mgrindberg

(2012-04-21 13:10:00)

X-Ray Milland

Here is Corman at almost his best. Ray Milland was as good an actor asVincent Price, and this story isn't trapped in the Poe mode of rottingflesh and dilapidated mansions. It's more in the manner of Corman's TheTrip, which was made a few years later. Dr. Xavier discovers somethingthat he can use to see through solid objects, but its effect iscumulative, and by the end of the movie he's seeing all the way to thecore of reality.Of course, he has to go on the run, and must abandon his medicalcareer. We see him in a carnival, reading peoples' thoughts, and laterteaming up with his x girlfriend and going to Vegas and seeing throughthe cards and winning big, and finally, escaping from the police, andas he drives through the Nevada desert, we see that he can't see athing. Abandoning his Lincoln Continental, he stumbles into a tentrevival meeting. The preacher, played by Royal Dano(?)is telling hisfollowers to throw Satan out. Filmed by Floyd Crosby, with beautifulspecial effects, this is a real piece of 60's film-making by one of themasters.

Sean Finnigan

(2012-04-20 18:46:23)

solid and compelling

An interesting movie about a scientist who gets x-ray vision when he giveshimself eyes medicine. The scene where he first begins to see peoplewithouttheir clothes was quite funny because he was at dance party. The music ofthe movie was corny and the visual effects are bad. The story of the movieis solid and compelling so you can just look past the dated visualeffects.The ending of the movie was haunting and even quite surprising. It'sdefiantly worth watching if you like good science fiction movies. Thescientist name is Dr. James Xavier.

Charles Scott, PA

(2012-04-14 03:43:36)

Long-awaited second viewing.

I saw this movie on television in the early sixties. In black & white, Ilong wished to see it in color as I thought some of the scenes involvingthedoctor's vision, would be superb. Just last year I found the video taperelease and own it now. I was not disappointed in any way and I am suresomeof the scenes were (or would be now) first time portrayals for the kind ofscenes shown. For the sixties, it was (or now so seems) to have been wayahead of it's time in these unique and spellbinding depictions.

(2012-04-13 14:11:25)

Robert Taubman

This is one heck of a sci fi chestnut! As many times as I have seen/viewed this movie; still enjoy it the same! But now that Ihave my own DVD of "The Man with the XRAY EYES" and have added itto my "Sci-Fi" storeage shelf for easy access, look forward to thoserainy days, "In August"........

(2012-04-11 10:30:11)

An interesting Concept on Medical REsearch Hubris

Roger Corman struck gold with this film. Ray Milland plays a dr. who develops special drops which allow him to see the ultra-long spectrum, i.e. x-rays. Using this power, he is able to save a little girl's life, only to be condemned for bucking established procedure. Needing more money to continue his experiments, he runs the table at Vegas, only to run afoul of the mob. Fleeing from them, he runs afoul of the law. It's a commentary on how research, for whatever supposed good, must be guided by ethics and morality. Since machines were capable of providing the same info, Milland's desire is pure egotistical, to do something no one else can. He gives a stellar performance, with good supporting roles. Corman once again demonstrates his social satire skills on a low budget.

(2012-04-11 02:19:26)

Cool contact lenses!

Ray Milland's movie career took an interesting turn in the early 1960's...he signed on to do three films for American International Pictures, an outfit far removed from the majors like Paramount and 20th Century Fox. At the time, AIP was well-known for cranking out black and white cheapie fliks for the teenage matinee crowd, stuff like "The Day the World Ended" and "The She Creature." By 1963, when "The Man With the X-Ray Eyes" was released, AIP was enlarging their budgets by adding color, better sets, and employing good writers (Richard Matheson, Charles Beaumont) and actors (Vincent Price, Hazel Court, Peter Lorre, Basil Rathbone, Karloff). Milland's involvement was one more step up the "prestige" ladder for AIP. Mr. Milland had won an Academy Award (Best Actor, "The Lost Weekend" 1945) and was a touch of Hollywood royalty that AIP would not let go unexploited. The first film he did under their banner was "The Premature Burial," directed by Roger Corman. Then came "Man With the X-Ray Eyes," an interesting and philosophical sci-fi thriller. It contains an excellent Milland performance as "Dr. Xavier," who concocts a serum that allows him to see through any object. Eventually, overuse of the drops results in the doctor being able to see into Infinity...and what he finds there is enough to drive anyone insane (or is it? Check out the film!). Production values are good, if a little "TV-like," and director Corman keeps things moving at a quick pace. Mention should be made of Don Rickles (?!) contribution as a sleazy carnival hustler--he's truly obnoxious and completely believable! Not to mention surprisingly skinny! I loved the film's ending, and I, too, heard the legend about the cut line. Corman, in a commentary, remarks on it, giving us the full scoop on whether the scene was ever filmed. Even without this coda, the conclusion is a shocker! I love all of MGM's Midnite Movies--the quality of their presentation is beyond criticism, as far as I'm concerned. Beautiful prints, rich, vibrant colors, with great extras! What more could you ask for, especially at such a bargain price! Snatch "The Man With the X-Ray Eyes," pronto! And I'm keeping my fingers crossed that "Premature Burial" and Milland's third AIP feature--"Panic in Year )"--will soon make it to DVD!

