The Dark Side of Hollywood, an auction of more than 470 memorabilia, costumes, posters, and significant pieces of Hollywood history featuring Bela Lugosi’s Count Dracula cape from Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, Universal International Pictures, 1948 .

Unlike other films where pieces of the same item were made, there was only one Count Dracula cape for Bela Lugosi’s Count Dracula character in Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein. This black satin cape with its huge 28-foot circumference was also included in Ed Wood’s film, Orgy of the Dead (1965), worn by the actor and psychic known as Criswell, and Life Magazine featured the cape in its October 1981 issue, in which the museum of Clark Wilkinson, the previous owner, was featured. In 2001, the United States Library of Congress deemed the film “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” and selected it for preservation in the National Film Registry. It is number 56 on the list of the “American Film Institute’s 100 Funniest American Movies,” and this year marks its 70th anniversary.

The sale also highlights three zombie costumes from Michael Jackson’s Thriller Optimum Productions, 1983, each estimated at $20,000-30,000. These costumes were used for the closeup zombie shots in the graveyard and in the scene where Jackson breaks into the house; hence, they are more detailed in materials such as lace, pearls, dead leaves, and spider webs. The 14-minute video had its world premiere on MTV and became a landmark in popular music and culture. In 2009, it became the first music video to be inducted into the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress; currently, it is still the only one selected. The original 1982 “”Thriller”” album still stands as the second best-selling album in American history.

Additional highlights include:
• a 24-sheet poster of Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, Universal International Pictures, 1948 (estimate: $150,000-200,000). This is the largest poster made for the film and the only one known to exist.

• Darryl Zanuck’s copy of the 1927 screenplay of The Jazz Singer, Warner Bros., 1927 (estimate: $100,000-200,000), the first feature-length film with a synchronized musical score, spoken dialog and singing.

• A Madonna gown from Evita, Hollywood Pictures, 1996 (estimate: $30,000-50,000). Madonna wears this cream-colored full-length satin ball gown in the scenes at the Inaugural Ball as she dances in the ballroom and movingly sings the song, “High Flying, Adored.” She also appeared in the October 1996 issue of Vogue wearing the gown.

For more information visit Bonhams.com