While many reviewers point out that the movie is not "all that scary", it does convey terror. Especially if you put yourself in the shoes of "Kemp", the old friend of the invisible man, the psychological horror is all there, like in a Hitchcock movie.
When we see this movie, and others in its generation, we are impressed with how short it is, a product of the days when there were two movies, a cartoon and news releases at the theater. The movie makers had to tell their story in a hurry. Which is why things seem to progress a little too rapidly and they get the invisible man where they want him, it seems, just to end the movie on time.
Another point (also true of many movies of the era) which may be welcome by some viewers, is the lack of some kind of deeper "message" which movie-goers seem to seek more these days. A man turns invisible. He's evil (but good at heart). The country turns to a panic. He kills people. They get him, and he dies. The End. As a modern movie- goer, I didn't believe that they would get him so soon in the barn, and then the movie was over five minutes later!
Adding the empty feeling is the presence of a pointless heroine whose only expression is sorrow and moaning. I'm glad she got a reprise in the "Titanic". She really was a good actress!
Otherwise, it is reasonably good viewing, and I kind of LIKED the shrieky old lady with her cockney accent.
When we see this movie, and others in its generation, we are impressed with how short it is, a product of the days when there were two movies, a cartoon and news releases at the theater. The movie makers had to tell their story in a hurry. Which is why things seem to progress a little too rapidly and they get the invisible man where they want him, it seems, just to end the movie on time.
Another point (also true of many movies of the era) which may be welcome by some viewers, is the lack of some kind of deeper "message" which movie-goers seem to seek more these days. A man turns invisible. He's evil (but good at heart). The country turns to a panic. He kills people. They get him, and he dies. The End. As a modern movie- goer, I didn't believe that they would get him so soon in the barn, and then the movie was over five minutes later!
Adding the empty feeling is the presence of a pointless heroine whose only expression is sorrow and moaning. I'm glad she got a reprise in the "Titanic". She really was a good actress!
Otherwise, it is reasonably good viewing, and I kind of LIKED the shrieky old lady with her cockney accent.