(2012-04-04 07:06:59)

"My dear friend, only the gods see everything."

In X - The Man with the X-Ray Eyes (1963) Dr. James Xavier, played by Ray Milland, desires the ability to `access the entire wavelength spectrum' so that he may see what no one else can...what male hasn't had that dream? Seriously, if you ever read a comic book, there was always an advertisement, usually between ads for Wildroot hair tonic, how to become a muscle man, or an offer for real Texas rattlesnake eggs, that touted `X-Ray Glasses' featuring a crudely drawn illustration of a guy wearing said glasses and not only having the ability to see the bones in his hand, but also being able to see through a woman's clothes...and I bet a great deal of them were sold, not because they actually worked (most of us, on some level, knew they wouldn't), but on the very slight possibility that they might. Produced and directed by Roger Corman (Pit and the Pendulum, The Masque of the Red Death), the film stars Oscar winner Ray Milland (The Lost Weekend, The Big Clock). Also appearing is Diana Van der Vlis (The Girl in Black Stockings), Harold Stone (Spartacus), John Hoyt (Attack of the Puppet People), and Don `Mr. Warmth' Rickles (Beach Blanket Bingo, Kelly's Heroes).As I already mentioned, Milland plays Dr. James Xavier, a man with an obsession. You see, as humans, we only see about ten percent of what's actually out there, and he wants more (greedy bastich). During his research he develops the X formula, which in experiments allows a monkey to see through cardboard, but has a curious side effect of death...Xavier chalks this up to the monkeys minuscule brain not being able to comprehend what it sees, thus shutting down and causing the demise, but humans are smarter than monkeys, so shouldn't have the same problem, right? Right...so Xavier begins experiments on himself, and finds success, but not without a price. After the accidental death of a colleague (or murder, however you want to look at it), Xavier is forced to take a hasty leave, joining a carnival, calling himself Mentallo, using his newfound ability to scrounge a few bucks by impressing the rubes, and donning sunglasses much like those Terminator glasses your grandmother wears. This leads to his involvement with a rather odious carnie and small time hustler named Crane (Rickles), who convinces Xavier to open an inner city clinic and earn even bigger bucks by `healing' the poor. Things start out relatively well, but that changes as this new venture eventually falls apart, so what's next? Well, if you have X-ray vision and need a lot of dough, where would you go? Las Vegas? Sounds like a plan, but initial success is yet again tainted by dismal failure, and soon Xavier is on the run again...oh yeah, did I mention the effects of his continual use of the X formula results in cumulative effects? In case you're wondering if there are any scenes where Xavier sees through women's clothes, yes there is, as at one point he is talked into going to a swinging party, featuring all kinds of comely, young females. Do we get to see what he sees? Kind of, as we see a bunch of naked backs and legs, but that's about it...it was oddly creepy as Milland presents such a intense and focused character throughout the story, but for a few moments we see a lascivious side that's counteracts the serious nature of the film and his character...speaking of oddly creepy, check out a mature Milland (he was in his mid 50's at the time) frugging it up at the party...it's a brief scene, but one that will be stuck in my minds eye for quite some time. Milland does quite a good job here (acting, not dancing), the scientist ultimately punished by his own arrogance, but one can't help feel an overall sense of sadness in that such an accomplished actor was now resigned to appearing in somewhat schlocky material as this...and it got progressively worse, with such features as Frogs (1972), The Thing with Two Heads (1972), and The Attic (1979) looming in his future. Oh well, work is work, I suppose...the rest of the cast is rather bland, except for Rickles, who gets in a few good zingers at some carnival patrons expense. While this is certainly an inexpensive feature, Corman generally always, in my opinion, seemed to be able to get the most for his money in terms of his films having better production values than expected. The direction is very good, as the pacing is quick (the running time is a minimal 79 minutes). Probably the most interesting aspect of the story is the notion that the main characters power of sight keeps developing (that whole cumulative effect I spoke of earlier). This presents the idea that eventually the characters ability will extend ad infinitum, allowing one to speculate that eventually he'll be able to see into the very core of the universe, and depending on your beliefs, possibly even the Creator himself. The special effects are not particularly spectacular, but they worked for me, and I'm sure at the time they probably appeared quite trippy and psychotropic (check out the opening scenes featuring bloody eyeballs). There are rumors that the ending provided here was actually shortened, that Milland's character had one more line, and the abrupt ending of the film seems to support this, but Corman has maintained this wasn't true. Regardless if this is true or not, it's still a memorable ending.The wide screen anamorphic (1.85:1) presentation on this DVD from MGM looks very clean and sharp, and the Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono audio comes through clearly. There are a couple of special features including the original 5-minute theatrical prologue that provides the audience an introduction to the five senses (when they started talking about the sense of taste, watch for some kid massacring an ice cream cone), a running audio commentary track with Roger Corman, and an original theatrical trailer.Cookieman108

