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Title: THE INVISIBLE MAN (Claude Rains) Post by: KYGOTC on June 22, 2007, 11:02:24 PM You just can't beat an old classic black and white monster movie. Try as you may, it can't be done. The Invisible Man prooves this with it's briliant writing, superb acting, and and special effects that make some of todays "special" effects look not so special. This is the movie that got me into the 1930s and 40s monster genre. The ONLY bad thing I have to say about it is that the ending is really rushed, but thats it. Next im either gonna go find the Bela Lagosi DRACULA or the Boris Carloff FRANKENSTEIN.
Anyone else have an opinion on this one? (http://artfiles.art.com/images/-/The-Invisible-Man-Print-C10097552.jpeg) Title: Re: THE INVISIBLE MAN (Claude Rains) Post by: The Burgomaster on June 23, 2007, 08:00:42 AM A true classic. I went on a Universal horror buying spree a while back, and ppicked up:
* The Invisible Man * Dracula: The Legacy Collection * Frankenstein: The Legacy Collection * Wolfman: The Legacy Collection * Mummy: The Legacy Collection * Creature from the Black Lagoon I didn't buy the Legacy Collections for Invisible Man and Creature because I don't like most of the movies in those series except for the first ones. The other sets are great and I recommend them if you are a fan of this stuff. Title: Re: THE INVISIBLE MAN (Claude Rains) Post by: Jack on June 23, 2007, 08:20:13 AM One of my old favorites. Love the winter setting and all the shenanigans the cops go through trying to catch the guy. I thought the ending was very memorable,
**SPOILER** when you see his footprints in the snow and then his body fall. Not to mention when we finally get to see Claude in the last scene. **END SPOILERS** Excellent interaction betwene the main visible character and the invisible man as well. The only thing I didn't like was when he started yelling some silly nursery rhyme or whatever when he was going down the street knocking people off their bicyles and stuff. Otherwise, just about a perfect movie. Title: Re: THE INVISIBLE MAN (Claude Rains) Post by: RCMerchant on June 23, 2007, 11:26:07 AM I LOVE this movie! I grew up with Creature Feature,Boris,Bela,Lon,and the whole gang! Hell, I even started re-collecting the old Famous Monsters of Filmland mags from the 60's and 70's!(By the way...Uncle Forry will be 90!!! this summer!)
Oh-in the scene you mention,Jack,the footsteps in the snow-I guess ol' Claude was wearing invisable SHOES as well...the footprints are clearly SHOE prints! :bouncegiggle: Title: Re: THE INVISIBLE MAN (Claude Rains) Post by: KYGOTC on June 23, 2007, 11:39:40 AM A true classic. I went on a Universal horror buying spree a while back, and ppicked up: * The Invisible Man * Dracula: The Legacy Collection * Frankenstein: The Legacy Collection * Wolfman: The Legacy Collection * Mummy: The Legacy Collection * Creature from the Black Lagoon I didn't buy the Legacy Collections for Invisible Man and Creature because I don't like most of the movies in those series except for the first ones. The other sets are great and I recommend them if you are a fan of this stuff. Yea, i got the legacy collection of invisible man because thats all they had. The movies that come with it look kinda lame, as one is a comedy, and the others are all lame "sequels" that just reuse the same basic story. (how can there be a "return of the invisible man" if he's dead?) But i reeeely wanna get the legacy colection for Dracula, Wolf man, and Frankenstein. Not so big on mummy movies. Title: Re: THE INVISIBLE MAN (Claude Rains) Post by: Raffine on June 23, 2007, 11:40:15 AM RC, I recently heard there is an official term (like "Baby Boomers" and "Generation X") for those of us who grew up in the 60s and 70s with Famous Monsters of Filmland, Aurora monster models, and Saturday night Creature Features: MONSTER KIDS!
