THE STORY OF CLASSIC HORROR CINEMA'S ENDURING ICON BY NIGE BURTON & JAMIE JONES.
"His name has meant many things. Movie star, heart-throb, vampire, monster, much that is glamourous and all that is terrifying in the dream-haunted hours of darkness. His eyes, his hands, his voice . . . his entire image is one of intensity, charisma and strange drama. Yet the life of Bela Lugosi is so much more than any biography."* The fine fiends at the excellent horror film magazine CLASSIC MONSTERS OF THE MOVIES, in addition to publishing their quarterly magazine, also brought out a line of handsomely-produced stand-alone Classic Monsters Ultimate Guides (which focus on a single horror film and all aspects of its production)
as well as beautiful special editions focusing on a particular subject/genre or horror actor
(as in this one on Bela Lugosi). Nothing could be more appropriate on Bela's birthday than to read this nicely-researched biography of 80+ pages with a wealth of beautiful and rare photographs. Being a tome devoted to Bela Lugosi, it's perhaps not a surprise that, in the Lugosi vs. Karloff debate, the authors are particularly biased towards Lugosi and often fall into that newly-minted delusion that Lugosi was a much better actor than Karloff. I love Bela dearly but Karloff was the better actor. This self-delusion reaches it's climax when Messrs. Burton & Jones write about the Val Lewton production of THE BODY SNATCHER [1945] in which Karloff & Lugosi are teamed for the final time. Karloff's performance in the film is universally lauded as one of his greatest in subtlety and acting skill. Burton & Jones, however, make the laughably silly statement that ". . . it is Bela who positively shines, imbuing the hapless servant with a humanity and pathos which runs rings round Karloff's occasionally hammy delivery." I don't think even the most fervent Lugosi fan would go along with THAT statement! THE RAVEN? Yes. SON OF FRANKENSTEIN? Definitely. But THE BODY SNATCHER?!?!?! I don't think so.
Bela Lugosi was an electric performer who elevated each and every film he was ever in. Regardless of how good OR bad the material, Lugosi made it watchable and never once gave anything but his all. This special edition focusing on the life of this screen icon is a welcome addition to any horror library.
I've got quite a little stack of these and every one is a treat!
*from the introductory page.
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