Editorials
The Invisible Man Laid the Groundwork for Truly Evil Movie Villains
Some (invisible) men just want to watch the world burn.
With the 1923 release of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Universal Studios began its reign as the leading purveyor of horror cinema, soon thereafter introducing a roster of movie monsters that will forever be the most iconic of all time. Some of the characters were wholly original creations while others were based on earlier literature, but there’s no denying that none of them would exist, as we know them today, if not for Universal bringing them to life on the silver screen. The Universal Monsters, it goes without saying, paved the way for all horror movie monsters we’ve seen since.
If there’s any commonality that links the majority of the Universal Monsters it’s that they are, at the end of the day, tragic figures. Quasimodo, the Phantom, Imhotep, Frankenstein’s monster, the Creature, and Larry Talbot can all be considered reluctant monsters, and one could argue that even Dracula, though decidedly more sinister than the others, does what he does because he has to do it in order to survive. Universal’s monsters were often cursed by forces beyond their control, their terrifying outward appearances masking the sadness and sympathetic humanity that lie just underneath the scary exteriors.
But not all of the Universal Monsters were created equal.
After helming Frankenstein and before giving it a sequel with The Bride of Frankenstein, director James Whale introduced The Invisible Man in 1933, based on H.G. Wells’ same-named novel from decades prior. The oddball horror-comedy, most notable for its groundbreaking special effects, centers on Dr. Jack Griffin, a chemist whose dangerous experiments with a drug called monocane have resulted in him literally becoming invisible. Though he at first sets out to find a cure, he soon realizes that his newly-acquired superpower makes life a whole lot more enjoyable.
Being bad? Turns out it feels pretty damn good.
There’s of course something inherently tragic about an experiment going wrong and transforming an ordinary man into a mad monster, but when it comes to Jack Griffin, he’s not exactly a tragic figure. As portrayed by a then-unknown Claude Rains, the titular Invisible Man is a maniacal sociopath who relishes being evil and doing terrible things, laughing wildly as he derails a passenger train, pushes over a baby carriage, and just generally wreaks havoc on a world that he feels jilted by. He’s simultaneously the most human and most monstrous of the Universal Monsters, racking up the highest body count of them all and, unlike the others, thoroughly enjoying the “curse” he’s been saddled with.
“An invisible man can rule the world,” Griffin excitedly exclaims. “Nobody will see him come, nobody will see him go. He can hear every secret. He can rob, and rape, and kill!”
Thanks to Rains’ brilliantly unhinged performance, the invisible Jack Griffin is without question the most flamboyant monster in Universal’s stable, and watching the film today, it’s hard not to view the character as the prototype for a whole new breed of movie villain that came in the wake of Universal’s “golden age.” Cracking wise, singing, dancing, and deriving such a sick sense of pleasure from killing that you can’t help but be entertained by his particular brand of evil, the Invisible Man was the first monster to fully embrace being a monster, and it’s this character trait that made the 1933 film quite a few years ahead of its time.
Villains in modern cinema are often the most charismatic characters in their respective movies, and in that realm, the Invisible Man predates fan-favorite icons like Freddy Krueger and Captain Spaulding by so many years that their origins can at least be loosely traced back to the path Whale and Rains carved way back in the early ’30s. Even Heath Ledger’s portrayal of the Joker, as many fans have noted, seems to have been informed by the gleeful sense of killing-for-the-fun-of-it that made the Invisible Man such a different and unique villain in the Universal Monsters oeuvre.
At a time when movie monsters were reserved and downright reluctant to be, well, monsters, Jack Griffin’s comically over-the-top approach to villainy must’ve been a breath of fresh air when the film came out, and it feels right at home with today’s crop of wicked evil-doers. Whale broke the mold, and he did it in such a way that makes The Invisible Man a classic horror movie that feels surprisingly modern when watched in the present day, well over 80 years after its initial release.
If there’s one Universal monster movie that demands a revisit, it may be this one.
