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"Bevare of the big green dragon that sits on your doorstep." Jun 11, 2010
By Annie Van Auken
GLEN OR GLENDA (1953) - Bela Lugosi, Edward Wood Jr., Dolores Fuller, Lyle Talbot, 'Tommy' Haynes, Conrad Brooks
Infamous movie that began Ed Wood's reign as "worst director of all time" is an autobiographic semi-documentary on transvestism (now called "crossdressing"). Wood as Glen also boldly appears in his second self, here named Glenda. Fuller, playing girlfriend Barbara, is a really bad actress. Bela's "puppy dog's tails" speech and later "Pull da string! Pull da string!" narration over a superimposed buffalo herd are unforgettable. An extended sequence of wordless action with music track perhaps reveals the director's other idiosyncracies.
Here, as Glen and Barbara get married, a sports jacketed Satan nods his approval. The next curious segment is of an hourglass shaped stripper then a supine woman being whipped and bound by another girl. The previously tied up girl freely writhes on a couch in a sheer negligee, clearly aroused. A man enters and forces himself upon her; at first she resists but then kisses him back. All this as Lugosi watches with raised brows.
The sequence continues: a small crowd points accusingly at Glen and surround him as the devil urges them forward. He's now Glenda when they back away. Barbara slowly approaches but suddenly turns into Satan. Glenda recoils. An amused Barbara reappears in an overturned chair; she rises and mocks Glenda. A montage of laughers, plus their hands and grinning faces, segues to the devil repeating Lugosi's "Beware" soliloquy.
All this is preface to Glen's decision to reveal his dark secret to Barbara. Will she laugh for real and make Glen's nightmare a reality? Will she end their engagement? Before we find out, another case is presented plus there's lots more stock footage to use up! (Hint: Wood's story incorrectly concludes that love cures CDers.)
"15 Frightful Horror Films ... Bela Lugosi ... Passport Video" Oct 15, 2006
By J. Lovins
"Mr. Jim"
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)
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![Glen or Glenda? [VHS]](http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/P/A0000000.01-._SL160_.jpg "Glen or Glenda? [VHS]")
![From Hell [VHS]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41MXV0G3P7L._SL75_.jpg "From Hell [VHS]"){kind=small}
