Customer Reviews

Bela Lugosi (Midnight Marquee Actors Series)

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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.

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 . . .

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.