X (1963 film)
X is a
1963 science fiction film also known as
X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes. The film was directed by
Roger Corman and stars
Ray Milland as Dr. James Xavier. A world renowned scientist, Dr. Xavier experiments with
X-ray vision and things go horribly wrong.
Dr. Xavier develops a topical serum that increases the range of human vision, allowing one to see beyond the
"visible" spectrum into the
ultraviolet and
x-ray wavelengths and beyond. As the plot develops, his visual capacity increases and his ability to control it decreases until he can no longer see the world in human terms, but only in forms of lights and textures that his normal brain is unable to fully comprehend. The results of his haphazard experiment are largely unverifiable and his behavior becomes increasingly erratic, so his associates assume that he is going insane. At the end of the movie, he blinds himself in an attempt to remove the visual super-acuity which is driving him mad.
The movie was notable for its use of visual effects to portray Dr. Xavier's point of view. While crude by today's standards, the resulting visual effects are still effective today in impressing upon the audience the bizarre viewpoint of the protagonist.
* There was additional footage at the end of the movie, after Dr. Xavier's blinding, where he screams "I can still see!" This footage has never turned up, but in the
X DVD audio commentary, Roger Corman claims that he does recall shooting it.
*