BaronBl00d

(2012-04-03 12:56:58)

Do You See What I See?

A very thoughtful, engrossing, flawed film from superhuman director/producerRoger Corman. Yep, it has some problems, most primarily dealing with alimited budget. But what it lacks in dollars it has in heart and itsability to make you think about what we are missing out seeing with ourvision. I am not sure that much, or even any, scientific creedence can begiven to the idea behind the experiments of Dr. Xavier James and his searchto see beyond what normal vision allows. Ray Milland gives a fineperformance as the obsessed man out to continue his experiments even if theyinvolve using himself as the human guinea pig. Some of the scenes anddialogue are a bit hokey by today's standards but most fit the film verynicely. The scene with Milland at a party is a real hoot and great comedicrelief. I also loved the end to the film but thought it could have beenplucked out a little longer. The effects are very sparse and the only onesI really thought were any good were the ones used to highlight Milland'seyes through the film. The film boasts a fine cast of stalwartsci-fi/Corman people such as Morris Ankrum, Dick Miller, Jonathan Haze, andBarboura Morris, as well as a young(and obviously talented) Don Rickles. Definitely try to see your way to seeing this film.

jikerbau

(2012-03-30 23:43:00)

This movie still entrances 40+ years later

I just (finally) saw this film a few days ago, after years of hearingabout it. The screening was the final show of a three-day SF/horrorfilm festival. After three days of films, most people were feeling abit loopy and ready for some light entertainment. As X opened, quite afew members of the audience started treating it as an episode ofMystery Science Theater 3000, shouting out their own (generally lame)joke comments in response to the film. I was annoyed, because I'd beenlooking forward to this film all weekend (although, in their defense,certain lines have become unintentionally loaded in the comparativelysexually liberated 21st century).What I found fascinating was that, by 15 minutes into the movie, allthe commentary stopped. Once the film moved beyond the talky openingscenes and stilted dialog, once the story really got going, everyonewas drawn into it. They actually paid attention to the movie instead ofeach other.As SF cinema goes, this is definitely one of the more entertaining,thoughtful, and intelligent examples (and intelligent SF film is adying genre). This one goes well beyond the standard mad scientistformula.

Robert J. Maxwell

(2012-03-30 12:23:28)

Hubris!

