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X - The Man with the X-Ray Eyes |  | Director: Roger Corman
Actors: Ray Milland, Diana Van der Vlis, Harold J. Stone, John Hoyt, Don Rickles
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Category: DVD
List Price: $17.98
Buy New: $3.47
as of 2/9/2010 15:30 EST details
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New (31) Used (24) Collectible (1) from $2.99
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Rating:  30 reviews
Sales Rank: 44940
Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Languages: English (Original Language), Spanish (Subtitled), French (Subtitled)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 79 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
ISBN: 0792850076
UPC: 027616862648
EAN: 9780792850076
ASIN: B00005AUK1
Theatrical Release Date: September 18, 1963
Release Date: June 5, 2001
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
"Only the gods see everything," cautions one scientist as Dr. James Xavier (Ray Milland) experiments with a formula that will allow the human eye to see beyond the wavelength of visible light. "I am closing in on the gods," he responds with the hubris that is doomed to destroy his overreaching ambition. A mix of Greek tragedy and sci-fi potboiler, Roger Corman's X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes (simply identified as X in the eerie, odd opening credits) is a familiar tale of a scientist who risks everything to explore the unknown and is finally driven mad by, literally, seeing too much. Peeping through the clothes of comely women is all good adolescent fun until the gift becomes a nightmare as his sight rages out of control. The possibilities suggested in the hints of addiction and inconsistent bouts of megalomania remain tantalizingly unexplored in the unfocused script, and Corman's cut-rate special effects are often more hokey than haunting (the "city dissolved in an acid of light" that Xavier poetically describes becomes fuzzy photography through a series of color filters). Don Rickles offers a venal turn as a scheming carnival barker turned blackmailing con man, and Diana Van der Vlis is understanding as a sympathetic scientist who tries to rescue Xavier from his spiral into tortured madness, but in the tradition of Greek tragedy, he is doomed to be destroyed by the very gifts he desires. MGM's widescreen disc also features commentary by director-producer Corman. --Sean Axmaker
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 30
 Dr. Xavier -- The Original "X" Man! December 6, 2009
Scotman (St. Louis, MO)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Ray Milland stars in one of my favorite Corman films of all time. Sci-Fi? Horror? A low budget Greek tragedy? Corman says whatever it is, he hopes you enjoyed it and I know I did.
Ray plays James Xavier, who is not satisfied with just being able to see, but wants to see everything across the light spectrum.
He experiments on a monkey. It dies. Well, he's just a monkey, I won't die. Gives himself the high potency eye drops and then all heck breaks loose.
The film has fun with a few things you can do with this special power, including seeing through women's clothing (we see a few naked backs and shoulders) and talk about that.
He even saves a little girl's life through a surgery that a different doctor gives a wrong diagnosis for. Despite saving the girl's life, the head surgeon wants him sued for malpractice.
Oops!
As he continues his experiments against the advice of others, the Board cuts off his money.
Well Xavier says the heck with that and as he argues with his friend, he accidentally knocks his friend through the weakest glass window you've ever seen and falls to his death.
Oops!
To avoid the cops and lay low while he gets some money, he makes like a mind reader at a carnival show. Don Rickles shows up and gets a racket going where James can see through people and tell them what's ailing them.
He escapes that and goes to Las Vegas and can't help but get a little greedy. He then stumbles into an Evangelical tent and, well -- quite the shocker ending!
What would you do if you could see through anything? Highly recommended.
DVD includes a feature that discusses Man's senses and how the sense of sight is the most prized. Trailer and a fun audio commentary by Roger Corman himself as to the low production values and what he had to go through to make this picture. He said American International gave him a lot of freedom as long as the pictures made money.
Ray Milland mentioned that of all the films Ray was proud of, they were his award winning "The Lost Weekend" and "X".
Other Films of Interest:
The Lost Weekend
Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project
Presenting Roger Corman's ... Best of the B*s Collection 1: Hot Bikes, Cool Cars & Bad Babes
Classic-Era Star Elevates Film June 8, 2009
Craig Connell (Lockport, NY USA)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
This was the typically-hokey-but fun Roger Corman film which stars a famous classic-era actor: Ray Milland.
One actually wonders what an actor of Milland's status would doing in a Grade B sci-fi movie like this. For someone who had admired Milland's work for many years, it just seems odd for me to see him in a small-budget film (I hadn't seen the others he had done around this time.)
Whatever, at least having him in the movie elevates it and the dialog isn't as cheesy as one would expect in this genre in this time period. Comedian Don Rickles, playing a greedy criminal guy, was another odd cast selection, but, he, too, was fun to watch.
Corman was smart to keep this at a respectable 79 minutes. Had it gone on longer, it would have started to drag. It would be interesting to see this film done with today's special-effects.
Robert Taubman May 7, 2009
Robert Taubman (Derry, NH, USA)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
This is one heck of a sci fi chestnut! As many times as I have seen/viewed this movie; still enjoy it the same! But now that I
have my own DVD of "The Man with the XRAY EYES" and have added it
to my "Sci-Fi" storeage shelf for easy access, look forward to those
rainy days, "In August"........
Good Intentions... November 24, 2008
Bindy Sue Frønkünschtein (under the rubble)
Dr. Xavier (Ray Milland from The Premature Burial and Frogs) invents eye-drops that give the user the ability to see through solid objects. He tries the stuff on a monkey and it works, but the monkey quickly dies. Of course, this means that Xavier simply must experiment on himself! So, with no further trials or tests, he puts the drops in his own peepers and -Zish!- he has x-ray vision! At first, he has fun by inadvertantly seeing through everyone's clothes at a swingin' dance party. Soon, Xavier attempts to save a girl's life by seeing into her heart to observe it's true defect, much to the chagrin of the girl's surgeon, who has a completely different diagnosis! Some doctor friends try to reason w/ Xavier and try to administer a sedative. Bad idea! Xavier resists, knocking one of the poor saps through a window to his demise! On the run, Xavier becomes "Mental-O" the psychic seer in a carnival sideshow. Don Rickles is great in his part as Mental-O's greedy, self-appointed manager. Corman regulars Dick Miller and Jonathan Haze show up as hecklers. Rickles' character gets Xavier to set up on his own, in some vacant building. An old friend (Diane Van Der Vlis) shows up, and Xavier takes off w/ her. The pair go to Vegas where Xavier uses his visual powers to better his financial state. This leads to the "shocking" climax at a tent revival meeting. Milland is fun to watch throughout, easily pulling off his role as a man seeking to do good things, but having it all turn out badly. X is a 60s sci-fi classic! Also, watch for legendary Morris Ankrum in a 10-second role as a medical board member! Highly recommended...
Greed Was The Doctor's Downfall September 3, 2008
J. B. Hoyos (Chesapeake, VA)
Some wealthy celebrities become addicted to plastic surgery. They continue having operations until they no longer look like themselves. Sometimes, in extreme cases, they no longer appear human. They are greedy individuals who can't stop. For them, enough is never enough.
Dr. Xavier is a greedy physician who has discovered a formula for improving his vision. Is he satisfied with having 20/20 vision? Of course not. He wants to see the entire spectrum of light, visible and non-visible. He keeps pouring the formula into his eyes until he can see through clothes and then through concrete. He can't stop taking the formula. Naturally, there are disastrous consequences.
"X - The Man with the X-Ray Eyes" is a great science fiction film starring horror veteran Ray Milland ("The Premature Burial," "Frogs," and "Dial M for Murder"). He gives a wonderful performance as the tortured physician fleeing from the authorities. This film is captivating and thought provoking. However, it is too slow paced to maintain the attention of the modern horror fan. Dr. Xavier should have gone insane earlier in the movie, soon after the lab monkey died, and committed more heinous crimes. This would have made the film more exciting.
As it is, "X - The Man with the X-Ray Eyes" does a superb job of chronicling the slow disintegration of the physician's psyche. He goes from a carnival side show freak to a Las Vegas gambler. At the card tables, he is unable to stop gambling. His greed for more money possesses him. Greed is definitely his downfall as it is with so many others who suffer addictions.
The gruesome ending of "X - The Man with the X-Ray Eyes" is unforgettable. It is definitely worth watching the film for this alone. I highly recommend "X" for those who appreciate classic science fiction horror. It is also recommended for fans of Ray Milland.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 30
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