The Invisible Man (1933)

Réalisateur:

James Whale

Scénaristes:

H.G. Wells (novel) and
R.C. Sherriff (screenplay)

Date de sortie:

13 novembre 1933 (USA)

Genre:

Horreur | Science-Fiction | Thriller

Accroche:

Catch me if you can!

Intrigue:

A scientist finds a way of becoming invisible, but in doing so, he becomes murderously insane.

Plot Keywords:

Scientist | Invisibility | Inn | Radio Broadcast | Test Tube

Récompenses:

2 wins

Avis des utilisateurs:

Visibly stunning!!!

Ensemble

Claude Rains	...	The Invisible Man
Gloria Stuart	...	Flora Cranley
William Harrigan	...	Dr. Arthur Kemp
Henry Travers	...	Dr. Cranley
Una O'Connor	...	Jenny Hall
Forrester Harvey	...	Herbert Hall
Holmes Herbert	...	Chief of Police
E.E. Clive	...	Const. Jaffers
Dudley Digges	...	Chief detective
Harry Stubbs	...	Insp. Bird
Donald Stuart	...	Insp. Lane
Merle Tottenham	...	Millie

Durée:

71 min

Pays:

USA

Langue:

Anglais

Couleur:

Noir et Blanc

Rapport de forme:

1,37 : 1

Son:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording Sound System)

Classification:

Finland:K-16 | USA:Approved (certificate not issued at release) | Spain:13 | West Germany:16 | Australia:M (DVD rating) | Australia:PG (original rating) | Germany:16 | UK:PG | USA:Unrated

Lieux de tournage:

Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Société:

Universal Pictures

Anecdotes:

In order to achieve the effect that Claude Rains wasn't there when his character took off the bandages, the director had Rains dressed completely in black velvet and filmed him in front of a black velvet background.

Goofs:

Continuité: The Invisible Man is the same height as Kemp in some scenes, noticeably shorter in others.

Guillemet:

[first lines]
Man in Pub: Did you hear about Mrs. Mason's little Willy? Sent him to school and found him buried ten-foot deep in a snow drift.
Man in Pub # 2: How did they get him out?
Man in Pub: Brought the fire engine 'round. Put the hose pipe in, pumped it backwards and sucked him out.

Connexions De Film:

Référencé sur "Heroes: Chapter Fourteen 'Distractions' (#1.14)" (2007/II)

Bande son:

Hearts and Flowers

Visibly stunning!!!

James Whale is, for good reason, most famous for his Frankenstein films. However, better than both (albeit marginally) is this film - The Invisible Man. When I first saw this, I couldn't believe that it's over seventy years old and upon a second viewing; the film just gets better and better. Considering the time in which it was made, The Invisible Man is one of the most amazing films of all time. The special effects are what really make the film. CGI has pretty much spoilt this sort of reaction to a movie. The Invisible Man really has that 'how did they do it?' feel, which movie audiences of yesteryear so often enjoyed, and it's done such a good job with it that I'm still wondering today. The plot gives way to lots of trickery and visual magic as it follows a mad scientist who has turned himself invisible. However, things aren't so simple because one of the drugs he used has properties that can turn a man insane; and this side of the drug has had a huge effect on our man. Believing he can take over the world, he recruits the help of one of his fellow scientists and sets about a reign of invisible terror.

You would think that it would be hard to convince an audience that one of your characters is invisible; but Whale makes it look easy! Claude Rains spends much of the film either under the cover of bandages or not even in it, but it doesn't matter because it's not him but his voice that makes the performance. The fiendishness of his voice is compelling and pure evil, and I don't believe that there is a better man in existence for this role. There isn't a lot of physical acting for him to do, but this is made up for with a dazzling array of special effects. We get to see a shirt move on it's own, things fly around rooms and havoc is caused. It really shows Whale's genius to pull this off. Whale is best known as a horror director, but it's obvious that he has a great respect for comedy also as his Frankenstein films were very tongue-in-cheek, and so is this film. The scenes that see the invisible man causing mayhem are hilarious, and will delight anyone who sees the film. Whale's ability to entertain is absolute, and that is why the films he made for the studio were always the biggest successes. The Invisible Man is one of the greatest achievements in cinema history, and anyone who tells you otherwise is wrong!