X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes (1963)

A doctor uses special eye drops to give himself x-ray vision, but the new power has disastrous consequences.

Director:

Roger Corman

Writers:

Robert Dillon (screenplay), Ray Russell (screenplay)

Stars:

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

2 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Ray Milland	...	Dr. James Xavier
Diana Van der Vlis	...	Dr. Diane Fairfax (as Diana van der Vlis)
Harold J. Stone	...	Dr. Sam Brant
John Hoyt	...	Dr. Willard Benson
Don Rickles	...	Crane

Storyline

Dr. James Xavier is a world renowned scientist experimenting with human eyesight. He devises a drug, that when applied to the eyes, enables the user to see beyond the normal realm of our sight (ultraviolet rays etc.) it also gives the user the power to see through objects. Xavier tests this drug on himself, when his funding is cut off. As he continues to test the drug on himself, Xavier begins to see, not only through walls and clothes, but through the very fabric of reality!

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Plot Keywords:

x ray vision | b movie | h.p. lovecraft | mad scientist | blackjack game | 

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Taglines:

HE STRIPPED SOULS AS BARE AS BODIES!

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Genres:

Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 April 1965 (Sweden)

Also Known As:

X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes

Filming Locations:

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$250,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Alta Vista Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

79 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Pathécolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Working title: "X"

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Goofs

When in the party, Dr. Xavier sees everybody naked, through their clothes, curtains and table cloths are shown. If he can see through clothes, the table should be "naked".

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Quotes

Dr. Diane Fairfax: What do you see?
Dr. James Xavier: The city... as if it were unborn. Rising into the sky with fingers of metal, limbs without flesh, girders without stone. Signs hanging without support. Wires dipping and swaying without poles. A city unborn. Flesh dissolved in an acid of light. A city of the dead.

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Alternate Versions

Through an apparent lab error, some of the 16mm U.S. television syndication prints had the ending credits in Spanish.

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Connections

Featured in TJ and the All Night Theatre: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes + the X from Outer Space (1981)

User Reviews

Do You See What I See?

A very thoughtful, engrossing, flawed film from superhuman director/producer Roger Corman. Yep, it has some problems, most primarily dealing with a limited budget. But what it lacks in dollars it has in heart and its ability to make you think about what we are missing out seeing with our vision. I am not sure that much, or even any, scientific creedence can be given to the idea behind the experiments of Dr. Xavier James and his search to see beyond what normal vision allows. Ray Milland gives a fine performance as the obsessed man out to continue his experiments even if they involve using himself as the human guinea pig. Some of the scenes and dialogue are a bit hokey by today's standards but most fit the film very nicely. The scene with Milland at a party is a real hoot and great comedic relief. I also loved the end to the film but thought it could have been plucked out a little longer. The effects are very sparse and the only ones I really thought were any good were the ones used to highlight Milland's eyes through the film. The film boasts a fine cast of stalwart sci-fi/Corman people such as Morris Ankrum, Dick Miller, Jonathan Haze, and Barboura Morris, as well as a young(and obviously talented) Don Rickles. Definitely try to see your way to seeing this film.