 |
| Claude
Rains, Gloria Stuart, William Harrigan, Henry Travers, Una
O'Connor |
|
 |
Anamorphic
widescreen |
|
Dolby Digital
5.1 |
|
DTS |
|
 |
Trailer(s) |
|
Featurette(s) |
|
Documentary |
|
Audio commentary
|
|
Deleted scenes
|
|
Concept art
/ storyboards |
|
Multi-angle
feature |
|
|
|
|
Griffin (Claude Rains): All
right, you fools. You brought it on yourselves. Everything would
have come right if you've let me alone. Let me near madness with
your peering through the keyhole and your gaping through the curtains
and now you'll suffer for it. You're crazy to know who I am, aren't
you? All right, I'll show you!
A scientist discovers a means of becoming
invisible, but goes mad himself when he makes himself his first
test subject.
 Audiences
were treated to two special effects movies in 1933 that would enter
the history books as two fo the fines pictures ever made: the stop-motion
spectacle of King Kong and James Whale's second blockbuster
triumph, The Invisible Man. This adaptation of H.G. Wells'
novel had been a longaand arduous process, with the author himself
disapproving of numerous screenplay versions, when Whale finally
nailed it by remaining remarkably faithful to the book's essence
as well as many of its most memorable details. The movie's openings
shots for instance are a verbatim visualization of the novel's opening
passages. With the memorable, still-impressive visual effects giving
the mad scientist various outward forms, ranging from enpty suits
to phantom footprints, Claude Rains breathed incredible life into
the character without showing his face until the very last shot.
The director's visual style and impeccable sense of humor perfects
this classic thriller. |
|
 |
 |
|
|
The eight movies that were selected
as Universal's 'Classic Monster Collection' were released on Region
1 DVD some years ago, but have since gone out of print and have
been put on moratorium by Universal, awaiting a re-release.
These same eight titles were recently released on DVD for Region
2 and 4, available both separately and as part of an eight-disc
box set. The R2/4 release of Dracula doesn't include the
Spanish version of the film, but otherwise there are no major differences
with the original Region 1 versions.
The fullscreen image is framed
at its original aspect ratio of approx. 1.33:1. The print looks
about as good as one might expect a nearly seventy-year-old film
to look upon which no major restoration effort has been undertaken.
There's quite a bit of minor damage to the print, including small
scratches and débris, as well as some fluctuation in brightness
levels. Detail in the transfer is also sketchy, with a general softness
to the image, but overall an acceptable transfer.
The mono sound mix, presented in Dolby Digital 2.0, sounds similarly
ancient, with a very limited dynaimc range and frequent minor distortion;
nothing however that could be considered surprising given the age
and condition of the picture.
The extras here are easily up to
the high standards set by other titles released in Universal's Classic
Monster Collection. The 35-minute documentary 'Now You See
Him: The Invisible Man Revealed' covers the production's history and the
execution of the special effects in fine detail. Film historian Rudy
Behlmer's audio commentary track focuses more closely on unseen
leading man Claude Rains' life and career, without however failing to
point out scene-specific items including information about supporting
players, similarities and differences from the source novel (quotes
included) and numerous other bits of trivia and anecdotes. An animated
image gallery includes the familiar selection of poster images and
promotional stills, accompanied by cues from the score. The theatrical
trailer rounds out these extras that may be limited in number, but
that do an outstanding job of covering the film's background comprehensively
and entertainingly.The animated main menu screen is
accompanied by a cue from the score.
Dan
Hassler-Forest
Reviewed:
December 18, 2002
Click
here for IMDB info on The
Invisible Man.
Click here
to return to the front page.
|
|
| |
