MovieChat Forums > Mil gritos tiene la noche (1983) Discussion > Bela lugosi in pieces

Bela lugosi in pieces

posted 16 years ago by jamesg2380
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The other day I was watching an old Bela Lugosi movie from 1939, "The Human Monster" aka "Dark Eyes of London". When they first showed Bela Lugosi's character, I suddenly thought of the dean or head of the college that was responsible for cutting up and killing all those co-eds. Bela Lugosi looked exactly like him. They have the same hair style with the part in their hair in the same exact place, they both wear black button up suits, both talk in an accent and both have devious motives. Lugosi's character kills people off and steals their insurance money and the dean dismembers girls and takes their body parts to make a replica of his mother. Since the role of the dean is a part that Lugosi probably would have played, I wonder if the director imagined Lugosi in the role and--since old Bela's dead--cast someone who looked similar to Lugosi and had his same acting mannerisms. Maybe I'm just crazy but that's my theory.

[–] The_King_of_Cool 11 years ago

Doubtful. Edward Purdom was a fairly successful actor at one point believe it or not. It's very common in European horror (mainly Italy & Spain) to hire once famous or semi famous American or British actors in order to help sell the film.

Even Chris George was very successful at one point. By the time he was in Pieces his films were more cult films though some were successful, but weren't blockbusters or anything, but at the time of Pieces he was still fairly well known along with Lynda more for their guest spots on TV shows such as Love Boat and McCloud.

But you could be right, but Purdom was once successful and the casting probably had more to do with that. Even American horror films would cast washed up once famous actors, the Prowler had Lawrence Tiereny as well as Farley Granger. It helps marketing the films.