In the 1930s,Universal Studios introduced its slate of monster movies, many of which became known as the most iconic monsters in cinema history. However, while the company owned the rights to Dracula, The Wolf Man, and Frankenstein’s Monster,The Invisible Manset a horror record that stood for many years. While not in the A-tier of horror icons from the Universal Monsters lineup,The Invisible Man did somethingnone of his more famous contemporaries ever did.
Not only that, but The Invisible Man stands above even later horror slasher killers from the 70s and 80s. In the 1930s, the Wolf-Man and Dracula killed several people. Frankenstein’s Monster is a tragic figure, but he also has blood on his hands. In the 80s,Michael Myers and Jason Voorheestore through victims in several movies. However,The Invisible Man killed more people in his first moviethan anyone else did in horror movies for over 80 years.
The Invisible Man’s Kill Count Is Surprisingly Higher Than A Lot Of Slasher Movies
The Invisible Man Killed Well Over 100 People In One Movie
There are a fewhorror movies with a higher kill countthanThe Invisible Man. However, in most of those movies,several people participated in the killings. Two of thePurgemovies have more kills, but that was an ensemble affair.From Dusk Till Dawnhad lots of people killing vampires and humans alike.Dawn of the Deadhad legions of zombies. It wasn’t untilBrightburnin 2019 that one singular horror movie villain killed more people than the villain inThe Invisible Man.
The 1933 Universal Horror movie follows Dr. Jack Griffin,a chemist who discovers the secret of invisibility. However, one of the drugs used in the formula has the side effect of driving a person mad. When looking at the main kills in the movie, there were only four people that he killed in a personal manner: a police detective he kills near the start of the film, two people he throws off a cliff, and another doctor he ties up in a car and sends off the cliff.
However, there was also a huge moment that was bigger than almost any murderer in horror movie history. He causes a train derailment, which results in 100 deaths.That totals 104 deaths alone for The Invisible Man in his movie. There were also 19 more murders that he committed, but it was mostly unknown how the deaths happened, including 18 search party volunteers at the time of the train derailment.
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People likeMichael Myers and Jason Voorhees have killed more peoplethan The Invisible Man, but it took them multiple movies to surpass this impressive kill count. This record was beaten 67 years later when Mr. Glass was responsible for well over 1,000 deaths inUnbreakable,although only the train derailment he caused was shown in the film. Its 126 deaths beat those of Dr. Griffin, butUnbreakablewasn’t a horror movie, and for many years, there wasn’t a more deadly killer in a single film than The Invisible Man.
The Invisible Man Came Just Before The Hays Code Crackdown In 1934
The Hays Code Made Big Kill Counts Almost Impossible
This impressive kill count is even better because it happened in the 1930s, anera known for the start of the Hays Code crackdown. This was a self-imposed set of guidelines created by the movie studios that “prohibited profanity, suggestive nudity, graphic or realistic violence, sexual persuasions, and rape.” There were also strict rules around depicting crimes and what happens to people who commit them. It was in place from 1934 until 1968.
The Hays Code frowned upon the use of firearms, brutal or gruesome violence, sympathy for criminals, and cruelty to children or animals. For many years, horror movies had to dance around these issues, which is why many classic horror movies had fewer kills than one might expect.The Invisible Manended up asUniversal Studios' biggest kill-countmovie, and the Hays Code ensured it stayed that way.
The Invisible Man
Cast
The Invisible Man, released in 1933, follows scientist Jack Griffin, who turns invisible after a self-conducted experiment. As he hides in a local inn, his mental state deteriorates due to the drug’s side effects, causing concern for Dr. Cranley’s daughter Flora, who worries about his increasingly erratic behavior.
