Lugosi's Screen Test for The Monster role. in Universal Horrors Forum

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Lugosi's Screen Test for The Monster role.

Author	Comment
Ted Newsom	Test and Re-test	#81	[-]
Nov 7 06 12:46 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Given that sole extant photo of Karloff in the preliminary make-up (Mr. Horn-head), I'd suggest-- speculate-- that this was taken at the same time as a moving picture test, rather than solely a portrait. What is visible in the background does not look like a neautral studio-portrait set-up; it would be silly to "test" the visual effect of a make-up for a movie with just a single still photograph; and we know that at least one moving-picture test had already been done for the same purpose.
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Imhoteps Ashes	Re: Timeline...	#82	[-]
Nov 7 06 1:16 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	*Quote:* In my next Lugosi book, I suggest like Dr.Realart that RUE MORGUE has much of FRANKENSTEIN in it, at least structurally. A mad doctor tries to create new life in a laboratory with the help of an assistant. There's also the storyline connection that the scientist who dared tamper in God's domain is murdered by his own creation at the end (this was an element of FRANKENSTEIN right up to the last stages, at any rate). "Hideous Half-Man, Half-Beast Who Terrorized Millions!" - Tagline, WEREWOLF OF LONDON (1935)
Ted Newsom	Re: Timeline...	#83	[-]
Nov 7 06 1:31 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	And btw, I'm semi-serious about Junior Laemmle's reported "laugh" reaction to the Lugosi screen test. People laugh for a lot of reasons, not just derisively, and that guy seems like he was full of joie de vive. Had the head of the studio hooted like a jackass and exited the screening room quickly in flustered hilarity-- why would Lugosi turn to the cameraman, pronounce his close-up "Excellent," and hand him a cigar in congratulations? Screening rooms aren't that big. What, are we supposing Lugosi was a dunderhead and didn't notice the little boss laffing his assss off on the way out? If the test went over that badly, why would Lugosi feel this Up at all? Something about this doesn't pass the scratch n sniff test.
HalLane	Re: Test and Re-test	#84	[-]
Nov 7 06 1:40 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I think we know that Whale shot a moving picture test of Karloff. And I agree with Ted, that 'ringbolt' photo image does look like it may be part of it. In fact, I can't see going to all that trouble and *not* filming it, if only to compare with the Lugosi footage, the whole point of testing another actor, really. We also know that in addition to the FRANKENSTEIN footage that has ostensibly been kicking around in Jersey lo these many years, Paul Ivano had Lugosi test footage in his garage that he eventually threw away. A second test doesn't sound very far-fetched at all. That's a lot of Lugosi footage for just a single test.... Some good points being made here, gentlemen.
Gary Rhodes	Re: Timeline...	#85	[-]
Nov 7 06 2:26 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I've found two 1931 clippings that mention Whale and tests. One of them specifically mentions his test with Mae Clarke for FRANK... the other is vague. So a Karloff test makes as much sense as a Whale-Lugosi test. Also, I'm glad Ted is bringing up Laemmle Jr. The whole Lugosi departure from FRANK involved other people than Lugosi and Whale, specifically Laemmle Jr. The other thing that occurs to me, that I try to write about in the new book, is that there is a period in late spring where the press is going back and forth about which film would be next for Lugosi: RUE MORGUE or FRANK. Both were on the table ... it seemed to just be a question (even as late as May) as to which would be filmed first. So at the time of the shakeup from FRANK, it may not have been as simple as Florey-Lugosi getting a "second prize" RUE MORGUE as horror history generally suggests. The studio--at least for a time in the spring and even into summer 1931--considered both projects of major, even equal importance. If Lugosi departed willingly or not, he may have believed RUE MORGUE would be every bit as important as FRANK.
hnicolella	Re: Timeline...	#86	[-]
Nov 7 06 2:30 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	*Quote:* And btw, I'm semi-serious about Junior Laemmle's reported "laugh" reaction to the Lugosi screen test But what I'm still wondering is did Mank actually mention a source for the story? Henry Nicolella
taraco	Ivano know...	#87	[-]
Nov 7 06 2:31 PM Burgomaster Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	For the benefit of many of us here, Paul Ivano is a name I've heard over the years but know little about. Was he a collector? A fan? Is he still alive? How would he have had these lost bits of film? Did anyone else ever see them?
HalLane	Re: Ivano know...	#88	[-]
Nov 7 06 2:38 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Sorry to be so cavalier. Too much exposure to Merv Griffin name-dropping in my youth. Paul Ivano was the cameraman who actually photographed the Lugosi/Florey test. The script he used was given to publisher Phil Riley, I believe, an excerpt of which appears in Riley's MagicImage FRANKENSTEIN script book.
TomWeaver999	Re: Timeline...	#89	[-]
Nov 7 06 2:40 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Ivano was the cinematographer of a lot of movies and TV shows over an umpteen-year period -- including the FRANKENSTEIN test footage. Edited to add: Oops. You gotta respond quick around here with HalLane around!
