The Invisible Man (1933 film)

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The Invisible Man is a movie produced by Universal Pictures in 1933 and directed by James Whale. The movie was based on H.G. Wells' science fiction novel The Invisible Man.

It is considered one of the great Universal horror films of the 1930s, and spawned a number of sequels, plus many spinoffs using the idea of an "invisible man" that were largely unrelated to Wells' original story. In his first screen appearance, Claude Rains was the voice of the Invisible Man (Dr. Jack Griffin) — though in the only scene where the actor's face is seen is briefly at the end, after he has died and become visible. The film also starred Gloria Stuart.

Contents

1 Characters
2 Plot
3 Special Effects
4 Quotes
5 Resources
6 External links

Characters

The main characters include:

The Invisible Man AKA Jack Griffin AKA the Invisible One (Claude Rains) - a scientist who creates a formula to turn his body invisible.
Flora Cranley (Gloria Stuart) - the Invisible Man's fiancee.
Dr. Arthur Kemp (William Harrigan) - The Invisible Man's partner before he became invisible.
Several notable character actors appear in minor roles, including Dwight Frye as a reporter, Walter Brennan as a man whose bicycle is stolen, and John Carradine, acting at that time under the name Peter Richmond.

Plot

Claude Rains as The Invisible Man

After turning himself invisible, Griffin leaves Flora and Kemp to go into the country for some privacy while he tries to work on an antidote to the invisibility formula. It is explained that the formula contains a rare chemical that makes people (and dogs) go insane. The Invisible Man becomes convinced that his discovery can make him the most powerful man in the world and resorts to brutal violence to prove his point. After nearly killing an innkeeper, he kills a policeman and then several other people in town. In response, the authorities in town make it their objective to capture or kill the Invisible Man.

Special Effects

The film is known for its groundbreaking and clever use of visual effects. When the Invisible Man had no clothes on, the effect was achieved through wires and the like, but when he had some of his clothes on or was taking his clothes off, the effect was achieved by shooting Claude Rains in a completely black velvet suit against a black velvet background and then combining this shot with another shot of the location the scene took place in using a matte process. Claude Rains was claustrophobic and it was hard to breathe through the suit. Consequently, the role was especially difficult for him.

Quotes

The Invisible Man: [in an oily, menacing voice] There is no need to be afraid, Kemp. We are partners.
The Invisible Man: The whole world's my hiding place!
The Invisible Man: If you try and escape by the window, I shall follow you, and no one in the world can save you.
The Invisible Man: Would you mind getting the car? It's a bit cold outside, when you have to go about naked.
The Invisible Man: The drugs I took seemed to light up my brain!
The Invisible Man: The fools wouldn't let me work in peace. I had to teach them a lesson.
The Invisible Man: Power - to make the multitudes run squealing in terror!
The Invisible Man: [to Kemp] I shall kill you even if you hide in the deepest cave of the Earth. At ten o'clock tomorrow night, I will kill you!
Dr. Kemp: I tell you, he's not human! He can go through prison walls, anything!
Farmer: [alerting the police] There's breathing in my barn!
The Invisible Man: I meddled in things that man must leave alone.
The Invisible Man: We'll begin with a reign of terror.
Insp. Lane: [watching the invisible man taking off his clothes] Look! He's all eaten away!
The Invisible Man: An invisible man can rule the world. No one will see him come, no one will see him go.
The Invisible Man: We'll start with a few murders. Big men, little men - just to show we make no distinction!
Const. Jaffers: He's invisible, that's what's the matter with him. If he gets the rest of them clothes off, we'll never catch him in a thousand years.

Resources

Now You See Him: The Invisible Man Revealed! Dir. David J. Skal. With Rudy Behlmer, Bill Condon, Curtis Harrington, and Paul M. Jensen. Universal Home Entertainment, 2000.

External links

[The Invisible Man] at the All Movie Guide
[Invisible Man] at The Terror Trap

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