There are some things man was never meant to know. What everybody lookslike without clothing is one of them.Ray Milland is a research physician looking into experimentallyexpanding our perception of the electromagnetic spectrum, so he claimsto his friend and colleague, Harold J. Stone. Visible light ranges fromabout 4,000 to about 7,000 Angstrom units. If Milland is trying towiden that range, he winds up failing. Instead of seeing infra red orultra violet light, like DayGlo, he starts seeing THROUGH things.In this story, Milland begins by being able to diagnose hospitalpatients. When he prevents Doctor John Hoyt from performing the wrongoperation, it gets him fired. Two points are made explicit here. One isthat no good deed goes unpunished. The other is that this is one ofthose movies where everyone with a doctorate is addressed as "Doctor."It doesn't matter if they've been best friends for years. They addresseach other as "Doctor." But right off the bat we're in unrealisticterritory, and that's not even counting the mysterious eye drops thatgive Milland X ray vision. Milland takes a look at the patientscheduled for heart surgery and sees a tumor, not mitral stenosis. Thewrong operation will kill her. So how does he stop Hoyt from operating.He CUT HOYT'S HAND with a scalpel at the last minute -- and without anyexplanation! All he'd have to do is say, "Look, I've got this X rayvision and I can see internal organs directly. That means no moremistakes based on X ray photos or sonograms. No more exploratorysurgery. No more guess work. We'll save lives and dollars." Instead heallows himself to be discharged -- Hoyt doesn't even ask how Millandknew about the tumor -- and has an argument with Stone, causing Stoneto fall accidentally out of a window to his death.The blond nurse who has a crush on Milland -- it's GOOD to be thedoctor -- happens to be present and she urges Milland to run for hislife because the police will never believe it was an accident. Somefriend.Anyway, this leads to Milland's continued fall down the socioeconomicladder until he winds up in a carnival as "Mr. Mentor" or somethinglike that. He reads notes while blindfolded and performs other tricks.The estimable Dick Miller shows up to provide some not-very-funny comicrelief. Then, under the management of Don Rickles in his first film,Milland is moved into a shabby storefront where he become "The Healer"for the neighborhood poor, who REALLY need health insurance.Rickles wants to exploit him further but Milland skips town with thenurse and lands in Las Vegas. Of course, being able to see through theface-down cards, he beats hell out of the house at the blackjack table.A fracas ensues and Milland escapes alone in a stolen car. The policefollow him in a helicopter, as they should, because Milland, able tosee through practically everything by now, is driving at high speedwhile functionally blind.There is an accident. Milland stumbles into a revival meeting andwhines to the preacher, John Dierkes, whose face you'll recognize, thathe's locked into a position in which he can see everything while alsoseeing through it. He can't sleep because he sees through his eyelidsand the roof and the light keeps him awake. He now sees the limits ofthe universe. The preacher -- another comforter out of The Book of Job-- advises him that if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out.Milland's progressively eerie contact lenses are great. They go from aweird veined yellow to steel plates that cover all of his exposedeyeballs. Milland himself was evidently a nice guy, a professional, andeasy to work with. But the narrative has dozens of speed bumps. Why,for instance, does Milland at the blackjack table not only reveal thathe knows what the cards are but then arrogantly advise the otherbettors on their moves? The eye drops have given him the visual powersof Superman but there's been no indication that they're driving him ascrazy as the Invisible Man.The humor, what there is of it, seems superimposed on a somber andultimately tragic story. The only time we see Milland smile is whenhe's at a party and notices that the others are unclothed. RogerCorman, the director, treats this as laugh worthy, which it is in asmall way, but not amusing enough to justify the time spent on it. Themovie could certainly have profited from a lighter treatment,especially during the first half.Well, it's not THAT bad, considering a shooting schedule of less thantwo weeks and a minimal budget. Milland seems sluggish and tired. Maybea more demonstrative actor would have pepped things up a bit.

bkoganbing

(2012-03-26 03:16:55)

The Eye Of God

The sad thing about the film X is that it was 40 years ahead of itstime. Roger Corman should have done this or even redone this film inthe age of computer graphics. Maybe at a major studio perhaps.But a major studio would never have taken a chance on a film like this.A science fiction movie without any horrific monsters or buckets ofblood and gore, the moguls would reason who would want to see that? Xcould only be done at American-International Pictures and be done onlywith someone of the imagination of Roger Corman.Ray Milland as Dr. James Xavier is a research scientist doing work inthe field of vision. Dr. Frankenstein only wanted to bring life backfrom the dead. Milland wants to improve vision so that we see with theeye of God. He develops a serum based on hormones and enzymes and you apply to theeyes. Milland sees things more clearly, but as was said in a film somethirty years after X, he can't handle the truth.After accidentally killing a colleague friend in Harold J. Stone,Milland goes underground still continuing his experiments and workingfirst at a carnival and then at a diagnostic/healer under the tutelageof Don Rickles. All the while colleague Diana Van Der Vlis is lookingfor him because guilty or not of the homicide of their friend Stone,Van Der Vlis believes in Milland and his work.The climax of this film which takes place in a tent revival meeting isa sudden death one and unforgettable. Let's just say there are no goodchoices or fates left for Milland. And he's been given a clarity farbeyond what any of these people in that tent can comprehend.Don Rickles will surprise many with his performance as this bottomfeeding carnival hustler at how good he is. Actually he's not wrong inwhat he sees as a practical solution for all concerned, hiding Millandfrom the authorities, making money, and allowing him to continue hisresearch. But no proper doctor wants a partner like Rickles. It's likeColin Clive teaming up with Dwight Frye. Also in a small role at theend of the film is John Dierkes as the small time evangelist with thetent show. He's also quite good.X does ask some interesting questions, much like the originalFrankenstein movie. This film really deserves a remake.

