can return to his beloved Flora (Gloria Stuart, TITANIC). However, Flora is being wooed by wimpy scientist Dr. Kemp (William Harrigan, “G” MEN) and, as Griffin gets more insane, he turns his violence toward Kemp.

The film works less as a thriller, but more as a dark comedy. In addition to Rains’ performance, the other highlights are Whale’s direction, the look of the film, the character design and the special effects, which hold up pretty well. Like many of the other Universal Studios horror classics, the iconic image of Invisible Man — bandages, dark glasses, Fedora and trench coat — is what people first think when they think of the famed H.G. Wells character. The film is a perfect example of how a simple tale surrounded by solid filmmaking qualities can make an average story special.

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Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks