I’m feeling streaky today. Say what? It’s the second consecutive movie post featuring a technicolor film made in 1963 directed by Roger Corman. How streaky is that?

Corman cultivated an image as a cheerful commercialite, but he was a fine director. X: The Man With The X-Ray Eyes is an excellent example of Corman’s cinematic craftsmanship.

With Halloween beckoning, we have another sci-fi horror movie on the docket starring an old favorite, Ray Milland, as a mild scientist who becomes a mad scientist. His name is James Xavier, Dr. X to you. It has nothing to do with the X-Men, X-Files, or Elon Fucking Musk who slathers Xs on everything.

Milland is an eye doctor who develops eye drops that enhance vision. A bit too much. Initially, he sees clothed people’s nakedness. Later, he can see their internal organs. I don’t know about you but I’d rather not see anyone’s internal organs. Even later, he begins to see shit like this:

Milland begins the movie as a reputable research scientist working with the fine character actor Harold J Stone:

Milland’s conduct becomes increasingly erratic, so he loses his financial backing. He winds up working in a sideshow with a carnival barker played by Don Rickles.

Rickles is terrific in a rare dramatic role. He pushes Milland to become a faith healer, not a sideshow freak. They commence shaking down the suckers much to Milland’s distaste.

Milland is sprung from Mr. Warmth’s embrace when his leading lady, Diana Van der Vlis, takes him to Las Vegas. Milland becomes an unstoppable force fleecing the casino with his X-Ray vision:

That’s Diana in the green outfit looking like the poor woman’s Eva Marie Saint. I have Eva on my mind because she died recently at the age of 102. Anyway, Diana is a cool blonde with a husky voice like Eva.

Things do not end well for Milland but you’ll have to see the movie to see how it concludes. This feature is called pulp fiction, not pulp spoilers, after all. Suffice it to say that Milland’s eyes get even weirder as the movie ends in a revival tent.

The movie concludes with bible bangers chanting “pluck them out.” Does he or doesn’t he? You’ll have to see for yourselves.

The script by Robert Dillon and Ray Russell is tight and clever taking us places we don’t expect to go. As with The Haunted Palace David Crosby’s father Floyd was the cinematographer. Here’s the mandatory Crosby tune with eyes in the title:

The acting in X: The Man With The X-Ray Eyes is excellent. What else do you expect from a movie with Oscar-winning actor Ray Milland in the title role? Diana van der Vlis, Harold J Stone, John Hoyt, and Don Rickles are also outstanding.

Grading Time: I give X: The Man With The X-Ray Eyes 3 1/2 stars and an Adrastos grade of B+. It’s a fine way to spend 79 minutes of your time.

Before looking at posters, we have something different this week, a comic book:

I somehow doubt that these posters were seen in the funny papers in the US and Italy.

The first quad is Dutch in origin and language:

The second quad contains the film’s tagline:

My eyes are watering. Let’s see if they have anything for it in the lobby.

I struck out, but I got to see the lobby cards in the lobby. Sounds existential to me.

Now that our eyes are bleeding let’s escape the lobby and hitch a ride on the trailer:

The last word goes to Bauhaus with a song inspired by this week’s movie: