L'uomo dagli occhi a raggi X

This is one of my favorite Roger Corman flicks. Brisk pace and many surprises. Don Rickles as a ruthless carny exploiteer is one of them. Milland wears more and more ridiculous sunglasses as the movie progresses.

Seriously, this is one of Don Rickles' best performances -- it shows that he could have gone in a totally different direction than he followed for most of his career (as an "insult comedian") if he had wanted to. I imagine that his appearance in the film had something to do with his contract with AIP, but I still think it's a bit of VERY inspired casting (regardless of the financial reasons that may have been behind it).

Milland is also excellent in the type of role that suits him to a T... he gets to be kind of a Dr. Frankenstein here, convinced he's doing good for humanity but making himself into a monster in the process.

A memorable story with a meaning.

RELEASED IN 1963 and directed by Roger Corman, "X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes" chronicles events in Los Angeles when a doctor (Ray Milland) develops a formula that grants x-ray vision, which derails his career and forces him to join a carnival, using his new power to make a living. Diana Van der Vlis plays his disciple while Don Rickles is on hand as a carnival barker.

The early 60's vibe is to die for, but the beginning is rather dull. Things perk up at an adult party where the aging doctor tries to keep hip and eventually sees everyone nakkid (lol). The carnival sequence and what it leads into are arguably the best parts, although the Vegas and tent revival episodes have their attractions. The movie scores meh on the female front, but Lorrie Summers and Cathie Merchant have small parts.

THE MOVIE RUNS 1 hour 19 minutes and was shot in Los Angeles, California & Las Vegas, Nevada. WRITERS: Robert Dillon and Ray Russell. ADDITIONAL CAST: Harold J. Stone and John Hoyt play colleagues of the doctor.

GRADE: B-

I just (finally) saw this film a few days ago, after years of hearing about it. The screening was the final show of a three-day SF/horror film festival. After three days of films, most people were feeling a bit loopy and ready for some light entertainment. As X opened, quite a few members of the audience started treating it as an episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000, shouting out their own (generally lame) joke comments in response to the film. I was annoyed, because I'd been looking forward to this film all weekend (although, in their defense, certain lines have become unintentionally loaded in the comparatively sexually liberated 21st century).

What I found fascinating was that, by 15 minutes into the movie, all the commentary stopped. Once the film moved beyond the talky opening scenes and stilted dialog, once the story really got going, everyone was drawn into it. They actually paid attention to the movie instead of each other.

As SF cinema goes, this is definitely one of the more entertaining, thoughtful, and intelligent examples (and intelligent SF film is a dying genre). This one goes well beyond the standard mad scientist formula.

... in that a doctor makes a great discovery -in this case a formula that allows people to "see through" objects, starts out trying to do good, becomes his own guinea pig, becomes obsessed, becomes bitter because others do not see the importance of his discovery, and in the end just makes a bunch of stupid decisions. Oh, and the formula is cumulative and yet the doctor keeps taking it!

This film would be completely unmemorable without Ray Milland as the title character - Dr. Xavier. Like with his other horror films, independent producer/director Roger Corman smartly uses a lead from the golden age of Hollywood - in this case Milland - and builds a simple story that still strikes at the essence of fear in human beings.

There are a quite a few goofy and outright dumb things going on.When Xavier goes on the run because of a tragic accident, he ... decides to work as a "seer" in a carnival?? Isn't that one of the first places the police might come looking for him? In his quest for money to look for a "cure" for his situation, he decides to go to Vegas. And win a bunch of money in just one casino. And get a loud and obnoxious attitude about it. Maybe the most tragic thing about Xavier's situation is that he is inflicted with the company of Don Rickles during the mid part of the film.

The one fun and light hearted moment of the film is when Xavier is invited to a swinging 60s party and because of his unique condition sees naked people everywhere. Roger Corman will need to wait a few more years into the 60s before he can feature actual naked people. But I digress.

The special effects are laughable in the 21st century, but Milland's distinguished and empathetic presence makes this work. And it goes after the question - If you can see through EVERYTHING, what exactly DO you see?

Dr Xavier (Ray Milland) thirst of knowledge experiments with a formula on his owns eyes which will allow to see through solid material. As he can read a closed book , making diagnosis ills , and seeing naked people. He can literally observe through things , watching beyond of visible lights and turning into a rarefied figure as mad doctor. Then the staff intends to cut off his funds for further research . But an accident takes place , dieing a medic (Harlod J Stone), as he flees and the newspapers publicize , as the Angeles Daily Sun : ¨Doctor falls to death¨, ¨Physician murdered¨ and the Angeles Chronicle : ¨Doctor killer flees¨. Later on , Xavier wearing dark glasses works at a sideshow (ruled by Don Rickles) as fortune teller and finally as psychic consultant. Such increased powers of perception and knowledge bring him neither happiness nor strengthening but transform him an outcast, unsettling person.

A stylish and first-rate film , confidently realized and plenty of eye-popping moments referred to the visions. The basic opposition between blindness and vision is a central key of this interesting work. Good performances from Ray Milland as doctor who gains power to see beyond, Harold J Stone as unfortunate medic who accidentally falls and Don Rickles as ambitious manager . Appears uncredited notorious secondary cast as Morris Ankrum, John Hoyt, and John Dierkes as preacher. Furthermore unbilled actors of the Corman factory as Dick Miller and Jonathan Haze. It packs not withstanding and weak special effects made by date means. Rare musical score by Lex Baxter and colorful cinematography by Floyd Crosby, booth of whom are habitual of Roger Corman.

After his period realizing poverty-budget horror movies as ¨Swamp woman, 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 ¨ House of Usher, Pit and pendulum, The raven , Tales of terror, The masque of the red death ¨ , and Corman made this undisputed masterpiece , X , that won the Golden Asteroid in the Trieste Festival of Science Fiction Films in 1963. Rating : Above average, definitively wholesome watching , Corman's achievement to have bent the Sci-Fi genre with splendid results.