From Zombos Closet

Dracula: Bela Lugosi and Dwight Frye

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I acquired this photograph of a deleted scene from Dracula, courtesy of David J. Skal, through eBay.


dracula lugosi and dwight frye

Here's Mr. Skal's listing details:

"This is such an iconic horror image it's easy to forget that scene doesn't actually appear in the final release print of Universal's 1931 horror classic DRACULA. Short scene of Renfield (Dwight Frye) pledging his fealty to Dracula (Bela Lugosi) appears in the shooting script, was recorded as filmed (by the numbered scene still), but was cut from the release print for unknown reasons. The footage itself has been lost, and this photo is all that remains. Item is an older print (from the 1970s) on 8×10 glossy fiber stock, bordered, in pristine condition (has been carefully stored for the last twenty years). Custom darkroom print with unusually nice gray scale–the folds of Dracula's cape, for instance, are sharply visible. No marks, crimps, pinholes. or damage of any kind. A few very small spots in background are negative artifacts, not a flaw of the print. From the personal research collection of David J. Skal, author of HOLLYWOOD GOTHIC and THE MONSTER SHOW."

Lon Chaney as Frankenstein Monster

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I recently acquired this dramatic Lon Chaney Jr as Frankenstein’s Monster photograph from noted monsterkid David J. Skal through his eBay listing. Now if only Lon Chaney could have delivered this mood in Ghost of Frankenstein, that would have been wonderful to see.

Lon chaney frankenstein

Here’s Mr. Skal’s listing note:

“This dramatic portrait of Lon Chaney, Jr. as the monster in GHOST OF FRANKENSTEIN (1942) was the central for several image-flopped original posters, including some international ones. The posters would have been vastly better had they retained the full shadowy impact of the original photo! This is a midcentury darkroom print (likely 1960s, though perhaps earlier); 8×10, bordered, on traditional glossy fiber paper (not resin-coated) in excellent condition for a photo previously  used editorially. Signs of normal handling wear, with some lower right corner border crimping. Some printer’s instructions on the back in light repro blue ink, a small piece of clear tape, and the stamp of original owner, the late Stephen Jochsberger, (d. 1989) a noted New York collector and fan magazine contributor. Seller purchased item from the Jochsberger estate in1990. From the personal research collection of David J. Skal, author of HOLLYWOOD GOTHIC and THE MONSTER SHOW. “

Mexican Lobby Card: Rififi A Go-Go

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I fell in love with this. Again, striking use of greenish colors to denote danger and evil, and contrasted against the frilly dressed Go-Go girls and the  bright colors spotted above a black background, this is a beautifully executed composition of exploitation with style. Certainly, much more artfully done than Al Adamson's movies.

Rififi A Go-Go Mexican Lobby Card

Psycho a Go-Go 1965

Mexican Lobby Card: Headless Eyes

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Right about now, are family and friends around the barbie starting to make you want to gouge your eyes out? What with them drinking all your dark beer and eating up all your jumbo shrimp, you may want to feast your eyes on the upcoming eye-popping artwork and questionable exploitation practices coming up as the Zombos’ Closet Mexcian Lobby Card Marathon continues…

Cabezas Sin Ojos Mexican Lobby Card

Headless Eyes 1971