The Invisible Man

In the 30's and 40's, Universal made a string of classic horror films, and this adaptation of the H.G. Welles story is among the best. Claude Raines gives a bold performance as the scientist who learns the secret to invisibility in that his performance is never seen, only heard and implied. An unfortunate side effect of the invisibility serum, though, is madness. Raines realizes that he could wield an almost mythical power with this gift. If there's one thing that these old horror films did wonderfully it isn't scares (because as the film Targets pointed out, this kind of horror is outdated, though fun), it's madness. The mad villains of these films are often frighteningly mad. James Whale directs with that perverse sense of humor that made his Bride of Frankenstein the highlight of the genre. The special effects are impressive, especially considering it was 1933 -- the scene in which he first pulls the bandages off of his face to reveal nothing underneath has a haunting intensity.