We lost one of the true horror greats this year when Christopher Lee passed away in early June. He left behind a legacy of iconic performances, from Dracula to The Mummy. There's too many to list, but from this smattering of famous movies and roles, which is your favorite from the Sir?
I feel like picking one would be like betraying another so I'm having a difficult time deciding. Then I thought I would just pick the one I'd watch next, but then that is being affected by it being the film I least remember, but then that's probably because it was less memorable so I'm stumped. I'm tempted to go Dracula AD since I think he has more lines in that one. To the Devil a Daughter also came to mind but I can't remember if I liked that one or Devil Rides Out better. Fuck it, I'm going Dracula AD Which is the one where there is a girl who comes home in a wheelchair and Christopher Lee plays the butler or something and he's banging the wife? Any way that was the last one I watched before he passed away. Edit: Found it. It was Scream/Taste of Fear
Sgt. Howie (angrily): I am here to obtain permission to exhume the grave of Rowan Morrison! Lord Summerisle (calmly): I was under the impression I'd already given it.
I've actually seen all but two of the titles listed and I just couldn't pick one stand out performance. I've been a Lee fan since I was a kid in the 70's. He and Peter Cushing were my favorite actors and they paired together quite often. To me Christopher Lee is Dracula even though he has appeared in so many varied roles.
Such a tremendous actor it seems like heresy to pick just one. Great as Scaramanga in the Goldfinger Bond film. Loved him as Dracula, Hell even a weak entry like Satanic Rites was made watchable thanks to him. Fantastic evocation of the Frankenstein's monster and having just rewatched Hammer's Mummy I can say say he is the definitive Mummy for me.
The Wicker Man remains one of my favorite movies... and I believe it was also Mr. Lee's favorite performance and film, so it gets my vote. He's outstanding in it, but he is also certainly awesome in many of the other films from his vast résumé. Any film with both Lee and Cushing was especially enjoyable.
I went with The Wicker Man. Lee was also terrific playing the hero in The Devil Rides Out. Honestly though there are many other worthy choices here too: The Mummy, Horror of Dracula, Horror Express, The Gorgon, etc.
I've only seen him in 3 horror films to-date. (I blame Hammer for being spread out over so many different home video distributers.) Of those 3, I'll take Gremlins 2 over The Wicker Man because I didn't think he was onscreen very much in the latter. Which is fine. But I really thought it was amusing to see him in the mad scientist role. He had more modes of emoting. Personal preference.
There must be some kind of glitch where all the votes for HOWLING II are going to THE WICKER MAN or something...