ishiidobie-1

(2012-03-25 11:02:17)

on the debated 'alternate' ending

Quite a well done film and a good running time. More would have beenless. My only gripe about the existing prints/DVD/What have you is thatthe ending is typically truncated. Perhaps the entire "is there a lineof dialog cut or isn't there" debate can be settled once and forall...there is an extra line of dialog. Why Roger Corman can't rememberis beyond me, but we ARE talking about a film he shot decades ago. Ihad this on VHS back in the 80's and yes, just before the abrupt cut tothe closing credits the scene starts to fade out and we see RayMilland's eye sockets glowing on the screen amidst the darkness and wehear him say (i'm paraphrasing as I'm not 100% good on decades oldmemories either) 'but I can still see!'. I can only guess someone,somewhere, some when decided it would negate the entire 'religious'closure to the film and it would play better with him fulfilling theBiblical verse...it doesn't (IMO) and should have been left in. Whyit's not included on the DVD is also beyond me, it would make for abetter ending what with the whole 'it's fruitless to meddle in thingswhich you shouldn't' theme of the story. Oh well. Perhaps for the 50thanniversary edition someone will suddenly 'discover' the extra 10seconds of footage and splice them back on. Until then, this gets 7 outof 10 instead of the 8 out of 10 it deserves.

Ravenus

(2012-03-19 01:33:51)

Awesome SF flick

X - The Man with the X-Ray Eyes - Roger Corman (1963)[FULL REVIEW - LIKELY SPOILERS]To be sincere I didn't so much expect it to be but this was one AWESOMEmovie. Written by Ray Russell, the story centers upon the brilliant ifobsessive scientist James Xavier (Ray Milland)who is intent onexpanding the range of human vision with his wonder drug 'X'. Theextent of James' obsession is revealed in a conversation with hisfriend Sam. Sam: "Only the gods see everything" James: "My friend, I'm closing inon the gods" James' formula works, giving him the ability to see through people'sclothing, their skin and even beyond. But disaster erupts when acynical committee withdraws his funding and he is returned to routineclinical practice. A heated argument with a colleague over theoperating table gives way to a freak mishap in which he causes thedeath of his friend and our brilliant researcher becomes a man on therun. He spends his time in hiding as a cheap carnival act, only unlikethe others, his talent is no sleight of hand, no trick. Found out byhis agent Crane (a brilliant, palpably sleazy turn by Don Rickles), heis arm-twisted into becoming a 'healer' for money.All this while, his eyesight grows painfully more intense, perceivingradiations beyond the pale of the visible spectrum. In place ofunaffordable fancy effects (and perhaps all for the better, although itis interesting to fantasize about a more technically accomplishedversion that would retain the soul of the original movie) the storyuses gripping and evocative dialog to convey the frightening distortionof Xavier's vision.Throughout the narrative there is an air of tragedy and horror. Thelead character, thanks to Russell's writing and Milland's performance,has been etched out so well, you empathize at each moment with whathe's going through.The climax is a shocking literal interpretation of the biblical command"If thine eye offends thee, pluck it out"

(2012-03-18 07:53:43)

