Film Review: X - The Man with X-Ray Eyes

[diebitter]

X - The Man with X-Ray Eyes



** This contains spoilers for the ending **

This is a competent and thoughtful little sci-fi film, made by Roger Corman in 1963. It's essentially a simple morality play of a scientist who risks everything to progress his research. It's the old story of Faust in effect, of a guy selling his soul in order to get what he wants. Instead of being tricked by the devil, the emphasis is pretty old testament, of God having his retribution for seeking the forbidden.

He devises something that lets him see things others can't. First, he can see through clothes, and is greatly amused to see everyone naked (an idea stolen maybe from Russ Meyer's earlier 'Immoral Mr Teas', an I'm guessing prominent in the trailer of this movie!). But he keeps going, and dropping more and more of the x-ray drops into his eyes, and seeing more and more - stuff that shouldn't be seen...

Ray Milland is a good lead here, playing the scientist as an average sort, not particularly sympathetic but not evil or nasty either. A normal man, driven by his curiousity, pretty much. He starts to use his abilities to try and make money and survive with this curse - he hits Vegas where he can see through cards - but it gets worse and worse... But in pain and plagued by his deeper and deeper sight into things unknown, he stumbles into a fire-and-brimstone preacher's tent, where he seeks some peace. The old preacher quotes the Book, saying 'if thine eye offends thee, pluck it out'... So he pulls out his own eyes...And the screen freezes, and the credits roll...

A cool film, but even cooler is the rumour that the film orginally went on for a few seconds after this, and Milland cries out 'I can still see!'

Brrrrrr!

I don't know about you, but I like to see a bit of Old Testament-style comeuppance now and again. Try and catch it if you can, and if you really like this one already, I understand MGM have a pretty good version out on DVD.

OVERALL: 2.5
REWATCHABILITY: Once every couple of years. Middle teens upwards.

RATINGS (out of 5):
0 - This is a complete waste of time, and you will regret wasting it
1 - don't bother unless no other options at all
2 - okay for a single watch, if you've got time
3 - Definite watch if you get a chance
4 - See it very soon, at least once before you die
5 - See it immediately, no excuses

Previous Reviews in: OOT Film Repository

[The Vibesman]

[ QUOTE ]
A cool film, but even cooler is the rumour that the film orginally went on for a few seconds after this, and Milland cries out 'I can still see!'

Brrrrrr!

[/ QUOTE ]

Always wished they left that in there. Chilling.

[diebitter]

bump in case it was swamped