Bela Lugosi Collection, Vol. 1 (1940)

"15 Frightful Horror Films ... Bela Lugosi ... Passport Video"

Passport Video presents "The Bela Lugosi Box - 15 Frightful Films" (1942) --- (Dolby digitally remastered) --- Béla Lugosi was the stage name of actor Béla Ferenc Dezs Blaskó (October 20, 1882 - August 16, 1956) --- Lugosi was born in Lugos, Hungary, at the time part of Austria-Hungary (now Lugoj, Romania), the youngest of four children of a baker --- best known for his portrayal of "Dracula" in the American Broadway stage production, and subsequent film, of Bram Stoker's classic vampire story.

Late in his life, he again received star billing in movies when filmmaker Edward D. Wood, Jr., a fan of Lugosi, found him living in obscurity and near-poverty and offered him roles in his films, such as "GLEN OR GLENDA?" (1953) (in which his role made no more sense than the rest of the movie) and as a Dr. Frankenstein-like mad scientist in "BRIDE OF THE MONSTER" (1955), during post-production of the latter, Lugosi entered treatment for his addiction, and the premier of the film was ostensibly intended to help pay for his treatment expenses. The extras on an early DVD release of "PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE" (1959) include an impromptu interview with Lugosi upon his exit from the treatment center, which provide some rare personal insights into the man --- this was one of Lugosi's most infamous roles was released after he was dead. Ed Wood (Director) features footage of Lugosi interspersed with a double --- Wood had taken a few minutes of silent footage of Lugosi, in his Dracula cape, for a planned vampire picture but was unable to find financing for the project --- Wood later conceived of Plan 9, Wood wrote the script to incorporate the Lugosi footage and hired his wife's chiropractor to double for Lugosi in additional shots --- notice however the "double" is thinner than Lugosi, and covers the lower half of his face with his cape in every shot --- Leonard Maltin (Famous Film Critic) was quoted - "Lugosi died during production, and it shows."

Lugosi died of a heart attack on August 16, 1956 while lying in bed in his Los Angeles home. He was 73 --- Bela Lugosi was buried wearing one of the many capes from the Dracula stageplay, as per the request of his son and fifth wife, in the Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California --- Contrary to popular belief, Lugosi never requested to be buried in his famous cloak; Bela Lugosi, Jr. has confirmed on numerous occasions that he and his mother, Lillian, arrived at their decision independently.

BIOS:
1. Bela Lugosi (aka: Béla Ferenc Dezsõ Blaskó)
Date of birth: 20 October 1882 - Lugos, Austria-Hungary. [now Lugoj, Romania]
Date of death: 16 August 1956 - Los Angeles, California
2. Edward D. Wood Jr. (Director, Writer and Producer)
Date of birth: 10 October 1924 - Poughkeepsie, New York
Date of death: 10 December 1978 - North Hollywood, California

This collection of "The Bela Lugosi Box - 15 Frightful Films" (1942) --- still has the magic that we remember from those bygone years --- but as long as we have the labels and networks who play and show these wonderful films of yesteryear, they will never be forgotten ... Plus the half-hour tribute "100 Years of Horror: Bela Lugosi", hosted by Christopher Lee --- and a great job by Passport Video for this release --- looking forward to more of the same from the '20s and '50s vintage...order your copy now from Amazon or Passport Video, stay tuned once again for more remarkable films from the vaults of classic television and Hollywood during the Golden Era of Entertaiment.

Total Time: 1034 mins on DVD ~ Passport Video #5260 ~ (9/05/2006) October 15, 2006

A Bela Lugosi Double Feature

As of late there have been many Lugosi movies released on DVD. This double feature is among the best. The Devil Bat (1940) is Lugosi's only movie for Producer's Releasing Corporation, one of Hollywood's many infamous Poverty Row studios. Bela plays Dr. Carruthers, a mad scientist out for revenge against the partners he felt double-crossed him. His instrument of revenge is an electronically enlarged bat, attracted to its intended victims by the odor of a strange perfume Bela has concocted for just this purpose. With a plot such as this, the movie could be simply flat and unwatchable. If not for Bela, that is. Faced with such a prospect and being the dedicated actor he was, Bela plays it up beautifully. Instead of merely being hammy and letting it go at that, he brings certain nuances to his role, using double entendres at times. (Inducing a potential victim to try his shaving lotion, he declares that the victim "will never use anything else.") In fact, he ends up winning our sympathy in a scene with one of his "partners" where it becomes somewhat apparent that poor old Bela was swindled into an inferior deal. No wonder he's mad. Assisting Bela in this wonderful nonsense is Dave O'Brien (Reefer Madness) as the hero, Donald Kerr as the hero's sidekick, and Suzanne Kaaren as the ingénue. Look for Arthur Q. Bryan, more famous as the voice of Elmer Fudd, as O'Brien and Kerr's boss.

Scared to Death is Lugosi's only color film, and as such, is a must for Lugosi fans and collectors. It is a tepid story narrated by a recently deceased woman from her slab in the morgue as to how she got that way. Billy Wilder later used a variation of this in Sunset Boulevard, but, of course, he did it much better. Given the almost total lack of any action in this film a more appropriate title might have been Bored to Death. Nat Pendleton and George Zucco offer whatever support they can to the proceedings. A note of interest is that while suffering from a form of dementia in a psychiatric hospital, George Zucco was said to have scared himself to death with visions of ghosts and demons coming after him. It certainly couldn't have been from watching this film.

Excellent quality of video transfer and easy to use menus make this a bargain for the price. April 12, 2003

How I ordered 'Devil Bat' but got a 'White Zombie'

What a pleasant suprise I got one Sunday when I put my Bela Lugosi Collection Vol.1 in to watch Devil Bat and it turns out my DVD isn't what I expected. No Devil Bat or Scared to Death. What you get and it is a FAR FAR Superior DVD is 'The Apeman'(Monkey scientist hokum set during WW2, so all the male actors are draft dodgers or something),Bela Lugosi meets the Brooklyn Gorilla(More monkey scientist shenanigans - only watch on a wet Sunday it is of a time that humour forgot) and Halperin Brothers finest nay THE Finest Gothic Fairy Tale EVER "WHITE ZOMBIE". All I can add to the vitriol of comments said about this film is IT IS THAT GOOD...unlike Tod Brownings Dracula for example. Buy it cry a little and tremble with fear at Bela in his finest role. Not bad for a phonetic actor June 24, 2002

For any fan of Bela Lugosi, this is a must have disk!

Bela Lugosi made both good movies (Dracula)and, what some would consider, bad movies (Bride of the Monster). I consider the movies on this disk, somewhere in between. The Devil Bat is a lot of fun to watch. It's definitely the better movie of the two. Scared to Death was Lugosi's only color film, so if for no other reason, it's worth a look. The video and sound quality for both of these movies are surprisingly good. For any fan of Bela Lugosi, this is a must have disk. September 6, 2000

Bad movies that never looked so good!

I'm like a lot of old horror movie buffs that have purchased 2nd rate copies of the rare classics because that's all that was available. And it wasn't the poor duplication process, it was the poor surviving master tapes that gave us an often fuzzy vision. You could call it horrific for the "Devil Bat" until the Roan group took charge. What you will get is a fantasically remastered version of a Bela "must have". I was taken aback by the quality of the newly mastered version on this DVD. Kudos also for the "Scared to Death" remaster that shows Bela in his colored glory. Although it's not in as good a shape as "Devil Bat", it's not bad and considering the lack of attention to early film preservation. Highly recommended. November 24, 1999

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