1933 Gave way to 2 films with groundbreaking special effects. This is one of them....
Jack Griffin (Claude Rains) rents a room at the Lion's Head Inn and Pub. His purpose is to work in seclusion and find away to make himself not invisible anymore! But the folks at the Inn continue to disturb him, to the point that he assaults the landlord and knocks him down a flight of stairs and sets off his insanity. He goes on a rampage and forces his cowardly friend Kemp, to assist him in his evil deeds. Kemp however betrays him and is killed.....
The Invisible Man seems like a comedy film at first, but by the end becomes deadly serious. Note Dwight Frye and John Carradine in cameos. Interesting that Gloria Stuart was in this and would eventually be nominated for an Oscar.... 64 years later! It's amazing too how Claude Rains (unseen till the last reel) managed to be so maniacally convincing using only his voice!
The Invisible Man has a cold, frosty atmosphere and is a good horror/sci Fi to watch in the winter months. Even though it's short on the great sets in comparison to it's studio counterparts, it remains one of the best from the Universal horror cycle and is often overlooked when one speaks of the Universal horror films. Like many films of it's time, it's a great tea/stormy night flick as well. Seeing the Lion's Head Pub always makes me wish I could order a burger and fries as well. The special effects are superb and absolutely groundbreaking in 1933. I wonder how a remake would fare..... CGI?
JACK GRIFFIN ENTERS THE LION'S HEAD INN.
Despite near-Universal love for the film, H.G Wells disliked it as it did not do his book justice. However Jack Griffin has the unmistakeable characteristics of megalomaniacs of the time (Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin) and in this way offers 1930's contemporary commentary. Another James Whale film. One wishes he could have been at the helm of more Universal horror projects. This film was followed by two true sequels and two lame comedy spin-offs. FIVE STARS OUT OF FIVE.
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