When we first meet Bela Lugosi in Ed Wood<\/em>, he\u2019s a far cry from the hypnotic figure who made such an impression on audiences that he\u2019s now considered by most to be the definitive cinematic Dracula. This is about 20 years after his prime, and he\u2019s already washed up, nursing both an entirely one-sided grievance against his fellow Universal star Boris Karloff \u2013 who he considers a hack \u2013 and a pretty debilitating morphine addiction. When Ed Wood sees one of cinema\u2019s greatest stars living in near-poverty, he decides to feature him in his upcoming film, Glen or Glenda<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bela Lugosi \u2013 especially within the context of his performance as Dracula \u2013 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\u2019t 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\u2019s mostly given up, languishing deeper in addiction and self-pity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In some ways, Martin Landau\u2019s take on Bela Lugosi feels reminiscent of Norma Desmond from Sunset Boulevard<\/em>. 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\u2019t actually died yet. Yet while Norma\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Martin Landau\u2019s 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 \u2013 after all, he sees the film community as having abandoned him. But these outwardly aggressive tones make Landau\u2019s softer moments all the more meaningful: his joy at having another chance to act, even in something as silly as Ed Wood\u2019s 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\u2019s a lonely old man, and it\u2019s hard not to feel for him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 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\u2019t 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 \u2013 which he\u2019s shoehorned into the front half of Plan 9 From Outer Space<\/em> after Lugosi\u2019s death \u2013 the full weight of their unconventional friendship hits home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 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<\/em>\u2019s release, his performance has faded into \u2013 well, maybe not obscurity, but definitely indifference, as other actors from the \u201890s have seen their work grow in relevance. Despite the fact that it\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Ed Wood” is available for digital rental or purchase<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/crookedmarquee.com\/stage8\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/ed-wood2-1024x821.jpg\")
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