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- "15 Frightful Horror Films ... Bela Lugosi ... Passport Video"
- Good Bela / Baaaad Bela...
- Lugosi at Midnight
- Surprisingly Good Flick from Monogram!
- What's that smell in the basement?
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Bela Lugosi: Bowery at Midnight
Starring:
Bela Lugosi ,
John Archer ,
Wanda McKay ,
Tom Neal , and
Vince Barnett
Director:
Wallace Fox
Manufacturer: Alpha Video
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Similar Items:
-
Devil Bat
-
Human Monster
-
Hollywood's Legends of Horror Collection (Doctor X / The Return of Doctor X / Mad Love / The Devil Doll / Mark of the Vampire / The Mask of Fu Manchu)
-
The Ghoul
-
One Body Too Many
ASIN: B000067IW2
Release Date: 2002-06-04 |
Customer Reviews:
"15 Frightful Horror Films ... Bela Lugosi ... Passport Video".......2006-10-15
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)
Good Bela / Baaaad Bela... .......2005-12-25
Bela is excellent as both the "good" professor Brenner, and the cold, heartless, e-vil Kenneth Wagner, owner / operator of the Friendly Mission. No one knows that Wagner is also a sadistic criminal mastermind! He's been using the mission as a front for his underworld enterprises, committing heists and killing off henchmen as fast as he can replace 'em! His office is loaded w/ secret passages and he's got a graveyard in the sub-basement full of his ex-partners in crime! There's even a sub-sub-basement where Wagner's mad doctor pal keeps his unnatural experiments alive! I love this movie! Bela plays his good / bad roles w/ ease and dexterity, never seeming overly angelic nor demonic. Of course, I prefer his wicked persona! BOWERY AT MIDNIGHT would make a perfect double bill w/ HUMAN MONSTER, another of Bela's dual role projects...
Lugosi at Midnight.......2005-07-24
This is a decent movie, provided that you try not to think about it for very long. BOWERY AT MIDNIGHT (1942) gives Bela Lugosi an opportunity of playing three roles: a mild-mannered college professor, a generous philanthropist, and a ruthless cutthroat crime-boss (he's not playing different characters; he's playing one character who lives a double life... I mean... triple life). Lugosi's a good enough actor to successfully pull this off, but the script doesn't do him any favors.
Judy and her smug, pompous boyfriend Richard don't realize it, but they both know Bela Lugosi's character. Judy knows him as Karl Wagner, a gentle soul -- a man who cheerfully donates his time running a soup kitchen in an extremely impoverished area. Richard is a bland college boy, enrolled in a psychology class taught by Lugosi's Professor Fredrick Brenner. Neither of them realizes that Bela Lugosi appears in both their lives. Nor do they suspect him of being a criminal mastermind, who somehow manages to keep his hideout (disguised in the back of the soup kitchen) fully staffed with villains even though he seems to kill off a heavy during each robbery. (How do his underlings not realize that eventually he's going to kill them? Don't they notice that every thug around them is being bumped off?)
This film is only 62 minutes long, and it makes no attempts at being anything except a fun diversion. It's a standard, straightforward thriller with a slight supernatural element. I didn't find it particularly scary or horrific, but it's absorbing enough. It's strange that I could clearly notice how clueless the characters would have to be to do some of the things they do; yet I was still interested in seeing how everything turned out. Oddly, it's Bela Lugosi's deceitful and murderous character who turns out to be the most likable. Richard and Judy are far far too boring to cheer for.
In addition to the characters' extreme density, the script contains several portions that just don't make much sense. Or at least don't give the audience enough to figure out why things are happening. I don't need everything spelled out for me, but a little explanation would have gone a long way. Using the soup kitchen as a front for criminal activities makes sense, but why does he hide the charity from his wife?
Why bother splitting the nice, kindly professor identity away from the nice, kindly soup kitchen owner identity? Which is the "real" personality? Why does Richard give differing accounts of his future term paper to the professor and to his girlfriend? Obviously he's lying to one or the other, but why bother? (It's vaguely implied that he's telling the truth to Judy and lying to the professor about what he's writing. I can't recommend that as a successful way of getting a decent grade at the end of the semester.)
I'm reviewing the Digiview edition of this DVD, and after viewing several of the discs from that company, I can only assume that they don't hire a copy editor for the text on the back cover. Despite the written summary, Judy (Wanda McKay) is not Professor Brenner's student.
