Despite owning The Bela Lugosi Collection DVD from the day it came out, I honestly don't think I've seen this film before. If I have, I've forgotten almost everything about in the intervening years. As it is, it's a pretty fun sci-fi/horror hybrid. The movie has a fantastically Gothic opening, with a group of scientists, Bela Lugosi among them, gathering in an old castle on a dark and stormy night. Using his fancy telescope machine, Boris Karloff shows his audience the history of an asteroid hitting Earth, by reflecting rays off of Andromeda. (Is that possible? It doesn't seem possible.) It's hard to go wrong with Karloff narrating over a series of surreal, astral images. The gist of this really cool montage? There's a new element somewhere in the wilds of Africa.
In the first of two major location changes, the scientists pack and head for the jungle. After some moderately racist scenes of African natives, Karloff finds the asteroid and immediately turns this fantastic new element into a death ray. Also, he becomes poisoned with the new element's radiation, now glows in the dark and kill things with a touch. His fellow scientists basically run off with Karloff's discovery, though they still technically credit him. He's still pretty upset. Also, his much-younger wife is in love with another guy. That's a lot of set-up, isn't it? I thought so too. "The Invisible Ray" is a half-an-hour in before we finally get to the movie's main point. It's not exactly a problem, as the movie is actually well paced. But still, as far as revenge quest premise go, it's a bit convoluted. In the second location shift, the action heads to Paris and Karloff can get down to the business of killing those who have wrong him with his brand new radiation powers. Perhaps it wasn't the best idea to betray the guy who can kill with a touch.
The main pleasure of "The Invisible Ray" is seeing Karloff play an over-the-top villain. There's some excuse about the radiation affecting his sanity but even before then he seems a little obsessive. Having the great actor scream about "Thieves!" is sort of awesome. The second half is exciting enough and there are several nice touches. An eradicated hand-print appears on the skin of each victim. Karloff destroys one of six statues at a near-by church after claiming a victim. Lugosi discovers the identity of the killer with a especially ridiculous, but fun!, method. Bela does well in another nice guy part. The ending rolls around in an unexpected manner. "The Invisible Ray" maybe demands a little more from viewers as far as plot mechanics go but it's a satisfying thriller that drawls its audience in early and keeps their attention.
In the first of two major location changes, the scientists pack and head for the jungle. After some moderately racist scenes of African natives, Karloff finds the asteroid and immediately turns this fantastic new element into a death ray. Also, he becomes poisoned with the new element's radiation, now glows in the dark and kill things with a touch. His fellow scientists basically run off with Karloff's discovery, though they still technically credit him. He's still pretty upset. Also, his much-younger wife is in love with another guy. That's a lot of set-up, isn't it? I thought so too. "The Invisible Ray" is a half-an-hour in before we finally get to the movie's main point. It's not exactly a problem, as the movie is actually well paced. But still, as far as revenge quest premise go, it's a bit convoluted. In the second location shift, the action heads to Paris and Karloff can get down to the business of killing those who have wrong him with his brand new radiation powers. Perhaps it wasn't the best idea to betray the guy who can kill with a touch.
The main pleasure of "The Invisible Ray" is seeing Karloff play an over-the-top villain. There's some excuse about the radiation affecting his sanity but even before then he seems a little obsessive. Having the great actor scream about "Thieves!" is sort of awesome. The second half is exciting enough and there are several nice touches. An eradicated hand-print appears on the skin of each victim. Karloff destroys one of six statues at a near-by church after claiming a victim. Lugosi discovers the identity of the killer with a especially ridiculous, but fun!, method. Bela does well in another nice guy part. The ending rolls around in an unexpected manner. "The Invisible Ray" maybe demands a little more from viewers as far as plot mechanics go but it's a satisfying thriller that drawls its audience in early and keeps their attention.