In a Nutshell. Mini reviews of movies old and new. No fuss. No spoilers. And often no sleep.

Sunday, 5 July 2015

X (1963)

aka X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes

What on paper probably seemed like it would be just another footnote on Roger Corman's CV was elevated to more memorable heights by the hiring of Ray Miland. Like a Hitchcockian lead he dominates the screen with a sense of obsessive and flawed nobility, pushing the narrative ever-deeper into the realm of avoidable consequence.
As Dr. James Xavier he discovers a serum that lets an individual see through objects. The fun times had peering through ladies clothes and underwear are contrasted by a darker side to the ability that looms large on the horizon, one that ironically can’t be seen until it’s too late.
A genuine classic of the genre, X deserves its place in the sci-fi pantheon.

3½ untravelled paths out of 5

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