The picture on this Digiview disc is a little murky in places, but its perfectly viewable. The sound quality can be muffled at times, but, again, it's definitely acceptable.
The script relies far too heavily on unbelievable coincidences. Judy and Richard just happen to know the same man. Every major criminal in the city randomly wanders into Wagner's soup kitchen. Still, I had fun while watching and that counts for a lot. The fact that it's so short helps. Extended for another hour, these flaws would be more than enough to sink the film. As it stands now, it doesn't fully add up but it's definitely an entertaining hour.
Surprisingly Good Flick from Monogram!.......2004-06-15
Monogram Pictures were poverty-row quality, but here, as in a few other Lugosi movies, they make the most of their limited resources and even make a virtue out of them. I don't remember any other movie that captured the seedy, dusty atmosphere of the Bowery as this one. The plot is actually a very interesting one, with a psychology professor masquerading at night as a mission proprietor to front his third line, robbery and murder. Lugosi, in my opinion a vastly underrated and stereotyped actor, does a wonderful job in differentiating the three personae of Professor Brenner (aka Karl Wagner). His tenderness and affection for his wife are very convincingly portrayed; the only real and unexpected jolt is his murdering her in order to prevent the police from discovering his double life. Here is an example of the film's being a bit too short and not being able to fully deliniate the contradictions of the main character; otherwise, this is one of the most interesting interpretations that Bela Lugosi achieved onscreen. The ending is really frightening, as it is suddenly and swiftly presented to the viewer.
What's that smell in the basement?.......2004-02-18
Bowery at Midnight (1942) stars Bela Lugosi in one of his many 'poverty row' films, a time when Lugosi was on the outs with the major studios and subsequently worked with independent studios like Monogram and PRC. Directed by Wallace Fox (the back of the box mistakenly says Wallace 'Cox'), most known for his westerns, who also directed another one of Lugosi's low-end films called The Corpse Vanishes (1942). Bela plays three roles in this film, a kindly soup kitchen operator on skid row, a psychology professor and loving husband, and finally a vicious crime lord (I kept wondering when this character found time to sleep).
Basically the plot runs that Bela runs a soup kitchen, enlisting the aid of various criminal elements that pass through to perform heists, jobs, scores, whatever, while maintaining a secret life as a educator...once an individual outlives his usefulness in Lugosi's crime organization, that individual is then eliminated, keeping turnover high and costs down. This also helped to keep Lugosi's activities secret. Also, if a henchman exhibited the slightest bit of treachery, he was gone...like all the way gone, if you know what I mean (I love how they would bury these poor fellows in the basement, and then put markers with their names, no less, showing where each one rested. Not the smartest move, in my opinion, but whatever). And that soup kitchen/criminal lair...I haven't seen that many secret doors in like...well...ever. How in the heck did they keep track of all of them? Anyway, one of Bela's students, who is involved with Bela's female assistant at the soup kitchen, decides to do a paper on transients, unaware that his teacher is also the man in charge of the soup kitchen. He finds himself in dire trouble as he stumbles across Bela's alter ego, and soon the police are involved. There was an actor in the movie, Dave O'Brien, who plays a detective, which I recognized from somewhere, but couldn't place until I finally remembered he was also in the movie 'Reefer Madness' aka 'Tell Your Children' (1938). Soon Bela's worlds begin to collide as the police close in, and he meets a suitable fate involving recently deceased criminals resurrected from the dead?! This movie has everything. For a cheapie little movie, I found much to like with the sets and decor. The makers of this movie may not have had much, but what they had, they used very well. A fine example of making the best of what you've got. Oh, and keep an eye out. About 17 minutes into the movie, you may notice a movie poster for one of Lugosi's other poverty row movies, made within the same year. The hour run time serves nicely to keep things moving as the pace rarely slows down.
This disc was released by Lugosi's Estate, and has many worthwhile features including a digitally remastered picture from 35mm film elements, commentary by film historian Ted Newsom and Bela Lugosi, Jr., a photo gallery, some trailers featuring Lugosi's other poverty row releases including one with the Bowery Boys, a wonderful mini movie poster insert, and there is even a radio episode called "Gasoline Cocktail" from some old time radio crime show. If you are interested in getting this movie on DVD, this is the one to get, rather than some of those cheaper releases floating around.