Entertaining 1960s-era Allegory a la Roger Corman

If you take X: THE MAN WITH X-RAY EYES literally, you probably won't like it. Scientific implausibility, a melodramatic plot, and histrionics from some minor players will turn off viewers who don't have the ability to see beyond the reflective surface of a movie script. However, if you're the kind of viewer who loves to ride through a film looking for hidden messages, director Roger Corman takes you on one hell of a trip.Disguised as a low-budget sci-fi thriller about a medical doctor who discovers the secret to x-ray vision and consequently spirals into madness, X: THE MAN WITH X-RAY EYES is really a social allegory with two possible interpretations. First, it is a comment on how an ethically and morally unfettered quest for knowledge can lead to personal and professional damnation. And secondly, it is a warning about how irresponsible drug use--even in the quest for knowledge or self-enlightenment--is ultimately self-destructive. (In the commentary that is provided as one of the bonus features on the DVD version, Corman reveals that his original concept for this film did not revolve around a medical doctor involved in risky research, but instead centered on a jazz musician who develops x-ray vision via the use of illicit drugs.)The acting in this film is quite adequate. Ray Milland turns in a very affecting performance as Dr. James Xavier, a medical researcher obsessed with learning how to chemically enhance the range of human vision (both optical vision and intellectual vision). At times his acting is reminiscent of Colin Clive's in 1931's FRANKENSTEIN--which is interesting since the main plot device in both movies is a medically and scientifically improbable procedure that ultimately becomes the springboard for social allegory--and he is able to evoke that same sort of pathos that makes the audience care about a character in spite of the character's culpability for his own fate. Diana Van der Vlis also does a nice job portraying Dr. Diane Fairfax, Xavier's associate and implied love interest, and caustic comedian Don Rickles gives an interesting, though at times histrionic, performance as a carnie. Some of the minor players aren't as strong, but in some ways this only adds to the sublime surrealism of the film.The special effects are, as in many Corman productions from the 1960s, obviously low-budget, but they serve their purpose adequately enough. Besides, flashy FX would only be an upstaging nuisance anyway, as the real star of this show is the allegorical subtext. Roger Corman is a legendary director because he knows how to overcome obstacles such as a lack of funds and still shoot an engaging picture. And the master doesn't let down his league of horror fans, either, delivering an ending that is both gruesomely shocking and a bit gory. (In the DVD's bonus commentary, Corman calls the ending "low-budget Greek tragedy").Admittedly, parts of X: THE MAN WITH X-RAY EYES are dated. But these are limited mainly to incidental details such as clothing and hairstyles. If you want to watch a riveting horror movie that has been artfully and lovingly crafted, you usually can't go wrong with one of the classic Roger Corman flicks. And this film is a case in point.

(2012-03-18 03:41:54)

Dr. Xavier -- The Original "X" Man!

This review is from: X - The Man With The X-Ray Eyes (DVD) Ray Milland stars in one of my favorite Corman films of all time. Sci-Fi? Horror? A low budget Greek tragedy? Corman says whatever it is, he hopes you enjoyed it and I know I did. Ray plays James Xavier, who is not satisfied with just being able to see, but wants to see everything across the light spectrum.He experiments on a monkey. It dies. Well, he's just a monkey, I won't die. Gives himself the high potency eye drops and then all heck breaks loose. The film has fun with a few things you can do with this special power, including seeing through women's clothing (we see a few naked backs and shoulders) and talk about that. He even saves a little girl's life through a surgery that a different doctor gives a wrong diagnosis for. Despite saving the girl's life, the head surgeon wants him sued for malpractice. Oops!As he continues his experiments against the advice of others, the Board cuts off his money. Well Xavier says the heck with that and as he argues with his friend, he accidentally knocks his friend through the weakest glass window you've ever seen and falls to his death.Oops!To avoid the cops and lay low while he gets some money, he makes like a mind reader at a carnival show. Don Rickles shows up and gets a racket going where James can see through people and tell them what's ailing them. He escapes that and goes to Las Vegas and can't help but get a little greedy. He then stumbles into an Evangelical tent and, well -- quite the shocker ending!What would you do if you could see through anything? Highly recommended. DVD includes a feature that discusses Man's senses and how the sense of sight is the most prized. Trailer and a fun audio commentary by Roger Corman himself as to the low production values and what he had to go through to make this picture. He said American International gave him a lot of freedom as long as the pictures made money. Ray Milland mentioned that of all the films Ray was proud of, they were his award winning "The Lost Weekend" and "X". Other Films of Interest:The Lost WeekendMr. Warmth: The Don Rickles ProjectPresenting Roger Corman's ... Best of the B*s Collection 1: Hot Bikes, Cool Cars & Bad Babes

Jeffrey Talbot

(2012-03-17 14:40:18)

Superlative, brilliant, thoroughly engrossing sci-fi tragedywhich stands as Roger Corman's best and most impressive effort in thisfield.

