Audrey Fox
When most people think of the 1994 Tim Burton film Ed Wood, the lead performance of Johnny Depp as the title character, painfully oblivious of his own shortcomings as a filmmaker, is top of mind. Ironically, the film documenting the career of Ed Wood, who was responsible for B-movie cult classics such as Plan 9 From Outer Space and was famously considered the worst director of all time, is fondly remembered as an emotionally resonant Hollywood biopic – so much so that it has led to a critical reevaluation of Ed Wood’s work. But while there are plenty of great actors in Ed Wood, this sense of pathos is largely thanks to Martin Landau, who brings a caustic vulnerability to the role of Bela Lugosi. His work here is not only the best performance in the film, but is a strong contender for one of the best of the decade.
When we first meet Bela Lugosi in Ed Wood, he’s a far cry from the hypnotic figure who made such an impression on audiences that he’s now considered by most to be the definitive cinematic Dracula. This is about 20 years after his prime, and he’s already washed up, nursing both an entirely one-sided grievance against his fellow Universal star Boris Karloff – who he considers a hack – and a pretty debilitating morphine addiction. When Ed Wood sees one of cinema’s greatest stars living in near-poverty, he decides to feature him in his upcoming film, Glen or Glenda.
Bela Lugosi – especially within the context of his performance as Dracula – is a character with extremely recognizable vocal tics and affectations. It would be easy for Martin Landau to lean entirely into impersonation, capturing the essence of the famous Hungarian actor by mimicking his distinctive accent. And while he certainly doesn’t shy away from more presentational aspects in his performance, he also develops a deep emotional core that informs his choices as Lugosi. Abandoned by Hollywood and destroying all of the most important relationships in his life, he’s mostly given up, languishing deeper in addiction and self-pity.
In some ways, Martin Landau’s take on Bela Lugosi feels reminiscent of Norma Desmond from Sunset Boulevard. All he has left are the ghosts of his past, and he spends the majority of his time either rewatching his greatest hits or attempting to capture a hint of his former glory. He may not have the gothic manor of a Norma Desmond, but his shabby Los Angeles pre-fab is just as much a mausoleum to a great Hollywood star who hasn’t actually died yet. Yet while Norma’s big screen comeback is a tragic misunderstanding, Bela Lugosi actually gets one more opportunity to work in the movie industry, thanks to the almost pathologic optimism of Ed Wood. They find in each other kindred spirits, both outcasts rejected by the Hollywood establishment.
Martin Landau’s performance as Lugosi asks audiences to look past the bitter, angry veneer of the aging actor, and to see the humanity underneath. His rage towards Hollywood is understandable – after all, he sees the film community as having abandoned him. But these outwardly aggressive tones make Landau’s softer moments all the more meaningful: his joy at having another chance to act, even in something as silly as Ed Wood’s films, and how touched he is when Wood writes him a final speech that seems to take him seriously as an actor. At the end of the day, he’s a lonely old man, and it’s hard not to feel for him.
The most powerful moment of the film for Landau comes when Wood is filming B-roll with Lugosi, partially in an effort to keep his friend, always prone to bouts of malaise, occupied. Lugosi is standing outside his house, and he stops to pick a flower, hold it to his nose, and inhale deeply. Then he drops the flower, and continues on his way. Landau doesn’t actually say anything in this scene, but its silence only speaks to the loneliness and melancholy of the character. Later, when Wood is watching the playback of the scene – which he’s shoehorned into the front half of Plan 9 From Outer Space after Lugosi’s death – the full weight of their unconventional friendship hits home.
Martin Landau was critically acclaimed for his work as Bela Lugosi, and he took home the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1995. But in the years since Ed Wood’s release, his performance has faded into – well, maybe not obscurity, but definitely indifference, as other actors from the ‘90s have seen their work grow in relevance. Despite the fact that it’s one of the more forgotten Oscar-winning performances of the decades, Landau deserves credit for his commitment to not just imitating Bela Lugosi but breathing life back into the actor who had his legacy defined by just one role.
“Ed Wood” is available for digital rental or purchase.