Cookieman108
Average customer rating:
- "15 Frightful Horror Films ... Bela Lugosi ... Passport Video"
|
Bowery At Midnight
Manufacturer: Digiview
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD
General
| Horror
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
ASIN: B000802FVO |
Product Description
Bela Lugosi is Professor Brenner who recruits gangsters to perform dastardly deeds.
Customer Reviews:
"15 Frightful Horror Films ... Bela Lugosi ... Passport Video".......2006-10-15
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)
Average customer rating:
- "15 Frightful Horror Films ... Bela Lugosi ... Passport Video"
- Good Bela / Baaaad Bela...
- Lugosi at Midnight
- Surprisingly Good Flick from Monogram!
- What's that smell in the basement?
|
Bowery at Midnight
Starring:
Bela Lugosi ,
John Archer ,
Wanda McKay ,
Tom Neal , and
Vince Barnett
Director:
Wallace Fox
Manufacturer: ROAN
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD
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| ( L )
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Similar Items:
-
Devil Bat
-
Human Monster
-
Hollywood's Legends of Horror Collection (Doctor X / The Return of Doctor X / Mad Love / The Devil Doll / Mark of the Vampire / The Mask of Fu Manchu)
-
The Ghoul
-
One Body Too Many
ASIN: B00004YS6L
Release Date: 2000-10-17 |
Description
Screen legend Bela Lugosi gives a classic nuanced performance as Professor Brenner, a psychology instructor at New York University who, when not enlightening his students-most of them played by buxom Monogram studio starlets-Brenner is engaged in charitable work, running a mission in the Bowery. In truth, however, the kindly professor is a fiend in human form, who uses his mission as a front for a vast criminal empire. When Judy (Wanda McKay), one of Brenner's students, stumbles onto the truth, she's targetted for extermination by the Dr. Jekyll-and-Mr. Hyde prof. This DVD release, digitally mastered from excellent materials, features interactive and illustrated production notes.
Customer Reviews:
"15 Frightful Horror Films ... Bela Lugosi ... Passport Video".......2006-10-15
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)
Good Bela / Baaaad Bela... .......2005-12-25
Bela is excellent as both the "good" professor Brenner, and the cold, heartless, e-vil Kenneth Wagner, owner / operator of the Friendly Mission. No one knows that Wagner is also a sadistic criminal mastermind! He's been using the mission as a front for his underworld enterprises, committing heists and killing off henchmen as fast as he can replace 'em! His office is loaded w/ secret passages and he's got a graveyard in the sub-basement full of his ex-partners in crime! There's even a sub-sub-basement where Wagner's mad doctor pal keeps his unnatural experiments alive! I love this movie! Bela plays his good / bad roles w/ ease and dexterity, never seeming overly angelic nor demonic. Of course, I prefer his wicked persona! BOWERY AT MIDNIGHT would make a perfect double bill w/ HUMAN MONSTER, another of Bela's dual role projects...
Lugosi at Midnight.......2005-07-24
This is a decent movie, provided that you try not to think about it for very long. BOWERY AT MIDNIGHT (1942) gives Bela Lugosi an opportunity of playing three roles: a mild-mannered college professor, a generous philanthropist, and a ruthless cutthroat crime-boss (he's not playing different characters; he's playing one character who lives a double life... I mean... triple life). Lugosi's a good enough actor to successfully pull this off, but the script doesn't do him any favors.
Judy and her smug, pompous boyfriend Richard don't realize it, but they both know Bela Lugosi's character. Judy knows him as Karl Wagner, a gentle soul -- a man who cheerfully donates his time running a soup kitchen in an extremely impoverished area. Richard is a bland college boy, enrolled in a psychology class taught by Lugosi's Professor Fredrick Brenner. Neither of them realizes that Bela Lugosi appears in both their lives. Nor do they suspect him of being a criminal mastermind, who somehow manages to keep his hideout (disguised in the back of the soup kitchen) fully staffed with villains even though he seems to kill off a heavy during each robbery. (How do his underlings not realize that eventually he's going to kill them? Don't they notice that every thug around them is being bumped off?)