Science fiction which questions the very nature of existence itself isprobably the most fascinating basis for a story idea addressed. Prior toX:THE MAN WITH THE X-RAY EYES the only other film to explore this theme wasJack Arnold's profound THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN (1957) and both oftheseground-breaking films paved the way for later endeavours like StanleyKubrick's experimental 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY (1968).X: THE MAN WITH THE X-RAY EYES was released theatrically on September1963.On network television at this time were two important sci-fi/fantasyseriesnamely Rod Serling's THE TWILIGHT ZONE and Joseph Stefano's THE OUTERLIMITS. This Roger Corman work is very much the same school of sciencefiction as both of these series which places greater emphasis on strongwriting, provocative drama, outstanding performances and ensemble castingasthe main foundation for storytelling and focus for viewerinterest.Ray Milland as Dr. James Xavier sets the film's premise by noting that thehuman eye is only sensitive to one-tenth the spectrum of light and whatwould be seen if human vision developed enough to perceive the fullspectrum. Unfortunately as his range of vision increases more and morehissensibilities prove inadequate to cope with the indefinable apparitionswhich he beholds and his radically changing perception of the physicalworldaround him. The most significant and telling moment occurs when Dr.Xavierhiding out from the law in a tenement basement apartment (for theaccidentalmurder of a colleague) peers upward with his super-vision penetratingthrough the ceiling of his room and sees beyond the night sky, past thestarry heavens and beholds the very center of existence itself causing theawe-struck researcher to cry out in anguished torment.Later with the authorities in hot pursuit, Dr. Xavier enters the tent of aroad-show religious bible meeting and movingly tells the incredulousthronggathered within about what he has witnessed evocatively describing thevision as a "great eye" at the core of the universe which sees and watchesus all.The nihilistic ending of the film involves Dr. Xavier plucking-out hiseyeballs (now no longer recognizable as eyes) at the impassioned urgence ofafanatical evangelist and his congregation with the image of Xavier'scountenance freeze-framing to disclose his empty blood-red eye socketsthenabruptly fading out to black (followed by the closing credits). This wouldseem to reaffirm the timeworn homily that there are some things man was notmeant to know (or tamper with) and many critics and theatre goersunderstandably found this conclusion somewhat discordant and incongruouswith the ideas and events which had preceded it. However thisrestructuredending was mandated at the insistence of the studio heads and is not thefinale that was initially filmed. The original conclusion as intended hadDr. Xavier plucking out his eyeballs and looking around in confusion hecries out, "I can still see!" which sheds a different light for not onlyhadhis expansive vision enabled Xavier to observe the infinite but hisheightened perception has now evolved beyond the need of mere eyes forsight.X: THE MAN WITH THE X-RAY EYES was the third of three interesting worksproduced by American International Pictures (over a two year period) whichstarred Ray Milland. The other two films were Roger Corman's THEPREMATUREBURIAL (1962) and PANIC IN YEAR ZERO (1962) which Mr. Milland bothdirectedand starred in. Not surprisingly Mr. Milland gives an exceptionalperformance as the ill-fated Dr. Xavier and his distinguished name andconsiderable Thespian expertise certainly gives this film much prestigeandimpact. Ray Milland is ably supported by a fine supporting cast oftalentedprofessionals including Diana Van Der Vliss, Harold J. Stone, John Hoyt,DonRickles (in a marvelous straight character role), John Dierkes and a briefappearance by sci-fi film veteran Morris Ankrum (as a hospital boardmember).Mention must also be made of Les Baxter's hauntingly atmospheric andunusualmusic score (particularly memorable is this compelling composition'swailingsiren-like quality) which ranks among his best. Mr. Baxter is primarilyknown for his musical contributions to the early editions of RogerCorman'sPoe series of horror films, AIP's Beach Party movies and other AIP hitssuchas William Witney's MASTER OF THE WORLD (1961) and Jacques Tourneur's THECOMEDY OF TERRORS (1964).X: THE MAN WITH THE X-RAY EYES is certainly one of the most importantfilmsin the catalogue of both Roger Corman and American International Picturesand marked Corman's welcome return to the sci-fi genre which he hadabandoned since the late 1950's. At this point in time Roger Corman wasriding the crest of considerable artistic and commerical triumph (thanksmainly to his renowned Edgar Allan Poe film series) and X: THE MAN WITHTHEX-RAY EYES came in a lush period of inspiration and creativity where thisauteur director seemly could do no wrong.

Brian T. Whitlock

(2012-03-13 05:19:14)

With this power, I rule!

