Performed by Lugosi is a unique pairing of literary and cinematic sensibilities. In one volume, S. Michael Wilson has collected the original pieces of fiction that inspired Lugosi’s on-screen performances and his own thorough and sharp-witted responses to how the film studios adapted the texts to their own use, with a special focus on Lugosi’s role in the process. Stories include classics by such renowned authors as Edgar Allan Poe, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Bram Stoker, and Robert Louis Stevenson.

I was pleasantly surprised to find, alongside his informative and well-researched account of the films’ histories, a running current of Wilson’s own particular sly wit and his backhanded brand of movie reviewing, a style which is near and dear to my heart, and aptly suited to the callow treatment that film studios of the day often gave to their scripts’ literary roots.

Shining through the historic accounts and casual commentary is Wilson’s genuine regard for Bela Lugosi. Long a fan of Lugosi myself, I found this a very appealing mix of elements, and can only imagine that anyone curious about Bela will be likewise rewarded by their reading of this painstakingly assembled compilation. Drawing from a number of texts about Lugosi’s strange and complex relationship with the Hollywood studios of the day, Wilson discusses others’ ideas as well as his own about how Bela responded to the very particular requirements of the industry he found himself a part of, a sometimes-uncomfortable arrangement for all parties involved.

Each original story is present for the reader to absorb on their own, followed by an account of the movie that resulted. This section introduces the film’s vital statistics, including the studio’s often heavily-distorted, character-driven plot line, and the pre-screen treatment of the material, production notes, Bela’s involvement in the film, and, like a tasty dessert at the end, food for thought in the form of Wilson’s musings, which often provide an insightful and appreciative view of the movie.

As a side note to fellow Early Readers at LibraryThing.com, I would be remiss to not mention that this was a very carefully packaged volume – the author took the time to inscribe and sign the volume himself, which is something I have not seen from any other Early Reader contributor! In addition, the publisher included a very personable letter. Altogether a very positive experience. ( )

I should probably start out by saying that this book was not exactly what I expected after reading a brief synopsis and glimpsing the cover. I assumed the focus would be entirely on Bela Lugosi and his films, probably with a large amount of content about his role as Dracula. Had I thought more about the throwaway line on the cover: "A bold new look at the stellar icon of fantastic cinema and the tales that inspired his greatest roles" I may have noted the emphasis on the "tales that inspired" part of it. Turns out, the interpretation of literature into film is what this book is really all about, perhaps even more so than Lugosi.

Now, if I was a different person, this may have disappointed me. However, I actually LOVE looking at how stories are adapted into various forms of media, particularly film. The first thing I do when I finish a novel is search for movie versions. So this all turned out as a plus for me. If another reader was actively looking for thorough commentary about Lugosi and his work, however, I can see how they would be disappointed.

Another thing I liked about this book that others may hate was the inclusion of source material. The format of the book is as such: the original short story that inspired a film starring Lugosi is presented in full and is followed by discussion of the movie including plot synopsis, commentary, comparison to the story, and a bit about Lugosi's role specifically. What all that ends up meaning is that a good percentage of the book's content is not new material. In fact, it's most-likely public domain and is readily available in other forms. Personally, I enjoyed the inclusion; it meant I didn't have to go hunting for most of the material being discussed. Sure, if you've got a copy of Poe's complete tales and poems you've got half of it right there, but still... I felt like I spent enough time tracking down copies of the films, so not having to dig out various books was a plus.

Aside from all that, Wilson's actual criticism was spot on for the most part. His writing was informal though not uninformed, and he had a good sense of humor (with the exception of a few bad puns). You could tell he has an appreciation for Bela, but that didn't stop him from calling a bad flick when he saw one.

In general, Performed by Lugosi would appeal to big fans of the actor or someone interested in interpretations of literature, but perhaps not to those looking for a bio or criticism of the actor's entire body of work. ( )

Not a bad little book for those who enjoy Bela Lugosi's work.

Each chapter begins with the original story that the movie was based upon (or at least named for), then gives a synopsis of the movie and some essays on the movie itself and Lugosi's performance.