This film is only 62 minutes long, and it makes no attempts at being anything except a fun diversion. It's a standard, straightforward thriller with a slight supernatural element. I didn't find it particularly scary or horrific, but it's absorbing enough. It's strange that I could clearly notice how clueless the characters would have to be to do some of the things they do; yet I was still interested in seeing how everything turned out. Oddly, it's Bela Lugosi's deceitful and murderous character who turns out to be the most likable. Richard and Judy are far far too boring to cheer for.
In addition to the characters' extreme density, the script contains several portions that just don't make much sense. Or at least don't give the audience enough to figure out why things are happening. I don't need everything spelled out for me, but a little explanation would have gone a long way. Using the soup kitchen as a front for criminal activities makes sense, but why does he hide the charity from his wife?
Why bother splitting the nice, kindly professor identity away from the nice, kindly soup kitchen owner identity? Which is the "real" personality? Why does Richard give differing accounts of his future term paper to the professor and to his girlfriend? Obviously he's lying to one or the other, but why bother? (It's vaguely implied that he's telling the truth to Judy and lying to the professor about what he's writing. I can't recommend that as a successful way of getting a decent grade at the end of the semester.)
I'm reviewing the Digiview edition of this DVD, and after viewing several of the discs from that company, I can only assume that they don't hire a copy editor for the text on the back cover. Despite the written summary, Judy (Wanda McKay) is not Professor Brenner's student.
The picture on this Digiview disc is a little murky in places, but its perfectly viewable. The sound quality can be muffled at times, but, again, it's definitely acceptable.
The script relies far too heavily on unbelievable coincidences. Judy and Richard just happen to know the same man. Every major criminal in the city randomly wanders into Wagner's soup kitchen. Still, I had fun while watching and that counts for a lot. The fact that it's so short helps. Extended for another hour, these flaws would be more than enough to sink the film. As it stands now, it doesn't fully add up but it's definitely an entertaining hour.
Surprisingly Good Flick from Monogram!.......2004-06-15
Monogram Pictures were poverty-row quality, but here, as in a few other Lugosi movies, they make the most of their limited resources and even make a virtue out of them. I don't remember any other movie that captured the seedy, dusty atmosphere of the Bowery as this one. The plot is actually a very interesting one, with a psychology professor masquerading at night as a mission proprietor to front his third line, robbery and murder. Lugosi, in my opinion a vastly underrated and stereotyped actor, does a wonderful job in differentiating the three personae of Professor Brenner (aka Karl Wagner). His tenderness and affection for his wife are very convincingly portrayed; the only real and unexpected jolt is his murdering her in order to prevent the police from discovering his double life. Here is an example of the film's being a bit too short and not being able to fully deliniate the contradictions of the main character; otherwise, this is one of the most interesting interpretations that Bela Lugosi achieved onscreen. The ending is really frightening, as it is suddenly and swiftly presented to the viewer.
What's that smell in the basement?.......2004-02-18
Bowery at Midnight (1942) stars Bela Lugosi in one of his many 'poverty row' films, a time when Lugosi was on the outs with the major studios and subsequently worked with independent studios like Monogram and PRC. Directed by Wallace Fox (the back of the box mistakenly says Wallace 'Cox'), most known for his westerns, who also directed another one of Lugosi's low-end films called The Corpse Vanishes (1942). Bela plays three roles in this film, a kindly soup kitchen operator on skid row, a psychology professor and loving husband, and finally a vicious crime lord (I kept wondering when this character found time to sleep).
Basically the plot runs that Bela runs a soup kitchen, enlisting the aid of various criminal elements that pass through to perform heists, jobs, scores, whatever, while maintaining a secret life as a educator...once an individual outlives his usefulness in Lugosi's crime organization, that individual is then eliminated, keeping turnover high and costs down. This also helped to keep Lugosi's activities secret. Also, if a henchman exhibited the slightest bit of treachery, he was gone...like all the way gone, if you know what I mean (I love how they would bury these poor fellows in the basement, and then put markers with their names, no less, showing where each one rested. Not the smartest move, in my opinion, but whatever). And that soup kitchen/criminal lair...I haven't seen that many secret doors in like...well...ever. How in the heck did they keep track of all of them? Anyway, one of Bela's students, who is involved with Bela's female assistant at the soup kitchen, decides to do a paper on transients, unaware that his teacher is also the man in charge of the soup kitchen. He finds himself in dire trouble as he stumbles across Bela's alter ego, and soon the police are involved. There was an actor in the movie, Dave O'Brien, who plays a detective, which I recognized from somewhere, but couldn't place until I finally remembered he was also in the movie 'Reefer Madness' aka 'Tell Your Children' (1938). Soon Bela's worlds begin to collide as the police close in, and he meets a suitable fate involving recently deceased criminals resurrected from the dead?! This movie has everything. For a cheapie little movie, I found much to like with the sets and decor. The makers of this movie may not have had much, but what they had, they used very well. A fine example of making the best of what you've got. Oh, and keep an eye out. About 17 minutes into the movie, you may notice a movie poster for one of Lugosi's other poverty row movies, made within the same year. The hour run time serves nicely to keep things moving as the pace rarely slows down.