Bobtheman	Karloff Screen Test for Frankenstein	#90	[-]
Nov 7 06 2:41 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	From the Universal Terror Articles... Many years later, Boris Karloff recalled his discovery, "I was making a picture at Universal when the director of Frankenstein, James Whale, saw me in the commissary and he asked me if I'd like to try for the part of the for the picture, but things had not been so brisk for me that I could afford to turn it down. Jack Pierce experimented with me for several weeks before the screen test and it was his artistry as much as anything I did that clinched the decision." **************** "Have a cigar."
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soundstage28	Re: Test and Re-test	#91	[-]
Nov 7 06 2:48 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	*Quote:* If Lugosi departed willingly or not, he may have believed RUE MORGUE would be every bit as important as FRANK Gary - You beat me to the punch. I was thinking the same thing.... early make-up not working great for Bela.. he's not thrilled anyway as no lines. No big whoop to move on... both stories are based on well known novels... both should be hits....Murder in the Rue has dialogue, much more appealing than "monster walks thru door" script.... studio confused about Frankenstein script and director and make-up... for that matter, and there's no proof I know of, maybe the studio actually felt they were protecting Bela by moving him on to a "safer" film.
Gary Rhodes	Re: Timeline...	#92	[-]
Nov 7 06 2:52 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Allegedly, Ivano dumped the frames he had because they were nitrate and he was fearful of combustion. Again, I say allegedly. I don't know. I would say that the best exploration of the Ivano test appears in ROBERT FLOREY, THE FRENCH EXPRESSIONIST by Brian Taves, who now is an archivist at the Library of Congress. It is a wonderful book, and Florey deserves more attention than he's gotten... his LIFE AND DEATH OF 9413, A HOLLYWOOD EXTRA is amazing. Anyhow, more than a few years back B. Senn wrote an article on RUE MORGUE that suggested there was some backlash against the film and Taves's book was b/c Taves proposes the idea that FRANK would have been better if Florey directed. I'm not sure that's why Taves's book isn't better known, though. It came out over 15 years ago, was a high-priced book, etc. Regardless of any of that, including whatever one thinks of some of Taves's arguments, his book is a must-have for the topic of this thread.
Gary Rhodes	Re: Ivano know...	#93	[-]
Nov 7 06 2:55 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I agree Soundstage28... there's no good reason to think that Universal was dumping Lugosi onto a bad film... RUE MORGUE in the Summer of 1931 was not the RUE MORGUE finished film of early 1932 (altho I still like it). Even though I'm a Lugosi buff, I've never been one of these "Universal shafted Lugosi"-types. It doesn't make sense to me at all, let alone in the Summer of 1931.
Bobtheman	Lugosi Screen Test	#94	[-]
Nov 7 06 2:56 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	From Film Rader: Being the other great pillar of horror literature, it was only natural that Mary Shelleys FRANKENSTEIN would be the next property to be made into a film. The production was originally announced as starring Bela Lugosi. However, a screen test shot by the proposed director Robert Florey, of Lugosi in make-up with a chalky white pace and fright of hair that resembled the creature from Paul Wegeners silent classic, Der Golem, was rejected by the studio. Lugosi, who did not like the prospect of playing a mute monster under tons of make-up, quit the production (or so the legend goes.) Robert Florey, for reasons never made clear, was soon fired from the picture and a new director had to be hired. Carl Laemmle Jr. wanted James Whale; a renowned stage director who had success with the films Journeys End and Waterloo Bridge. Whale, initially did not want to do the film but after seeing the script saw that there were ideas that he could work with and became downright enthusiastic about making the film. Whatever qualities that Laemmle Jr. saw in Whales previous works, his choice turned out to be an inspired decision in retrospect. Whale quickly set about having Robert Floreys original script rewritten and began to cast the film.
TomWeaver999	Ivano	#95	[-]
Nov 7 06 3:34 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Wasn't there an old FM article that mentions an Ivano visit to the Ackermansion, and includes some of what he said about the test footage but, in typical Ackerman style, Ackerman didn't quite know who the guy was, or exactly what he'd done, and didnt even know his name (he looked in the guest book after Ivano left and couldnt read his handwriting)? In other words, the usual FJA contribution to situations like this!
jakeoy	Re: Timeline...	#96	[-]
Nov 7 06 3:54 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	" One man crazy, three very sane spectators! Oh... oh yes, and you too, Fritz". More lost test footage we'd like to see. "Look, it's still here!"
soundstage28	Re: Timeline...	#97	[-]
Nov 7 06 4:10 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	*Quote:* I've got to get that book! tinyurl.com/yzhqqo - Order here. Joe Friday's favorite book. Just the facts....
thehorrorboy	Re: Timeline...	#98	[-]
Nov 7 06 4:12 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Tom, Forry called him "Paul Dano!"
Gary Rhodes	Re: Ivano know...	#99	[-]
Nov 7 06 4:15 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Thanks soundstage28 for the plug. It is out in paperback now at something like 35 bucks (now I'm plugging!)... and I think the paperback cover is a little more modern/slick looking. The other thing I talk about in it re: the test footage is the bizarre tale of Don Marlowe, who advertised it for sale not only in the US but in France as well ...
Scoundrel	Re: Lugosi Book	#100	[-]
Nov 7 06 4:40 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Anyone who cares about Lugosi and his career HAS to have this book..!!! One of the Best. Psst...Gary; wanna buy a chair...? S.
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Lugosi's Screen Test for The Monster role.