“X” (1963)

“X” (1963)

Directed by: Roger Corman

Starring: Ray Milland, Diana Van der Vlis, Harold J. Stone

“X”is a neat little science fiction story from the 60’s, back when every time they came up with a new camera trick, Roger Corman would pound out a little flick that ground the effect into your eyeballs until you were just sick of it. And it’s too bad, too, because if they’d used the (admittedly not very good) effect a little less, this would be a fun movie to watch, and I wouldn’t have a headache by the time it was done.

A doctor (Milland) has developed an eyedrop that allows it’s user to see a wider scale of light, into the x-ray and gamma ray frequencies, even. In a completely wrong way of interpreting this, it allows him to see through things. At first it’s just pieces of paper or people’s clothes at a party, but as he keeps taking the formula (for no adequately explained reason), he starts being able to see through buildings and metal and things, and can’t even close his eyes because he sees right through his eyelids. His original intent was to use this power for surgery, being able to see exactly what’s wrong with a patient, but he makes a mistake, kills his best friend, and has to go into hiding, performing an act for a circus. Eventually everything catches up with him, all hell breaks loose, and he gets arrested in a church after he makes his ‘mad scientist repenting’ speech (everybody has to have at least one, it’s the law).

Like I said, the idea behind “X” is neat, and Ray Milland does a great job being the doctor tortured by his own gift. The effect they use for seeing through things at first is just little rings of light around the picture, but later on they just turn the whole screen bright blue and red, showing images of… stuff that you can’t make out. It makes you wonder how the guy can see anything at all, and they keep at it for long periods of time, pretty much making the last half hour unwatchable, unfortunately.

The biggest thing I don’t get about “X” was why the doctor kept using the eyedrops. He said that they had a cumulative effect, so the more he used, the more powerful his see-through-vision became. But by the first plot point he was in pain from seeing too much light and had to keep his eyes closed and wear sunglasses all the time or be overpowered by light. So… he kept using the eyedrops. Which makes no sense at all, really. Other than that, this was a good story, I thought.

I have this nasty feeling at the bottom of my stomach that “X” is one of those old movies that might get remade now, in this age of taking neat ideas with primitive special effects and turning them into gigantic movies with bad CGI special effects and no plot. I hope that doesn’t happen, despite the fact that this movie could’ve been made better with better effects. Mostly I just want the remakes to stop. Let’s make new movies instead, what do you say, Hollywood?