As Halloween again makes its annual, spine-chilling appearance, the presence of Frankenstein, mummies, and vampires solidifies the cinematic influence of Universal’s classic horror franchise. But while the iconic portrayals of Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi are thoroughly remembered well into the twenty-first century, the renown of one of these classics has since… disappeared.
1933’s The Invisible Man transformed Claude Rains (as the eponymous character) into a household name. The plot, at first glance, feels familiarly simple and inviting–scientist Jack Griffin, after using bandages, sunglasses, and layered clothing to hide his secret, reveals that he has successfully made himself invisible. Whether a byproduct of his experiment or just an innate part of himself (the film, thoughtfully, leaves this ambiguous), Jack’s condition leads him deeper and deeper into madness as time goes on. Rains shares the screen with Gloria Stuart, who charmingly portrays Flora Cranley, Griffin’s fiancée, and her distraught efforts to bring her lover home and end his destructive behavior. Arguably the most notable dynamic in the film, however, is between Jack and his coworker Dr. Kemp (William Harrigan)– their scientific rivalry, contrasted with Jack’s attempts to coerce Kemp into being his partner in crime, manifests itself with thoughtful, and often harrowing, dialogue. Throughout the course of the movie, the viewer is held to witness Jack’s crimes of increasing severity. Starting with harmless capers and mischief around the village, like bike theft or hat-stealing, Griffin’s shenanigans diverge into murderous, bare-handed strangling and even the derailing of a train under the cover of his impenetrable identity.
The ideas of identity and moral responsibility are ultimately what make this movie so thought-provoking. What presents itself as a film with a campy, predictable plot bends the viewer’s expectations and forces them to consider Invisible Man’s more provocative themes. Is our visibility by the rest of society the only thing preventing the degradation of our moral code? Dr. Jack Griffin’s anonymity doesn’t just shield him from the view of villagers and policemen; it also deserts the role of divine authority and justice in his consciousness. The “monster” in this horror classic isn’t a monster at all, but a normal man whose ethical principles vanished along with his perception. From a more current perspective, the anonymous incendiary reflects modern themes of the nameless online landscape made possible through social media. Besides just the commendable cinematography and thorough performances, the relevance of the subject matter preserves this movie for a modern audience.
Be First to Comment