The Invisible Man

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The Invisible Man

Released Nov 13, 1933

1h 11m

Sci-Fi

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95%

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55 Reviews

85%

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10,000+ Ratings

While researching a new drug, Dr. Jack Griffin (Claude Rains) stumbles on a potion that can make him invisible. When he reveals his new ability to his old mentor (Henry Travers) and his fiancée (Gloria Stuart), it's clear that a side effect of the potion is insanity. Jack goes on a violent rampage, and the police struggle to hunt him down, unable to see their target, while his mentor and his former partner (William Harrigan) desperately try to devise a plan to capture him.

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Critics Consensus

James Whale's classic The Invisible Man features still-sharp special effects, loads of tension, a goofy sense of humor, and a memorable debut from Claude Rains.

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Times (UK) Staff

Times (UK)

Mr. Wells's original idea had the element of humour as well as stark terror in it; in the film the humour misses all its glorious opportunities and the terror is robbed.

Oct 8, 2020

Full Review

SMH Staff

Sydney Morning Herald

Under the supervision of James Whale, the director of "Frankenstein" and "The Old Dark House" the doings of the Invisible Man have been set forth with extraordinary realism.

Oct 8, 2020

Full Review

Age Staff

The Age (Australia)

A marvel of film technique.

Oct 8, 2020

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Trace Thurman

Horror Queers Podcast

Featuring director James Whale's trademark black humor, The Invisible Man is a delightfully demented horror film that sports some truly outstanding visual effects.

Rated: 4.5/5

Apr 1, 2024

Full Review

Joe Lipsett

Horror Queers Podcast

The Universal Monster with the biggest ego and the highest body count. This film is lean and mean (though it definitely doesn't need that female love interest)

Rated: 4/5

Mar 28, 2024

Full Review

Carson Timar

ClapperCast

When you get Claude Rains' performance mixed with James Whale's hand as a director you simply get perfection.

Oct 31, 2023

Full Review

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Audience Member

While I do enjoy this movie and the effects of invisble man are extraordinary for the time and hold up fairly well. The movie just feels off to me and I feel like there are points where its trying to be funny and I can't really get behind the the tonal shifts. But that's just my opinion. Overall Its good, but not the best of Universal's classic monsters.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

11/04/24

Full Review

Alex D

I watched Claude Rains in the Invisible Man today. And I still love this movie even when I was a little boy. It’s such a great film! Plus it’s one of the funniest movies I’ve ever seen. It’s like a dark comedy. But either way I enjoy the film very much it’s definitely one of the best movies made by universal studios. I enjoy every second of it. Claude Rains had a talent for playing lunatics. I wonder what he’d think of the 1984 version made by the BBC. But yeah if you need a good laugh I suggest watching this movie

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/20/24

Full Review

NiB Y

The best of the Universal Monsters.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/04/24

Full Review

Charles C

Probably the best of universal og movies.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

07/28/24

Full Review

Andrew L

The first Invisible Man movie is more faithful to the H.G. Wells novel than most people think. Rains plays the unseen entity wonderfully and truly captures the spirit of the novel

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

07/27/24

Full Review

Kurtis E

The special effects in this film are HIGHLY underrated, nothing short of groundbreaking, and nobody talks about it. Briskly paced, everybody in this film does exactly what they're supposed to do. I laughed as Dr. Jack Griffin, the titular invisible man devolves into a cartoonish and maniacal spree of murder and mayhem. A very fun film.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/09/24

Full Review

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James Whale

Director

Claude Rains

Jack Griffin

Gloria Stuart

Flora Cranley

Henry Travers

Dr. Cranley

William Harrigan

Dr. Arthur Kemp

Una O'Connor

Jenny Hall

The Invisible Man: Official Clip - Murder, Money, Madness

1:47

The Invisible Man: Official Clip - I'll Show You Who I Am

1:56

The Invisible Man: Official Clip - The Invisible Man Escapes

2:20

The Invisible Man: Official Clip - Visible at the End

1:56

The Invisible Man: Official Clip - Terrorizing the Village

2:50

The Invisible Man: Official Clip - A Visible Partner

2:32

The Invisible Man: Official Clip - Trapped in a Barn

2:01

The Invisible Man: Official Clip - Terrible Power

2:54

The Invisible Man: Official Clip - Killing Kemp

1:49

The Invisible Man: Official Clip - He's Here!

2:05

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Synopsis

While researching a new drug, Dr. Jack Griffin (Claude Rains) stumbles on a potion that can make him invisible. When he reveals his new ability to his old mentor (Henry Travers) and his fiancée (Gloria Stuart), it's clear that a side effect of the potion is insanity. Jack goes on a violent rampage, and the police struggle to hunt him down, unable to see their target, while his mentor and his former partner (William Harrigan) desperately try to devise a plan to capture him.

Director: James Whale
Producer: Carl Laemmle Jr.
Screenwriter: R.C. Sherriff, Preston Sturges, H.G. Wells, Philip Wylie
Distributor: Realart Pictures Inc., Universal Pictures, Screen Gems, Universal Home Entertainment, MCA/Universal Pictures [us]
Production Co: Universal Pictures
Genre: Sci-Fi
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 13, 1933, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 19, 2016
Runtime: 1h 11m
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.37:1)

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