A Brief History of Invisibility in Film

Invisibility is divisive. Would it bring out the best in you, or bring out your darker urges? Marc Longenecker takes a deep dive into the history, and allure, of this superpower on film.

 This alluring fantasy has long been fodder for filmmakers, many of whom have taken cues from the eponymous character in H.G. Wells’ 1897 novel, The Invisible Man.

First adapted to the screen in 1933, the invisible man (and his descendents) appeared in six films from 1933 to 1951. Now, he’ll be making his latest screen (dis)appearance in a film directed by Leigh Whannell. This iteration takes a horror-movie tack: Its protagonist, played by Elisabeth Moss, is harassed by an ex who has faked his own death. But beyond The Invisible Man franchise, the concept of invisibility has inspired a raft of movies over the decades.

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