X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes

Cafe Society
#1

This is a surprisingly good movie! Intense, effective, weird, with interesting visuals and a rather gripping story that goes off the rails in a good way.

Introduction: For the non-B-movie, initiated, “X” is the story of a doctor (Ray Milland) who believes he can expand the human visual spectrum. He believes it would be invaluable for doctors and replace imprecise tools like X-rays. He develops a formula and tests it on himself. And it works! But he continues testing even as the effects grow more powerful and debilitating, and they start to destroy his life. It only gets worse from there.

The movie has its share of cheesy elements to be sure, like the eyeball cam, but the story works and it has some very good twists, like

“The bandages? Oh yes, I’d forgotten.”

Of course I wish to hell they’d made the rumored ‘Stephen King’ ending. That would be an all-time classic conclusion to a movie - although the actual ending is not bad.

I never say this, but I’d really like to see this movie remade. You could do away with some of the early-60s visual cheesiness, keep most of the story as it is, and modernize the effects. And now I’m seeing that a remake is supposedly in the works, with the director of 28 Days Later.

#2

I agree that this one’s ripe for remake. Good little movie.

#3

Sweet, fancy Moses, I remember watching this when I was seven or eight, cowering on the sofa with my best friend and shreiking at the tent revival scene.

I kind of want to see it again but I think it might have traumatized me too much. What, by the way, is the Stephen King ending?

#4

…just one additional line.


“I can still see!”

#5

Robert Downey Jr., I’m looking at you.

#6

Wow, that could be quite chilling if delivered in just the right way.

#7

Amen to all of this. A great movie even without the famous missing last line. I’d love to see a shot for shot exact remake. Update the visual effects, add the missing line, change nothing else.

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#8

I think the dialogue would sound rather corny today, even if this is not exactly an art film. And I’m not sure about Xavier going into hiding as a

carnival act and a healer - maybe this felt plausible in 1963, and a guy with his abilities would find unusual employment, but I wondered if it was a good way to hide himself. It seemed pretty conspicuous to me! Maybe they could leave it alone if it was justified a little more strongly as his way of trying to help people.

#9

Remake news. (28 Weeks Later director)

I know Tim Burton had been rumored to be working on a remake for years, but clearly nothing happened there.

#10

And thank goodness for that!

#11

Well, okay then, but no new subplots and explosions.

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#12

I saw this movie on TV when I was in the single digits. ISTR it kind of freaked me out. I’ll watch it whenever I happen to see that it’s on. It’s been years and years, though, since I saw it last. The one line I remember from it is

If thine eye offend thee, pluck it out!