While not a book for one looking for deep narrative on Lugosi's life and career, it approaches eight of his works from a more humorous point of view. Just the stories alone would have made for a decent anthology of horror fiction. ( )

This promises "A bold new look at the stellar icon of fantastic cinema and the tales that inspired his roles." The shtick is that Wilson has reprinted the original tales some Lugosi performances were based on. He also gives the plot synopses of the movies.

There is no analysis of Lugosi's perfomances, apart from such comments that he "chewed the scenery" or beyond gossip about whether Lugosi really gave up the chance to play Frankenstein. The "bold new look" seems to be the author's comments on how the screenplay deviated--for the worst--from the original sources.

There are no insights into Lugosi as an actor or as a person, no biographical goodies, no analyses of horror films as a genre and no reason to read this book. ( )

Performed by Lugosi is as much a literary anthology as a work of film criticism, as it prefaces the commentary upon which the eight films discussed are based with the text of all of the original works. The literary works, like the films, vary in quality. In addition, the films rarely adhere closely to the original stories, and sometimes bear no resemblance apart from their title. Fully half of them are based on the commonly reprinted and readily available work of Edgar Allan Poe, which anyone interested in Lugosi's career is probably acquainted with. The result is a book which pads rather brief if occasionally engaging commentary on the films discussed with a hefty dose of public domain literature, producing a larger volume from personal writing which would, if the stories were excluded, otherwise be much, much shorter.

The first story/film presented is The Murders in the Rue Morgue. I have to confess that although the story may have some historical merit as an early work of detective fiction, I find the narrative absurd and consider it one of Poe's weaker efforts. This makes it a tedious opening for Mr. Wilson's book, and his commentary on the film indicates that it's not a particularly impressive work either.

Third in line is Chandu the Magician, and here we depart from Poe momentarily for the more obscure writing skills of Harry Earnshaw and Vera Oldham, which positively ooze with the mystical and Egyptological fascinations of the early 20th century. The story was apparently written to serve as a script, and the film itself sounds impressive despite the fact that popular supernatural beliefs of that era easily seem ridiculous to the modern reader/viewer. It is clearly a product very much in keeping with its time.

Fifth is J. Habakuk Jephson's Statement/The Mystery of the Marie Celeste, one of the less familiar works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The story is for the most part well written, though one can see why it's seldom reprinted, and the commentary provides interesting details, one of which... that the British and U.S. governments had to deny that the story was factual... is surprising given that Conan Doyle's text contains the obvious error that the narrator claims to have served in the U.S. Civil War at 2nd Bull Run and Gettysburg before ending his military career at the battle of Antietam. Gettysburg, of course, occurred after Antietam, rendering the narrator's account obviously flawed. As for the film, the commentary indicates another strong Lugosi performance in a film with a strong cast and interesting plot. Mr. Wilson seems to have an enthusiasm for this one, though he seems to reach a bit with his analysis of it.

Sixth comes Dracula's Guest/Dracula's Daughter, and while the short story is an excellent work by Bram Stoker, Lugosi wasn't in the film at all, making it a bit of an odd choice for this volume. The commentary largely involves speculation as to why Lugosi wasn't in it despite being paid for it, and the film is unrelated to the story. Interesting stuff perhaps, but a strange choice when selecting a handful of Lugosi films for inclusion in such a work as this.

An overall review of this book requires judging it as a literary anthology, a work of film criticism, a comparison of films to the stories they claim to be based upon, and of course a commentary on the career of Bela Lugosi. In the first it has serious flaws, being half reprints of common works by Poe, and with only one story by really obscure authors. In the second, third and fourth categories, it is brief but otherwise fairly well written, providing interesting tidbits but little in-depth information. Nevertheless, the stories it contains are generally worth reading, and frequently worth rereading even for those familiar with the works, and Mr. Wilson's commentaries and the juxtaposition of the stories with the films which bear their names provide additional entertainment and insight, and promote interest some of Lugosi's less well-known works. An interesting read, but not a must-read by any means, and more likely to appeal to casual Lugosi fans or those unfamiliar with Poe... if anyone who would consider this book is unfamiliar with Poe. ( )