ALL SCI-FI

[Bud Brewster]

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In one of his best-remembered roles, Ray Milland plays a scientist who experiments with eyedrops intended to make his eyes receptive to light waves outside the normal range of sight.

They work -- but Ray's mental condition suffers as a result. He becomes obsessed with the idea of increasing the drop's effects. After giving himself repeated doses, his vision develops far beyond his initial ability to see through clothes (in a party scene played mostly for laughs), and later to see through skin and organs (making it possible for him to diagnose internal ailments simply by looking at people).

After he accidentally kills a colleague, Ray must hide out in a carnival, posing as a mind reader. His superhuman eyesight (and the appearance of his strange black eyes) increases as he continues using the drops, and his mental stability worsens until it brings about the movie's gruesome climax.

Roger Corman was the producer-director, and Ray Milland co-authored the screenplay.

The comic book released to promote the movie actually tells the story better than the movie.

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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[orzel-w]

I thought this was one of the better sci-fi B-movies from that era. I only saw it on TV, so I might have missed some editing for broadcast. But the story was something different from the usual fare, and handled effectively.
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...or not...

WayneO
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[scotpens]

Watch for insult comic Don Rickles as the sleazy carnival owner. He was always great at playing slimeballs.

[orzel-w]

I see on Amazon that a Blu-ray and I guess a new DVD edition are being released next month.
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...or not...

WayneO
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[Bud Brewster]

I read the comic book when the movie came out, but I didn't see them movie until years later, on TV.

The comic book was so good it spoiled the move for me.

It was easy to visualize great special effects while looking at the illustrations. When I finally saw the movie, it was a big let down. The special effects needed to tell this story well required a large budget and very talented people.

This movie seems to have neither of those.
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[orzel-w]

I'll repeat the advice I give everybody: Never read the book before seeing the movie.
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...or not...

WayneO
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[MetroPolly]

Personally, I tend to have more fun reading the book (or comic book) before, after or even in place of the movie.

BTW, per chance, would you know where I can get that one??

[Gord Green]

The book comes up occasionaly on Ebay for not too much money, so check it out.

[Maurice]

[scotpens]

[Gord Green]

Don't forget Ray also appeared in the pilot movie for BATTLESTAR GALACTICA!

[Bud Brewster]

[Krel]

As a child, I remember going to the show to see a movie, I don't remember the name, but I do remember that creepy poster.

Ray Milland is reported to have been a science fiction fan.

In 1975 Ray Milland was in a TV horror movie, "The Dead Don't Die". It was the first production where Ray Milland didn't wear his toupee. In an interview R.M. said that he had been trying to get rid of the toupee for years, but they wouldn't let him. Now that it's off, it's never going back on!

David.

[Bud Brewster]

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Thinking Outside the "Plot"!
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The saving grace of this low-budget movie with unimpressive FX is the way Ray Milland gets this strange power . . . but can't turn it off!

Furthermore, it gets stronger and stronger until the wacky and unsatisfying ending — which, in the comic book version, is the suggestion that he suddenly sees God . . . somewhere out in space!

~ A Question for the Members: If Ray hadn't over-used the serum and gone nuts at the end causing him to tear his own eyes out, what sort of ability would he have acquired?

~ My Theory: Suppose Ray had made his discover known to the scientific community and allowed them conduct a proper regiment of of research and development.

The result might have been a serum which allowed people to safely acquire the "x-ray eyes" and control it — perhaps by making the effects temporary.

Of the many uses such an ability would have, doctors would be able to do what Ray did in the comic and the movie — actually see medical conditions within a patients body much better than with actual X-ray images.

I'm sure there are many other examples of how the ability would be put to use, and I hope some of you guys will offer your own suggestions.
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Bogmeister]

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_ X: THE MAN WITH THE X-RAY EYES (1963) Trailer


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Ray Milland stars as a scientist who is dissatisfied with the amount of spectrum that the human eye can see. According to him, we humans can see only 10% of what exists in the universe.

Driven by his obsessive curiosity, he develops a formula for eye drops which expand the capabilities of human eyes.

The film begins with a lengthy holding shot of a bloody eye, holding almost a minute, giving us the impression that were in for some cheesy stuff. The title is simply "X" not "The Man With the X-Ray Eyes."

But most of the film is like a scientific exploration — of course, it involves radical, outlandish theories, but it's like watching a scientist steadily accruing knowledge as the film proceeds. We see his point of view as his eyes become more and more advanced — at first simple stuff like seeing through clothes and paper, but then psychedelic representations of things that man was possibly not meant to know.

Roger Corman himself was not satisfied with the FX, but for its time it was well done. Milland's character shows himself to be impatient and impulsive with the very first test (aided by his optics doctor buddy, played by Harold J. Stone).

After the first drops are placed in his eyes and he can see through things, he can't wait another minute to place more drops in his eyes. This informs the theme for the rest of the film — trying to get knowledge too quickly and paying the price.

This was a fairly provocative story from writers Robert Dillon, Ray Russell, and producer-director Roger Corman, known mainly for exploitation.

[size=22]X-Trivia: This won for best film — the Silver Spaceship — at the First International Festival of Science Fiction Films at Trieste in 1963. Milland's character is named Dr. Xavier, just like that of Professor X in the X-Men films and comic books.

Star Trek TOS Actor Alert: John Hoyt co-stars as a doctor; about a year later, he acted as the doctor in the first Star Trek pilot, The Cage.

BoG's Score: 7 out of 10


BoG
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