What I can say about this movie. It makes those X-ray glasses obsolete!Corny it may see... Did I just say, SEE? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! Thisdoctor can easily make a fortune with this power he has. Only constantmisuse can be hazardous. This would probably make Superman jealous,with such power like that, it would turn the most decent man into atotal pervert.The power he uses can easily prevent a serious malpractice suit, but itcan also cause a uproar among colleagues. Which I think is too bad forthem. At the party scene, he noticed the mole this woman she has. Ithink he would definitely had a hard time, than a good time because ofhis see-through power. I don't blame him though. I think this movie is somewhat a kind of a bad influence to young kids.I think they should stick to the x-ray glasses. If they ever try tomake that x-ray eyes formula, they will either blind themselves, orsuffer great hallucinations.

ma-cortes

(2012-03-12 13:17:04)

Classic Roger Corman picture with disturbing images and slick direction

Dr Xavier (Ray Milland) thirst of knowledge experiments with a formulaon his owns eyes which will allow to see through solid material. As hecan read a closed book , making diagnosis ills , and seeing nakedpeople. He can literally observe through things , watching beyond ofvisible lights and turning into a rarefied figure as mad doctor. Thenthe staff intends to cut off his funds for further research . But anaccident takes place , dieing a medic (Harlod J Stone), as he flees andthe newspapers publicize , as the Angeles Daily Sun : ¨Doctor falls todeath¨, ¨Physician murdered¨ and the Angeles Chronicle : ¨Doctor killerflees¨. Later on , Xavier wearing dark glasses works at a sideshow(ruled by Don Rickles) as fortune teller and finally as psychicconsultant. Such increased powers of perception and knowledge bring himneither happiness nor strengthening but transform him an outcast,unsettling person.A stylish and first-rate film , confidently realized and plenty ofeye-popping moments referred to the visions. The basic oppositionbetween blindness and vision is a central key of this interesting work.Good performances from Ray Milland as doctor who gains power to seebeyond, Harold J Stone as unfortunate medic who accidentally falls andDon Rickles as ambitious manager . Appears uncredited notorioussecondary cast as Morris Ankrum, John Hoyt, and John Dierkes aspreacher. Furthermore unbilled actors of the Corman factory as DickMiller and Jonathan Haze. It packs not withstanding and weak specialeffects made by date means. Rare musical score by Lex Baxter andcolorful cinematography by Floyd Crosby, booth of whom are habitual ofRoger Corman.After his period realizing poverty-budget horror movies as ¨Swampwoman, The beast with a million of eyes, Attack of the crab monsters ,Undead¨, then came the cycle of tales of terror based on Poe as ¨ Houseof Usher, Pit and pendulum, The raven , Tales of terror, The masque ofthe red death ¨ , and Corman made this undisputed masterpiece , X ,that won the Golden Asteroid in the Trieste Festival of Science FictionFilms in 1963. Rating : Above average, definitively wholesome watching, Corman's achievement to have bent the Sci-Fi genre with splendidresults.

WalletGuy

(2012-03-08 06:35:05)

"If thine eye offends thee... pluck it out!"

A friend of mine who is a big Roger Corman fan recommended to me that Iwatch X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes (1963). Starring Ray Milland as adoctor who gave himself x-ray vision, this was actually only the secondCorman movie I had ever seen. While I obviously still need to see a lotmore Corman movies, this is so far the one I consider to be his best.The acting is perfect for the tone and there is some nice directing. Myfavorite scene had to be the dance party in which Dr. Xavier seeseveryone naked thanks to his x-ray vision! It was fun to see somefamiliar faces (Harold J. Stone, John Hoyt, and Don Rickles) whoappeared on my all-time favorite TV show, The Twilight Zone. "If thineeye offends thee... pluck it out!"

Lee Eisenberg

(2012-03-07 17:57:19)

now see here...

In 1963, Roger Corman directed four, that's right, four movies: "TheRaven", "The Terror" (both featuring a young Jack Nicholson), "TheHaunted Palace" and "X". The last one, often called "The Man with theX-Ray Eyes", casts Ray Milland as a scientist who develops a substancethat gives him X-ray vision...with disastrous consequences.The movie is mostly what one would expect in a Roger Corman flick. Aparticularly neat scene is when he's at the party and can see througheveryone's clothes! The ending is actually a little grimmer than whatI'm used to in Corman's movies, but it's probably the only thing thatDr. Xavier could given his experiences.No, it's not my favorite Corman movie (that's either "The Pit and thePendulum" or "The Raven"), but still pretty entertaining. Also starringDiana Van der Vlis, Harold J. Stone, John Hoyt, Don Rickles (in a rarenon-comedic role) and Corman regular Dick Miller (who now appears inJoe Dante's movies).