Lugosi (1882-1956) was a Hungarian by birth and had his early success as an actor in theater and films in Germany. He had to book it out of that part of Europe in 1920 due to his involvement in a left-leaning actors union. He entered the USA illegally in 1920 and worked as laborer until his English improved.
By the mid-twenties, now a legal resident, he was starring in a "Dracula" adaptation on Broadway. He reportedly received hundreds of fan letters a week, mainly from the ladies in the audiences.
He was the first great horror star of the sound era. By the early 1930's he was surpassed in popularity by Boris Karloff as a star of thrillers, and was the victim of "Dracula" type-casting and his own career miscues (Lugosi turned down the role of the Frankenstein monster, filmed after "Dracula" was made as a film at Universal Studios in 1931.) Lugosi nevertheless "lives" today like the eternal evil creature he personified so well, thanks to memories of late-night horror films on television and new audiences seeing his movies through DVDs and classic movie reruns that crop up this time of year. I can't think of Halloween without thinking of this fellow and his most famous role.
oh goody!!!
ReplyDeleteHave always liked Bela Lugosi....the film work he did was good, I understand he was a nice Hollywood actor, as well, he was not full of himself...
Some of the 1920's 1930's stars would feel right at home with the antics of some of todays' 'supposed' 'stars/celebrities'...
thanks, and aren't the POSTERS just AWESOME!!!
great halloween tribute... may drag out my scary films, too later for a peek...
Oh, so you are trying to scare Cassandra eh?
ReplyDeleteThat lady in the photo really should look after her neck!
He had just the right kind of face and voice for horror movies, didn't he?
And the beautiful Swan Lake in the background. Thank you Doug!
oh that was the music????
ReplyDeletethank you for the sound BITE!!!
I remember as a child being unable to watch the Dracula movies and I would hide under the blanket as we watched the tv. He did a fantastic job. I also enjoyed the music as well
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome!
ReplyDeleteThe old posters, indeed, are works of art in themselves. I have a friend who has a ful-sized poster of "The Invisible Man" with Claude Rains from 1933. I look forward to anything of a scary cinematic you can put up, Catherine. This is the time of year for it.
ReplyDeleteI think whenever a guy with a cape moves into the neighborhood, a woman should get some anti-bat spray.
ReplyDeleteYou're right, Cassandra, about Lugosi's visage His face reminds of one of my Uncle Ragnar, who was a native Swede. He used to scare me a bit as a little kid when we'd visit him and my aunt...not deliberately you understand, just by his naturally a bit gruff now and then. (Scandinavians aren't always the most cheerful folks...those long winters without sunshine does that maybe. )
The truth was, my uncle was an "old softy" of a guy and all that gruffness would go away when he smiled...a smile that made him a "dead ringer" for Lugosi.
The funny thing about that "Swan Lake" music...I remember listening to Tchaikovsky's famous work on LP record years after I saw the film. When the second act opened and music started, all I could think about was the opening music from that original "Dracula" (1931).
Yes, I remember having duck down from those old movies myself as a kid. Lugosi even scared me playing Igor in "Son of Frankenstein". He had a scene where he plays this weird music on an old flute and the Frankenstein monster was loose in the story and my sleep-over friend and I had to change the channel altogether!
ReplyDeleteIsn't that music great! First time I watched that video on You Tube a chill went up my spine after all these years.
Hahahaha, I can understand a child being rather scared of a Lugosi type smile, all be it from a much loved uncle! I hope he didn't own a cape?
ReplyDeleteIt is strange the way music association brings back memories and takes us to a special place. My father is very fond of Chopin and in the summer on hot evenings when the windows were open and we sat in the garden, the music would float across the lawn. Now whenever I hear that composer, it whisks me back to our lovely garden when I lived with my parents... Discs don't hold the same charm as an LP with their lovely covers...
Thank you Doug.
Thanks for sharing that very nice family memory...I miss the old LP covers--when you bought music if that form, it felt more substantial-- even if sound is better digitalized.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the music but I did not get the same feel. I found it almost soothing. Maybe I am Frankenstein and do not know it.
ReplyDeleteI imagine what you felt was closer to the composer's original intention.
ReplyDeleteThe thing I noticed about Bela Lugosi's films was the clever use of lighting, creating mysterious shadows and quite often shots where only his face was lit, almost as though he didn't have a body. Then he would slowly emerge with that evil look that sent shivers down the spine, those shadows now shooting up the wall behind him, brrrrrrrrrrr! You simply can't do that as well with colour films.
ReplyDeleteLighting like that is usually credited to expressionistic horror films like "Nosferatu" (1922) and "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" (1919). Besides actors like Lugosi, European directors like F. W. Mureau, Paul Leni and Fritz Lang, et al, changed the look of Hollywood suspense and horror films. Of course, American and British directors incorporated these expressionistic techniques into their work. Sir Alfred Hitchcock's credited his early training in German studios with a lot of his emphasis on eerie lighting and optical effects.
ReplyDeleteYes indeed, anything to scare us out of our minds. Reading what you have just written, I don't recall seeing a showing of the Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. Do you recall seeing it on the old movie channels? I know some of the older films didn't stand the test of time, because of the process used on the film.
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid I haven't seen it either, just clips of the film from documentaries. It's all about an asylum and demonic sleepwalkers and just the thing to keeep one awake half the night. I saw "Nosferatu" as an eleven year old and that was unsettling.
ReplyDeleteIt's sad when you think of so many films that have been lost due to the negative deterioating and studio fires and such. Nitrate film was highly combustible. The more I've looked into this, the more I'm amazed we have as much as we do from the silent era.
Here's some of "Nosferatu" by F W Murnau--he made a variety of films but this one is the most chilling. (Watch at your own risk.)
ReplyDeleteThe scenes around the castle and the "ghost ship" coming into port, eerie stuff. I think the age of the film also gives it an added dimension of spookiness.
I really like the look of this, I must see if I can find it. Heavens above, I'll make sure I have company in the house.
ReplyDeleteI have three American guys staying here doing research. I'll make sure they stay in, if I manage to find the film to watch. Thank you Doug.
You are right, there is so much that has been preserved, so we are very fortunate. Sadly so much has also been lost. However, with new technology they can save and restore film that was almost unwatchable. What an interesting job that must be. One to suit you I think.;-)
ReplyDeleteHave a really splendid day, Doug!
Cassandra
It's quite an art form unto itself from what I've seen. The UC-Los Angeles Film Archives, for one example, have been able to literally save some films from near ruin. (I'll have to do a blog on that one if I can find the material.)
ReplyDeleteThere have been some interesting documentaries about film restoration on "Turner Movie Classics" that I've seen--don't know if they have that channel on satellite in England, but they have one of the best websites on movies available. I hope if you get a chance to see the Murnau movie you get as good a print as what I saw on TMC.