Dr. Xavier develops eyedrops intended to increase the range of human vision, allowing one to see beyond the "visible" spectrum into the ultraviolet and x-ray wavelengths and beyond. Believing that testing on animals and volunteers will produce uselessly subjective observations, he begins testing the drops on himself.
Initially, Xavier discovers that he can see though people's clothing, and he uses his vision to save a young girl whose medical problem was misdiagnosed. Over time and with continued use of the drops, Xavier's visual capacity increases and his ability to control it decreases. Eventually he can no longer see the world in human terms, but only in forms of lights and textures that his brain is unable to fully comprehend. His behavior becomes increasingly erratic, and Xavier's associates assume that he is going insane.
After accidentally killing a friend, Xavier goes on the run, using his x-ray vision first to work in a carnival, and then to win at gambling in a casino. Xavier's eyes are altered along with his vision: first they become black and silver, and then entirely black. To hide his startling appearance, he wears dark wrap-around sunglasses at all times.
At the end of the movie, Xavier drives out to a desert and wanders into a religious tent revival. He tells the pastor that he is beginning to see things at the edges of the universe, including an "eye that sees us all" in the center of the universe. The pastor replies that what he sees is "sin and the devil," and declares the biblical quote of "If thine eye offends thee... pluck it out!" [1], and Xavier chooses to blind himself rather than see anything more.
|
Ray Milland | Dr. James Xavier |
|
Diana Van Der Vlis | Dr. Diane Fairfax |
|
Harold J. Stone | Dr. Sam Brant |
|
John Hoyt | Dr. Willard Benson |
|
Don Rickles | Crane |
|
Budd Albright | Dance sequence |
|
Leon Alton | Casino Patron |
|
Morris Ankrum | Mr. Bowhead |
|
Benjie Bancroft | Dealer |
|
George DeNormand | Medical Board Member |
|
John Dierkes | Preacher |
|
Bobby Gilbert | Man Outside Office |
|
Stuart Hall | Casino Patron |
|
Kathryn Hart | Mrs. Mart |
|
Ed Haskett | Casino Patron |
|
Jonathan Haze | Heckler |
|
Harvey Jacobson | Casino Boss |
|
Vicki Lee | Young Girl Patient |
|
Mathew McCue | Patient |
|
Cathie Merchant | Carnival Dancer |
|
Dick Miller | Heckler |
|
Hans Moebus | Casino Patron |
|
Barboura Morris | Nurse with Young Patient |
|
Cosmo Sardo | Medical Board Member |
|
Jeffrey Sayre | Assistant Croupier |
| Director | Roger Corman |
|
| Writer | Robert Dillon, Ray Russell | |
| Producer | Samuel Z. Arkoff, Bartlett A. Carre, Roger Corman, James H. Nicholson | |
| Musician | Les Baxter | |
| Photography | Floyd Crosby | |
| Nr Discs | 1 |
|---|---|
| Regions | Region 1 |
| Owner | MLZ MEMBERS |
|---|---|
| Location | MLZ ARCHIVES |
| Watched | |
| Condition | Excellent |
| Index | 4265 |
| Added Date | Oct 06, 2014 12:42:07 |
| Modified Date | Aug 22, 2022 20:17:23 |
Alternate Ending:
There have long been rumors about an alternate ending for the movie, in which Dr. Xavier removes his eyes, and afterwards screams "I can still see!"
Writer and horror film buff Stephen King related these rumors in his book Danse Macabre. This footage has never turned up, but in the DVD audio commentary for X in the 2001 "Midnite Movies" series from MGM, Corman claimed shooting the scene on a whim (the "I can still see!" line was not in the script), but -- being dissatisfied with the results -- he retained the original script's ending.
Awards, Analysis and Adaptations:
The film won the 1963 Best Film Award, The Silver Spaceship, at the First International Festival of Science Fiction Films.
In his book Danse Macabre, Stephen King notes a strong H. P. Lovecraftian quality to X, based on Xavier's near-insanity when he cannot comprehend the god-like being he sees at the center of the universe.
Rock band Pere Ubu composed an original underscore for the film in 2004, which they have performed live at various concerts and film festivals. Bauhaus (band) used the film as inspiration for the song "The Man With the X-Ray Eyes" on their second album Mask.