I like it! :thumbup: http://gammillustrations.bizland.com/mk_reg/colton_mk.html (http://gammillustrations.bizland.com/mk_reg/colton_mk.html) Title: Re: THE INVISIBLE MAN (Claude Rains) Post by: Raffine on June 23, 2007, 11:50:20 AM Those Lon Chaney, Jr. Kharis the Mummy movies are definitely a matter of taste. When I was a kid I thought the mummy was the scariest of all the monsters and, next to The Creature From the Black Lagoon, my favorite. My Mummy model was the pride of my monster model collection. But those movies just seem kind of dumb and repetitive (a big part of each one is always made up of flashbacks to earlier mummy movies!), and I can never understand why the mummy's victims just don't run away. Heck, ususally they could get away from him by just walking at a brisk pace! Of course, I still rewatch them all every few years! :teddyr:
I'd add THE OLD DARK HOUSE, THE BLACK CAT, and WEREWOLF OF LONDON to the list of 'must see' 30s Universal horror films. Funny thing about THE INVISIBLE MAN, there seem to be two camps: the "pro-Una" and the "anti-Una". Some people think Una O'Connor as the inn keeper is hilarious in this (and BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN) and others think she's obnoxious, over-the-top, and spoils the whole atmosphere of the films. I'm definitely "Pro-Una"! (http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/thumb/f/f2/180px-UnaOConnorTheInvisibleMan.jpg) :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: Title: Re: THE INVISIBLE MAN (Claude Rains) Post by: RCMerchant on June 23, 2007, 01:27:31 PM Yup! Monster Kids! I've heard that as well! I am defintitly am in that cataGORY (heehee!) Oh...PRO UNA!!!
Title: Re: THE INVISIBLE MAN (Claude Rains) Post by: KYGOTC on June 23, 2007, 02:15:15 PM I was wathcing it as it got real dramatic and intense, but then this stupid cottny accented lady comes in and SCREAMS bloody murder for just a wee bump on the head! I thought she was WAY over the top, but shes one of ONLY 2 flaws in the film, so ill forgive her......just this ONCE.
Title: Re: THE INVISIBLE MAN (Claude Rains) Post by: The Burgomaster on June 24, 2007, 07:34:29 AM Actually, you should probably take a look at the VAL LEWTON boxed set. It has some classic, creepy movies in it like:
* THE CAT PEOPLE * THE CURSE OF THE CAT PEOPLE * BEDLAM * ISLE OF THE DEAD And a few other black & white classics. Title: Re: THE INVISIBLE MAN (Claude Rains) Post by: telegonus on July 01, 2007, 01:11:19 AM Funny thing about THE INVISIBLE MAN, there seem to be two camps: the "pro-Una" and the "anti-Una". Some people think Una O'Connor as the inn keeper is hilarious in this (and BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN) and others think she's obnoxious, over-the-top, and spoils the whole atmosphere of the films.
I'm definitely "Pro-Una"! (http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/thumb/f/f2/180px-UnaOConnorTheInvisibleMan.jpg) :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: Count me in as pro-Una, too. If she was playing the Gloria Stuart role, well, she might get a little irritating at times, but she only dominates, what--two scenes, three at most?--and manages to make the best (and funniest) of a bad situation. Besides, she was a "signature player" of director James Whale, and the movie would be less Whale-ish with a more level-headed, rational actress in the part. Una's presence in the film reminds the viewer (as if he needed reminding) that this was a James Whale picture, not a Stuart Walker one. Interesting thing about this movie is that Henry Travers, who spends a good deal of screen time trying to solve the invisibility "riddle" himself went inivisible, for a while anyway, in It's a Wonderful Life some thirteen years later. Title: Re: THE INVISIBLE MAN (Claude Rains) Post by: JaseSF on July 01, 2007, 09:28:56 AM Welcome aboard telegonus! Glad to see you got everything straightened out with regards to posting on this board.
The Invisible Man has such a wonderful horror atmosphere going on. It unsettles you as a viewer at just the right moments and the cinematography in the film was also top notch IMO. Title: Re: THE INVISIBLE MAN (Claude Rains) Post by: telegonus on July 01, 2007, 11:41:53 AM Thanks, Jase. This is a tough place to register at and get activated but maybe it's not so bad a thing, as it may keep the trolls at bay, or at least make it difficult for them to function. I'm still not set up over at the worms forum, but perhaps the good doctor is too busy making house calls.
