Plot: What’s it about?
Dr. Jack Griffin (Claude Rains) has discovered a serum that does something simply amazing, one that would be much sought after if it were known to exist. This serum causes Griffin to become invisible and since he doesn’t want his serum to be well known, he decides to escape to a small village to hide his serum. So he wraps himself up in bandages and dons dark glasses, heading out in the intense snow to take up a new residence. When he arrives at a small tavern to rent a room, he is thought very strange indeed, but he is still given a room since he has money to spend. It seems as though he will be able to hide his discovery in this small village, but soon enough things take a turn for the bizarre. As fate would have it, the same serum that gives Griffin his transparent appearance has a serious side effect involved. The side effect appears very slight at first as Griffin feels strange pulls and instincts, but soon he finds himself in the midst of violent and dangerous outbursts. Soon Griffin starts to be consumed by the agents inside the serum and becomes more and more violent and murderous as time passes. Can Griffin regain control over his actions before it is too late or will he simply fall to wayside as The Invisible Man takes over his life?
This is another volume in Universal’s Classic Monster Collection and I am very pleased this title was released so soon. Between the competent special effects, riveting performance by Claude Rains, and direction of James Whale this film deserves a place in the collection of any horror buff, especially those who love classic cinema. In terms of special effects this movie might not hold a candle to recent breakthroughs, but the effects used look very good for the time and still stand up well after all these years. Aside from some innovative special effects this movie also contains some excellent atmospheric suspense, which is a must for a film of this type. The scenes in which we know The Invisible Man is present, but cannot see him are perfect examples of how Whale makes sure the suspense is effective. So what more can you ask for from a movie like this? You’ve got solid acting, a great and experienced director, and some very cool visuals which seems like more than enough. While this isn’t my favorite of the Classic Monster movies, it is a very good one and one that is sure to remain in my personal collection. I recommend this release as a rental to first time viewers, but fans of this film and the Classic Monster flicks will want to buy this one right away.
This classic film was directed by James Whale, who certainly knew how to make a terrific suspense/horror movie. While many of the Classic Monster movies feature simple visual approaches, Whale uses a simple base with some more complex measures mixed in as well. Whale moves his camera more than usual in this movie and even uses some very effective pans, but he is not known for being aggressive behind the camera by any means. As usual Whale is able to maximize his visual impact by making good use of his compositions, which is important for the suspense in this movie. Whale uses details and small touches to further his ideas and in this film it works very well and more than makes up for the frequent lack of a visible leading man. If you want to see more of Whale’s movies I recommend The Bride Of Frankenstein, The Old Dark House, The Kiss Before The Mirror, and Frankenstein. Claude Rains gives an impressive performance in this movie, especially when you consider that he is either invisible or buried under bandages most of the time! Rains (Notorious, Casablanca) uses his voice to develop his character and it works to perfection. The supporting cast includes Henry Travers (Shadow Of A Doubt, It’s A Wonderful Life), Una O’Conner (The Bells Of Saint Mary’s), William Harrigan (Flying Leathernecks), and Gloria Stuart (Titanic, The Love Letter).
Video: How does it look?
The Invisible Man is presented in a full frame transfer, which closely retains the original aspect ratio of the film. This is by far the best looking version of this film to be seen on home video, but due to age and such it still has some problems. The source print shows serious damage at times, but you expect some nicks and debris from a movie that’s over sixty-five years old. The overall transfer though is terrific, as clarity is high and the image is very sharp at all times. This is a black & white movie so you need good contrast and this transfer has that, shadows look good and no obscuration of detail is evident. I also found no compression flaws in the least, which is always good. This is not a perfect transfer by any means, but given the age of the materials this is a wonderful visual presentation.
Audio: How does it sound?
The audio for this movie is presented in a mono track that sounds very good, much better than I expected in fact. As with all mono tracks this one lacks the depth of a surround track, but it still sounds very good especially when you consider the age of the materials. The musical score is excellent and in this mix it sounds fantastic, taking the centerstage whenever it appears. What sound effects emerge come through well, though this isn’t a movie known for powerful sound effects. The dialogue sounds crisp and clear also, I noted no volume inconsistencies. This release also contains English captions as well as French and Spanish subtitles.
Supplements: What are the extras?
As with most Classic Monster discs, this release features a nice slide show of still photographs and this one is very cool. It shows the usual promotional and advertising images, but also some interesting production shots which add a lot to the replay value of the slide show. Now You See Him: The Invisible Man Revealed is a solid thirty-five minute featurette which gives some insight into the production, as well as director James Whale. You’ll learn a lot about Whale and his efforts in the monster movie business, but I was most impressed with the special effects oriented material. Next is an audio commentary track with film historian Rudy Behlmer, who takes the honor for best track thus far in the Classic Monsters series. Behlmer loads the running time with facts covering all aspects of this movie and chances are if you want to know about it, Behlmer discusses it here. This release also includes production notes and talent files, but no theatrical trailer has been included.