This disc was released by Lugosi's Estate, and has many worthwhile features including a digitally remastered picture from 35mm film elements, commentary by film historian Ted Newsom and Bela Lugosi, Jr., a photo gallery, some trailers featuring Lugosi's other poverty row releases including one with the Bowery Boys, a wonderful mini movie poster insert, and there is even a radio episode called "Gasoline Cocktail" from some old time radio crime show. If you are interested in getting this movie on DVD, this is the one to get, rather than some of those cheaper releases floating around.
Cookieman108
Average customer rating:
- "15 Frightful Horror Films ... Bela Lugosi ... Passport Video"
- Good Bela / Baaaad Bela...
- Lugosi at Midnight
- Surprisingly Good Flick from Monogram!
- What's that smell in the basement?
|
Bowery at Midnight
Starring:
Bela Lugosi ,
John Archer ,
Wanda McKay ,
Tom Neal , and
Vince Barnett
Director:
Wallace Fox
Manufacturer: Rph Productions
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD
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Archer, John
| ( A )
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Barnett, Vince
| ( B )
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Eldredge, George
| ( E )
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Lugosi, Bela
| ( L )
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MacDonald, J Farrell
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McKay, Wanda
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Oakman, Wheeler
| ( O )
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O'Brien, Dave
| ( O )
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Fox, Wallace
| ( F )
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ASIN: B00006G8HR
Release Date: 2002-09-03 |
Customer Reviews:
"15 Frightful Horror Films ... Bela Lugosi ... Passport Video".......2006-10-15
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)
Good Bela / Baaaad Bela... .......2005-12-25
Bela is excellent as both the "good" professor Brenner, and the cold, heartless, e-vil Kenneth Wagner, owner / operator of the Friendly Mission. No one knows that Wagner is also a sadistic criminal mastermind! He's been using the mission as a front for his underworld enterprises, committing heists and killing off henchmen as fast as he can replace 'em! His office is loaded w/ secret passages and he's got a graveyard in the sub-basement full of his ex-partners in crime! There's even a sub-sub-basement where Wagner's mad doctor pal keeps his unnatural experiments alive! I love this movie! Bela plays his good / bad roles w/ ease and dexterity, never seeming overly angelic nor demonic. Of course, I prefer his wicked persona! BOWERY AT MIDNIGHT would make a perfect double bill w/ HUMAN MONSTER, another of Bela's dual role projects...
Lugosi at Midnight.......2005-07-24
This is a decent movie, provided that you try not to think about it for very long. BOWERY AT MIDNIGHT (1942) gives Bela Lugosi an opportunity of playing three roles: a mild-mannered college professor, a generous philanthropist, and a ruthless cutthroat crime-boss (he's not playing different characters; he's playing one character who lives a double life... I mean... triple life). Lugosi's a good enough actor to successfully pull this off, but the script doesn't do him any favors.
Judy and her smug, pompous boyfriend Richard don't realize it, but they both know Bela Lugosi's character. Judy knows him as Karl Wagner, a gentle soul -- a man who cheerfully donates his time running a soup kitchen in an extremely impoverished area. Richard is a bland college boy, enrolled in a psychology class taught by Lugosi's Professor Fredrick Brenner. Neither of them realizes that Bela Lugosi appears in both their lives. Nor do they suspect him of being a criminal mastermind, who somehow manages to keep his hideout (disguised in the back of the soup kitchen) fully staffed with villains even though he seems to kill off a heavy during each robbery. (How do his underlings not realize that eventually he's going to kill them? Don't they notice that every thug around them is being bumped off?)