Of all the James Whale films I've seen, The Invisible Man seems the purest, the happiest, the smoothest flowing, though not necessarily the best. He was at his peak when he made it; a top of the heap director, Universal's biggest in-house man. Would things ever be so good for Whale again? It's like he was the invisible man, making fun of everyone around him! Title: Re: THE INVISIBLE MAN (Claude Rains) Post by: JaseSF on July 01, 2007, 01:16:40 PM There's a definite streak of humor in most if not all of Whale's films and certainly that's true here too. I definitely need to revisit this one again (I have it on two DVDs) but I love and agree with your closing line telegonus.
Title: Re: THE INVISIBLE MAN (Claude Rains) Post by: Allhallowsday on July 06, 2007, 12:43:17 PM RC, I recently heard there is an official term (like "Baby Boomers" and "Generation X") for those of us who grew up in the 60s and 70s with Famous Monsters of Filmland, Aurora monster models, and Saturday night Creature Features: MONSTER KIDS! We've also been called "tweeners" 'cause we're born between the beginning of the baby boom and the "Me Generation." I was wathcing it as it got real dramatic and intense, but then this stupid cottny accented lady comes in and SCREAMS bloody murder for just a wee bump on the head! I thought she was WAY over the top, but shes one of ONLY 2 flaws in the film, so ill forgive her......just this ONCE. You mean "cockney" I think, but Una O'Connor, the great Irish character actress, was no Cockney (Cockney being a working class Londoner). The well noted humor that several posters refer to in James Whale's films, particularly THE INVISIBLE MAN is enhanced by O'Connor's presence, and she compliments every film I've ever seen her in. Surely KYGOTC, you remember Una as Minnie in THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN? Give her a chance, she'll grow on you. Title: Re: THE INVISIBLE MAN (Claude Rains) Post by: Just Plain Horse on July 18, 2007, 04:00:47 PM Those Lon Chaney, Jr. Kharis the Mummy movies are definitely a matter of taste. When I was a kid I thought the mummy was the scariest of all the monsters and, next to The Creature From the Black Lagoon, my favorite. My Mummy model was the pride of my monster model collection. But those movies just seem kind of dumb and repetitive (a big part of each one is always made up of flashbacks to earlier mummy movies!), and I can never understand why the mummy's victims just don't run away. Heck, ususally they could get away from him by just walking at a brisk pace! Of course, I still rewatch them all every few years! :teddyr: I'd add THE OLD DARK HOUSE, THE BLACK CAT, and WEREWOLF OF LONDON to the list of 'must see' 30s Universal horror films. Funny thing about THE INVISIBLE MAN, there seem to be two camps: the "pro-Una" and the "anti-Una". Some people think Una O'Connor as the inn keeper is hilarious in this (and BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN) and others think she's obnoxious, over-the-top, and spoils the whole atmosphere of the films. I'm definitely "Pro-Una"! ([url]http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/thumb/f/f2/180px-UnaOConnorTheInvisibleMan.jpg[/url]) :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: Yeah, I liked The Creature, too... I'm definitly anti-Una... Invisible man's a great movie, but virtually every character in it seems daffy... too much lead paint, methinks... Title: Re: THE INVISIBLE MAN (Claude Rains) Post by: Allhallowsday on July 19, 2007, 10:12:33 PM Funny thing about THE INVISIBLE MAN, there seem to be two camps: the "pro-Una" and the "anti-Una". Some people think Una O'Connor as the inn keeper is hilarious in this (and BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN) and others think she's obnoxious, over-the-top, and spoils the whole atmosphere of the films. Karma for Telegonus, nice to see you here! :thumbup: I'm definitely "Pro-Una"! ([url]http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/thumb/f/f2/180px-UnaOConnorTheInvisibleMan.jpg[/url]) It's worth noting that Whale's best known films were all made before 1937, and there are no doubt creaks (particularly with FRANKENSTEIN) but the marriage of horror and humor was innovative, and allowed the audience a means of release, thru laughter, and set a model for horror filmmakers to follow up until today. Title: Re: THE INVISIBLE MAN (Claude Rains) Post by: Pilgermann on July 19, 2007, 11:24:49 PM I think Una's screaming was a bit much, but I still thought her character was pretty great.
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