The Invisible Man (1933)

With Halloween being right around the corner, it is fun to sit back and enjoy the classics from Universal Studios. Last night it was The Mummy, and tonight, I followed that one with the classic The Invisible Man from 1933.

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

Being in a classics mood, this adaptation of the H.G. Wells sci-fi classic may be one of the best movies of the golden era of the Universal Monsters. Complete with some of the best special effects of all time, this movie boasts tremendous creativity, cinematography, and technical aspects. The performances, especially Claude Rains, are outstanding, the storyline is interesting, and as I mentioned already the effects are tremendous especially considering that this movie was shot decades before the first computer was ever thought of. Yes, it does lack the scenery that made the other Universal Monster movies so memorable and the overall story lacks the layered depths of the other films from the studio, but those elements do not hurt the movie in any way. In the end, like the other classic monster movies of the early 1930s, this movie is a must see. Sure, it often overlooked in comparison to the other timeless entries from Universal Studios, but from a cinematic and technical perspective, it should sit near the top of the chart and it remains one of the most memorable sci-fi films ever made. Go to Shudder and check it out.

War of the Worlds (2005)

What a day. While we did not get the crazy snow they were calling for, the road crews did very little in the early hours and I took the day off. Unfortunately, the daughters had a snow day as well; not fun. Next up on the review list, the 2005 blockbuster War of the Worlds. 

Plot/ As Earth is invaded by alien tripod fighting machines, one family fights for survival. 

Honestly, I had forgot this movie was done by Steven Spielberg. This H.G. Wells classic is definitely one of the most well known Sci-Fi stories of all time. Yet, this adaptation, while good, did not live up to everything it could have been. The acting is solid, there was some great effects and there is a solid atmosphere for most of the movie. Unfortunately, there was some disconnect between parts of the movie, almost feeling like there were two distinct parts or ideas going on throughout. In the end, this was an interesting watch, and much better the second time I have watched it. If you love Sci-Fi give this alien invasion flick av shot, especially if you are like me and did not truly enjoy it back in 2005.

The Island of Dr. Moreau (1977)

With the holiday season creeping in, I was scouring my available flicks for some tamer movies to watch with the daughters. That is when I stumbled onto the 1977 version of The Island of Dr. Moreau. While I know that I have to catch up on the Walking Dead reviews, I figured I would start the month off with this one.

Plot/ Written by H.G Wells in 1896, this is a chilling and thought-provoking tale about a ship-wrecked man who floats ashore on an island in the Pacific Ocean. The island is inhabited by a scientist, Dr. Moreau, who in an experiment has turned beasts into human beings.

To me, this interpretation of the H.G Wells story may be the best and most entertaining version I have seen ever filmed (The remake with Marlon Brando was awful). The direction is tremendous, with the location and soundtrack creating creepiness about the island that the film manages to sustain throughout. The acting is solid and the make-up is excellent making the beasts actually a bit frightening. It is not perfect with the flow of the movie definitely taking on the feel of two separate halves, with the plot development deteriorating throughout the movie. Overall, this is an interesting film and everything that the more modern version is not. A must see for horror, sci-fi and Wells fans.