This film is only 62 minutes long, and it makes no attempts at being anything except a fun diversion. It's a standard, straightforward thriller with a slight supernatural element. I didn't find it particularly scary or horrific, but it's absorbing enough. It's strange that I could clearly notice how clueless the characters would have to be to do some of the things they do; yet I was still interested in seeing how everything turned out. Oddly, it's Bela Lugosi's deceitful and murderous character who turns out to be the most likable. Richard and Judy are far far too boring to cheer for.
In addition to the characters' extreme density, the script contains several portions that just don't make much sense. Or at least don't give the audience enough to figure out why things are happening. I don't need everything spelled out for me, but a little explanation would have gone a long way. Using the soup kitchen as a front for criminal activities makes sense, but why does he hide the charity from his wife?
Why bother splitting the nice, kindly professor identity away from the nice, kindly soup kitchen owner identity? Which is the "real" personality? Why does Richard give differing accounts of his future term paper to the professor and to his girlfriend? Obviously he's lying to one or the other, but why bother? (It's vaguely implied that he's telling the truth to Judy and lying to the professor about what he's writing. I can't recommend that as a successful way of getting a decent grade at the end of the semester.)
I'm reviewing the Digiview edition of this DVD, and after viewing several of the discs from that company, I can only assume that they don't hire a copy editor for the text on the back cover. Despite the written summary, Judy (Wanda McKay) is not Professor Brenner's student.
The picture on this Digiview disc is a little murky in places, but its perfectly viewable. The sound quality can be muffled at times, but, again, it's definitely acceptable.
The script relies far too heavily on unbelievable coincidences. Judy and Richard just happen to know the same man. Every major criminal in the city randomly wanders into Wagner's soup kitchen. Still, I had fun while watching and that counts for a lot. The fact that it's so short helps. Extended for another hour, these flaws would be more than enough to sink the film. As it stands now, it doesn't fully add up but it's definitely an entertaining hour.
Surprisingly Good Flick from Monogram!.......2004-06-15
Monogram Pictures were poverty-row quality, but here, as in a few other Lugosi movies, they make the most of their limited resources and even make a virtue out of them. I don't remember any other movie that captured the seedy, dusty atmosphere of the Bowery as this one. The plot is actually a very interesting one, with a psychology professor masquerading at night as a mission proprietor to front his third line, robbery and murder. Lugosi, in my opinion a vastly underrated and stereotyped actor, does a wonderful job in differentiating the three personae of Professor Brenner (aka Karl Wagner). His tenderness and affection for his wife are very convincingly portrayed; the only real and unexpected jolt is his murdering her in order to prevent the police from discovering his double life. Here is an example of the film's being a bit too short and not being able to fully deliniate the contradictions of the main character; otherwise, this is one of the most interesting interpretations that Bela Lugosi achieved onscreen. The ending is really frightening, as it is suddenly and swiftly presented to the viewer.
What's that smell in the basement?.......2004-02-18
Bowery at Midnight (1942) stars Bela Lugosi in one of his many 'poverty row' films, a time when Lugosi was on the outs with the major studios and subsequently worked with independent studios like Monogram and PRC. Directed by Wallace Fox (the back of the box mistakenly says Wallace 'Cox'), most known for his westerns, who also directed another one of Lugosi's low-end films called The Corpse Vanishes (1942). Bela plays three roles in this film, a kindly soup kitchen operator on skid row, a psychology professor and loving husband, and finally a vicious crime lord (I kept wondering when this character found time to sleep).
