The Immortal Count: The Life and Films of Bela Lugosi
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$39.95
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Manufacturer: University Press of Kentucky
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Average Customer Rating:  
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Binding: Hardcover
Dewey Decimal Number: 791.43028092
EAN: 9780813122731
ISBN: 0813122732
Label: University Press of Kentucky
Manufacturer: University Press of Kentucky
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 560
Publication Date: 2003-06-27
Publisher: University Press of Kentucky
Studio: University Press of Kentucky
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Editorial Reviews:
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Bela Lugosi won immediate fame with his portrayal of the immortal count in the 1931 film "Dracula". While the role may have given him eternal life on the silver screen, it doomed him to a career plagued by typecasting. After a decade of trying vainly to broaden his range and secure parts to challenge his acting abilities, Lugosi finally resigned himself to a career as the world's most recognizable vampire. His last years were spent as a forgotten and rather tragic figure. When he died in 1956, Lugosi could not have known that vindication of his talent would come-his face would adorn theatres, his image would appear on greeting cards and postage stamps, his film memorabilia would sell for more than he earned in his entire career, and his Hungarian accent would be instantly recognized by millions of people. Martin Landau's Oscar-winning role as Lugosi in the 1994 film "Ed Wood" added an ironic twist to a career that had ended in oblivion. In 1974, devoted Lugosi fan Arthur Lennig published a highly regarded biography of the unsung actor. More than twice the length of the original and completely rewritten, "The Immortal Count" provides deeper insights into Lugosi's films and personality. Drawing upon personal interviews, studio memos, shooting scripts, research in Romania and Hungary, and his own recollections, Lennig has written the definitive account of Lugosi's tragic life.
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating:
Summary: Great for all Lugosi Fans
Comment: This book is well researched and well written. It is very informative and very entertaining. I highly recommend this to any Bela fan or fan of the horror genre.
Customer Rating:
Summary: I Love This Book BUT...
Comment: I loved this book.I read the first addition originally published in 1973.This revised edition is even better,with more photos.HOWEVER, I really am sick and tired of all of the Bela Jr. bashing in THIS edition.Mr. Lenning gives a very ONE SIDED account of the court battles that ensued after Lugosi's death between Bela Lugosi Jr.and his fathers widow, Hope.Aside from that, I recommend this book highly to fans of Lugosi's and those new to his work.
Customer Rating: 
Summary: This guy needs a new editor
Comment: First off, I admit that it pains me to find fault in such an obvious labor of love. Mr. Lennig must certainly be the Greatest Living Bela Lugosi Fan, and it shows. The Immortal Count is painstakingly detailed in its accounts of both the content and construction of Lugosi's films. But for all its technical prowess, Lennig's writing vacilates between professional criticism and amateurish defensivness.
For example: The author laments the he himself was maligned in another book, Universal Horrors. Like a child who's just been called a bad name, Lennig makes reference to "smart-ass critics." Does anyone reading this book CARE what other critics think of the author? It's a moment of self-indulgence that does not belong in what should be--by virute of volume alone--the definitive study of the films of Bela Lugosi.
There is much concensus among film critics that Lugosi himself often bended the truth to his will, especially in interviews conducted during his final years. Reading THE IMMORTAL COUNT, one suspects Arthur Lenning has, himself, succumbed to the same malady. He appears ready to defend his subject's shortcomings at every turn. While such hero worship can be charming, in this context it seems unprofessional.
The other, somewhat lesser, problem I found with the book is that the author often feels it necessary to give virtually shot-by-shot descriptions of the films. Lennig has many "behind-the-scenes" tales to tell, and these should make up the bulk of the material.
If the film descriptions could be trimmed, and the irrelevant asides excised, I believe THE IMMORTAL COUNT would be very close to the defintive Lugosi history we fans have been waiting for. As it stands, it's a lovingly-crafted but highly-flawed work.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Fantastic a must for all Lugosi fans
Comment: What can I say, this book is a great followup expansion of Lennig's earlier biography, which has been my favorite books since I purchased it in the early 1970s. Informative and loaded with pictures, you can tell the author idolizes the subject and won't skimp on the details. This book shows why Lugosi should be considered to be more than just a ham actor from the golden age of Hollywood which many reviewers do, but a bonifided talented star.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Definitive
Comment: By now, everyone knows that Arthur Lennig has reworked his 1974 mini-cult classic THE COUNT. What I didn't know was the extent to which he did.
THE COUNT was tough to come by when I was a kid trying to read about Lugosi, Karloff, and Chaney Jr. My public library had it, and my brother and I would check it out on alternative weeks to keep it in our possession (seemingly, no one else was clamoring for it). When Lennig released the rewrite, I kept waiting for the price to fall (it never really did), so a year later, I caved in and bought it.
I'm glad I did. Lennig has expanded the book beautifully, utilizing the latest scholarship and revising entire chunks. He's also re-evaluated the credibility of some of his sources (Caroll Borland among them), and integrated some of the opinions of Gregory William Mank. The new book also softens some of the pot-shots he took at Karloff in 1974, and casts Chaney Jr. in a far less unfavorable light. The Epilogue is really interesting and up to date. In fact, the one fault is that Lennig may still have too much affection for Lugosi to be truly objective--but that's a "fault" easily excused if you have the same "fault" yourself!
In all, THE IMMORTAL COUNT is a terrific read, nicely updated, and a great addition to your library.
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