LogFAQs > #946621940

4. The Invisible Man (1933) (26 points)
Nominated by: Great_Paul (1/5 remaining)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXMOURHEMpY

Importance: 10
Fear: 6
Snake: 10

The Invisible Man has always been my favorite of the classic canon of Universal Monster Movies. Based on the 1897 novel by H.G. Wells of the same title, and being based more in sci-fi than horror, The Invisible Man is perhaps the least scary on the surface but underneath hides deep psychological undertones that makes The Invisible Man an absolutely thrilling watch. It stars Claude Rains, in his first full American role, as Griffin, a man rendered invisible thanks to the work of an obscure drug. I really love how the film already starts him off as the Invisible Man, already being driven mad by the drug's effects. The Invisible Man was directed by James Whale, known for Frankenstein and The Old Dark House before this, and I like to think he learned a lot about pacing these monster movies by the time The Invisible Man started production. Swathed in bandages and nifty goggles, we initially are unsure of whether or not Griffin is invisible yet. The reveal of Griffin as he takes off his bandages could be in and of itself a Twilight Zone worthy twist ending, with absolutely uncanny maniacal laugh as everyone runs screaming (Mark Hamill actually credits this laugh to his own Joker cackle). Griffin has gone fully mad here, and has aspirations of global domination due to his unstoppable ability. This sounds frightening, but Whale's direction actually injects more comedy in the film than you may think. Griffin's ideas of world domination involve scaring the locals with pranks and robbing banks; yes there are murders but Rains' Griffin hams it up to such an insane degree that it just becomes a perfect slice of black comedy. Still, there's definitely an element here of sadness, as Griffin was just a normal man with a fiance before doing his experiments, and it's a lesson on how absolute power can corrupt so easily, a true Aesop in Universal Monster form. The Invisible Man is renowned for its special effects and involved Rains in a black velvet suit filmed against a black velvet background, then using the matte process to combine the shot with another of the location. It's ingenious and makes the film as memorable as it is. Rains would go on to have an insanely prolific career, a character actor who go on to appear in seminal films like Casablanca, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, and another Universal film The Wolf Man, just to name a few. With the remake proving this story to be relevant in modern and unique ways, The Invisible Man is still a film you can get back to today and get an absolute thrilling, scary, and comedic ride out of it while seeing just how influential this film has been.

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Bare feet on the tile with my head up in the clouds
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