After "The Black Cat" in 1934 "The Raven" in 1935 the two horror icons Karloff & Lugosi teamed up again in "The Invisible Ray in 1936. Unlike the first two films The Invisible Ray has less horror & is actually an early foray into science fiction 14 years before it became an established popular genre in the 1950's.1936 Audiences must've been blown away at the early scenes of outer space showing the planets & stars predating "Destination Moon" in 1950. It's plot device is the model & set the standard for 1950's Sci-fi which was a bit ahead of it's time. The only other memorable science fiction film from 1936 is "Things To Come" a visionary film that travels 100 years into the "future". The Invisible Ray shows Bela Lugosi (Dracula) & Boris Karloff (Frankenstein) in roles very different & a departure from their signature identification stamps. Karloff is the visionary & somewhat mad scientist that really loses it as he slowly falls apart after exposure to Radium X . Lugosi in complete contrast is the balanced good doctor scientist that develops a counter-active to keep Karloff's radium poisoning in check for a short time as it wears off & he must have regular doses at certain times or he'll quoting Lugosi's line "Crumble to an ash" as only Lugosi can deliver a line. Bela as Dr. Felix Benet is a sharp contrast from Count Dracula his facial hair & beard gives him a radically different look & virtually removes his vampire image. He really shows his range & versatility here & he wasn't just Dracula he was a great actor. He got to show his versatility again in his next teaming with Karloff as the crazed shepard Ygor in "Son Of Frankenstein" in 1939. Lugosi upstages & steals the show from Karloff one of the reasons why Karloff stopped playing the monster. Boris as D. Janos Rukke was the first of his many mad doctor roles he would play & Bela also did his share of mad genius doctor roles later in the 1940's. The scenes of Karloff glowing in the dark from Radium X is very impressive special effects & still holds up today. The film gets better with age & never gets old & a film I can watch over & over. Bela & Boris were great on their own & even greater together. I have lots of their movies I can't get enough of these two masters of horror. Bela & Boris are the greatest horror kings of all time.

Perhaps The Invisible Ray isn't a great film, but there is much to enjoy still. The story is a little predictable, while the supporting characters are underdeveloped and not very interesting and I'm not sure whether some of the scientific ideas, while innovative at the time, are as easy to grasp or as relevant now as it was. These are just personal preferences though, and The Invisible Ray was still enjoyable even with those personal reservations. It is a very nice-looking film, original at the time and holds up now, with a great Gothic atmosphere, beautifully constructed sets and nicely done special effects(even from a present-day perspective). The photography fits with the mood very well as well. The Invisible Ray is atmospherically scored, the script is literate and the film moves quickly with few pacing lulls. The directing from Lambert Hillyer is efficient and neatly set-up, I also detected a little bit of a James Whale influence which I liked. There are some actors who don't really distinguish themselves in roles that don't really allow for them to shine properly. Frances Drake and Violet Kemble-Cooper are good though, while the top-notch performances of genre masters Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi are the film's best asset. I do prefer their performances and chemistry in The Black Cat, but what really makes them worth watching here is how effortlessly charismatic they are and how they are in roles that actually suit them and their acting skills. In conclusion, very entertaining with great lead performances from Karloff and Lugosi. 7/10 Bethany Cox

Prof. Janos Rukh (Boris Karloff) discovers Radium X--a powerful force to be used for atomic power. Unfortunately Rukh has been contaminated by the Radium and starts to glow in the dark--and his touch causes instant death. Dr. Felix Benet (Bela Lugosi) develops an antidote--but Rukh starts to go mad due to the Radium AND the antidote and sets out to kill all he believed wronged him.The plot is silly and the "effects" that make Karloff glow in the dark are laughable, but this is still a fun little chiller. It moves quickly, has some great atmosphere (notice Rukh's "house" and the movie starts on a dark and rainy night) and Karloff and Lugosi (as always) give great performances. There is also good acting by Franic Drake (as Rukh's wife) and Violet Kemble Cooper (as his mother). So it's OK but just a notch below all the other Karloff/Lugosi movies. The plot is just too far-fetched for me to swallow. Still I did like this. I give it a 7.

Scientist working frantically in seclusion finds a way to locate the impact crater of a meteor carrying a new radioactive element. All (pseudo)science and breakthrough technology talks of the 1930s are right there, including the idea that radioactivity could heal any illness if properly harnessed. When he summons his rivals -who had cast him out of the scientific community and ridiculed him - to witness his discovery, they propose a 'joint' expedition to Africa...of course they end up stealing much of dr. Rukh's original discovery, giving him only residual credit. In addition to that, an effeminate weakling who looks like a supporting comedy actor from the worst Abbot&Costello (Lawton) literally steals dr. Rukh's young trophy wife (Drake), who falls head over heels for that scrap of a human being. Having grown horns like a deer wasn't going to make dr. Rukh (Karloff) any friendlier, so he embarks in an undercover revenge mission...killing 2 of his foes and friendly dr. Benet (Lugosi), the only one who had helped him...finally succumbing to the deadly radiations that had allowed him to embark in his revenge to start with but ( to my utmost dissatisfaction ) sparing the adulteress and that poor excuse for a human being she had married. Acting is mostly fine, with Karloff & Lugosi being very good. Check the hysterical chambermaid scene... Other characters aren't worth mentioning... Recommended, much like ALL old Universal horrors...