Editorials
‘The Vampire Lestat’ Concert Event Launches New Season With The Ultimate Expression Of Fandom
There are thousands of passionate fans decked out in gothic chic and champing at the bit like feral creatures. They’re screaming for Lestat, a legendary vampire-turned-rock star, as if the entire crowd has been glamored into submission.
The entire experience is magic, but not because some supernatural thrall has been activated. What’s going on is even more special. It’s the power of the effusive fandom that’s been authentically assembled by AMC’s sublime Immortal Universe, namely Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire, now, The Vampire Lestat.
The Vampire Lestat is far from the first Anne Rice adaptation, and it’s not as if there’s been a lack of erotic vampire material for audiences to sink their teeth into. On June 2nd, during a one-night-only spectacle, New York City’s prestigious Beacon Theatre shook from Sam Reid’s bravado performance and an audience full of adoring fans who had already memorized Lestat’s songs.
It’s clear that The Vampire Lestat just hits differently than its predecessors. It’s become more than just a TV series at this point, and this opulent display of ego, swagger, and pure sex is the perfect way to premiere the new season and give back to the fans who helped make Interview with the Vampire/The Vampire Lestat such a breakout success. It’s exactly the sort of hyperbolized hedonism that would make Lestat cackle.
For all intents and purposes, AMC has successfully created the illusion that this concert/premiere is just one of the many destinations on Lestat and his band’s 54-stop tour that is simultaneously playing out on this season of television. It’s such a sophisticated and thorough level of interactive fan engagement that the audience doesn’t just understand, but also manages to accentuate through its involvement.
It’s a level of seamless synergy that’s not unlike the give-and-take relationship of vampire and victim.
Before the concert started, “LeStans” were sitting in the Beacon and flipping through a fake Rolling Stone issue with Lestat emblazoned on the cover, complete with interviews with the undead frontman inside. Other fans were admiring the vinyl pressing of Lestat’s EP as they walked past a section of undead band merch. Fandom and fantasy blur together, and it all becomes this elaborate, immersive experience. Fan celebration, erotic gothic fantasy, and a lavish rock concert transform into one beautiful thing.
To this point, AMC Global Media’s Chief Content Officer and President of AMC Studios, Dan McDermott, introduced the event by reiterating to fans, “You are the heartbeat of the series.” That’s abundantly clear on nights like this as that heartbeat collectively pulses to this performance. In terms of how AMC engages with The Vampire Lestat’s fans, it’s as bold a reinvention as the season itself.
This intuitive gamble speaks to AMC’s creativity in this department and a fandom that is eager to seize such opportunities. It’s the same innovation that led to zombie walks for The Walking Dead and real-life Los Pollos Hermanos restaurant pop-ups from Breaking Bad. It’s a great way to pump up the audience for The Vampire Lestat and then maintain that enthusiasm for the whole season.
For most series, a rock ‘n’ roll concert just doesn’t make any sense as a promotional tool. The Vampire Lestat finds itself in a very unique position where it can deliver an excellent concert at an iconic theater, but also use it to showcase The Vampire Lestat’s music by Daniel Hart (who was shredding on stage alongside Reid and the rest of their band) and, more than anything, Sam Reid’s endless charisma.
The way in which Reid feeds off of the crowd’s energy, modulating his performance and giving different sections of the Beacon life, is a perfect distillation of the series’ thoughtful relationship with its audience and how it’s become such a breakout success for AMC. AMC Studios President Dan McDermott emphasized that the fans are the reason that the show is still here and why an event like this is even possible. It’s rare to see a series in which every single cog in the machine is so perfectly attuned to its fans. Reid’s fans already cheer whenever they see him, so why not translate that to a concert setting?
It’s clear in this season of television that Reid was born to be a rock star, but it’s surreal to see him effortlessly command the stage — and the audience — at every step of the concert. He recites Shakespeare monologues and bitches out Armand between songs, all while the audience screams in support. For the duration of this concert, Reid is Lestat, and he’s given thousands of fans a memory that’s as immortal as any vampire.
Now bring on the encore and get this show on the road!
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