Basically the plot runs that Bela runs a soup kitchen, enlisting the aid of various criminal elements that pass through to perform heists, jobs, scores, whatever, while maintaining a secret life as a educator...once an individual outlives his usefulness in Lugosi's crime organization, that individual is then eliminated, keeping turnover high and costs down. This also helped to keep Lugosi's activities secret. Also, if a henchman exhibited the slightest bit of treachery, he was gone...like all the way gone, if you know what I mean (I love how they would bury these poor fellows in the basement, and then put markers with their names, no less, showing where each one rested. Not the smartest move, in my opinion, but whatever). And that soup kitchen/criminal lair...I haven't seen that many secret doors in like...well...ever. How in the heck did they keep track of all of them? Anyway, one of Bela's students, who is involved with Bela's female assistant at the soup kitchen, decides to do a paper on transients, unaware that his teacher is also the man in charge of the soup kitchen. He finds himself in dire trouble as he stumbles across Bela's alter ego, and soon the police are involved. There was an actor in the movie, Dave O'Brien, who plays a detective, which I recognized from somewhere, but couldn't place until I finally remembered he was also in the movie 'Reefer Madness' aka 'Tell Your Children' (1938). Soon Bela's worlds begin to collide as the police close in, and he meets a suitable fate involving recently deceased criminals resurrected from the dead?! This movie has everything. For a cheapie little movie, I found much to like with the sets and decor. The makers of this movie may not have had much, but what they had, they used very well. A fine example of making the best of what you've got. Oh, and keep an eye out. About 17 minutes into the movie, you may notice a movie poster for one of Lugosi's other poverty row movies, made within the same year. The hour run time serves nicely to keep things moving as the pace rarely slows down.
This disc was released by Lugosi's Estate, and has many worthwhile features including a digitally remastered picture from 35mm film elements, commentary by film historian Ted Newsom and Bela Lugosi, Jr., a photo gallery, some trailers featuring Lugosi's other poverty row releases including one with the Bowery Boys, a wonderful mini movie poster insert, and there is even a radio episode called "Gasoline Cocktail" from some old time radio crime show. If you are interested in getting this movie on DVD, this is the one to get, rather than some of those cheaper releases floating around.
Cookieman108
Product Description
Hollywood Monsters: Before the dawn of cinema, monsters and evil creatures existed merely in our imaginations. Filmmakers brought these scary fantasies to life. Horror movies aim to terrify, shock and disgust, and to awaken our deepest, darkest fears. Focusing on the dark side of life, on the forbidden, and on supernatural events, they deal with our primal fears of the irrational and the unknown. Grusome zombies, gore and apocalyptic themes are key ingredients in the monster movie genre. Often cheesy, these classic thrill, captivate and entertain us, letting us have fun being scared while enjoying the fantasy.
7 early horror classics reunited in one DEADLY collecter's set -The Wasp Woman (1960) -Bowery At Midnight (1942) -The Ape (1940) -Night Of The Living Dead (1968) -The Devil Bat (1940) -Nabonga (1944) -The Bride Of The Gorilla (1951) -BONUS DVD: Hollywood Monsters - The Documentary
Product Description
16 FULL LENGTH HORROR CLASSIC MOVIES ON 4 DVDS: Bowery At Midnight, Beast From Haunted Cave, Condemned To Live, Creature From The Haunted Sea, The Beast Of Yucca Flats, The Corpse Vanishes, Giant From The Unknown, The Monster Maker, One Body Too Many, The She-Beast, tennage Zombies, Tormented, Bela Lugosi Meets A Brooklyn Gorilla, Revolt Of The Zombies, The Screaming Skull, Bloody Pit Of Horror
Customer Reviews:
Cheesy old horror flicks still tickle the funny bone.......2005-12-29
Bela Lugosi and the Bowery Boys cavort on the silver screen along with other z-rated monster (or is it monsterous) classics of horror. You won't want to miss a chance to see these black and white (mostly) classics of diabolical horror and at times unintentional humor. I highly recommend it in the spirit of E.C. comics, big little books and 3-D movies. You won't regret taking this trip down ghoulish memory lane.
Average customer rating:
|
Vintage Thrillers
Manufacturer: Alpha Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD
General
| Mystery & Suspense
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
ASIN: B000A7I6AE |
Product Description
From the collectors Library Vintage Thrillers, The Black Raven, The Mysterious Mr. Wong, Fog Island, The Death Kiss, Bluebeard and Bowery at Midnight
DVD:
- Ben Stiller Collection (Meet the Parents - Special Edition/Mystery Men/Reality Bites/Along Came Polly)
- Betty Hutton: Perils of Pauline/The Stork Club
- Beyond Conviction
- Big Momma's House / Me Myself & Irene
- Camaron en eo Asador
- Changing Habits / Falling in Love Again
- Charlie Chaplin - 51 Features
- Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (Full Screen Edition)
- City of Dreams (NTSC Version)
- Classic Comedy Triple Feature, Vol. 2 - St. Benny the Dip / Behave Yourself / Topper Returns
DVD
DVD
