Bela Lugosi (Midnight Marquee Actors Series) [Paperback]

Gary Svehla (Author, Editor), Susan Svehla (Editor)

Book Description

Series: Midnight Marquee Actors Series | Publication Date: October 1995

The first entry in the Midnight Marquee Actors Series offers in-depth analyses of 32 of the films that helped create Lugosi's cinematic persona as the first true horror film legend. This book covers Lugosi's films from the pre-Dracula early sound ear, details his Universal and 1930s' classics, investigates his stint on poverty row at Monogram and PRC in the 1940s, and explores the downward spiral and his much discussed film work for Edward D. Wood, Jr. in the 1950s.

Some of today's foremost horror film writers contributed to this exploration of Bela Lugosi's work.

Product Details

• Paperback: 312 pages
• Publisher: Midnight Marquee Pr Inc (October 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1887664017
• ISBN-13: 978-1887664011
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,660,955 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Poor Lugosi, done in once more!, March 28, 2000

By 

Rory Coker (Austin, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bela Lugosi (Midnight Marquee Actors Series) (Paperback)

While later books in the MM Actors series, such as the recent one on Peter Lorre, do not have such a problem, the earlier books on Karloff and Lugosi suffer from "chapters" that are too often illiterate or semi-literate plot summaries rather than knowledgable review and commentary on the film to which the chapter is supposedly devoted. I'd say the batting average here is about 50%, making the book worth buying, with a bit of reservation.

2 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Beware the hand of the Svehlas, December 24, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Bela Lugosi (Midnight Marquee Actors Series) (Paperback)

Despite the presence and Gary and Susan Svehla, some good material makes its way onto the page. As the "editors", though, the couple might have made another pass at Susan's shabby as hell "Son of Frankenstein" section. As it stands now, it's as self-satisfied and disorganized as their conventions . . .

1 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The finest retrospective on Lugosi's film and career ever, February 8, 1998

By 

DoctorJekyll77 (Sunrise, Florida USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bela Lugosi (Midnight Marquee Actors Series) (Paperback)

As a co-author of the book, I can only reiterate what my colleagues write regarding the modern fascination with Lugosi and his films. With his dark good looks, his piercing blue eyes, his commanding presence and his deliberate manner of speaking, audiences are still mesmerized by the man's presence. This book is an overview of his long career, analyzing the good and the bad movies (and there were plenty of both) he starred in. It is written with warmth and humor, and is a must for any film fan.