One of the worst things about growing up is being reminded that, no matter how much we love having people in our lives, they are mortal. We get so used to having then in our lives, we almost think, even wish, that they would never leave.
In 2015, we've lost not one, but multiple legends. BB King, the King of Blues. Leonard Nimoy, the famous Half-Human/Half-Vulcan, who taught us all to listen to logic, but also do what feels right. And now, Sir Christopher Lee.
Christopher Lee passed away on Sunday, June 5. But his death was announced on Thursday, June 11. News of his death broke many fans hearts, including my own.
Tim Burton, George Lucas, Peter Jackson, Johnny Depp, Elijah Wood, and everyone else who's worked with Lee have paid their respects. I never actually met Cheistopher Lee (though I wish I did). But from what I've heard, he was just as kind and loving as he was talented.
The question is, how do you do Christopher Lee justice in a single blog post? This is a man who has literally done it all!
Christopher Lee was born May 27, 1922, in Bulgaria, Westminister, London. He served in World War for the Finnish forces, and even volunteered for the Royal Air Force (RAF).
After the war, Christopher Lee began a career acting in cinema. His first film was Terence Young's Corridor of Mirrors (1947). His only line was "a satirical shaft meant to qualify therad's brauvra."
He also had an uncredited role in Laurence Oliver's Hamlet. His breakthrough came in 1952 when Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. began making films at the British National Studios. Lee was cast in various roles in 16 of Fairbanks' films, and even appeared with Buster Keaton. He said "it proved excellent training ground.
In 1957, Lee began a career with Hammer Film Productions, known for
Making Gothic Horror films. Lee's first film with Hammer Productions was The Curse of Frankenstein as Frankenstien's monster, and co-starred with his best friend Peter Cushing as Baron Victor Frankenstein.
But it was his role as Dracula in Dracula (known in the United States as The Horror of Dracula) where Christopher Lee really broke out. Now for those of you who grew up in a Twilight age, Vampires back then were much different than Edward. They didn't sparkle, they didn't have abs, and they didn't fall in love with young girls... Unless their blood tasted good. Christopher Lee's Dracula, for example, was a menacing beast. He sucked the blood of poor victims, and wandered the halls with a chilling presense. He had no dialogue, but hissed. Lee reprised his role as Dracula in Dracula: Prince of Darkness, Dracula Has Risen from the Grave, Taste the Blood of Dracula, and Scars of Dracula. No disrespect if you love Twilight. I don't mind the movies myself. But I think we can all agree who the true King of Vampires is:
Lee's other work for Hammer included The Mummy and Rasputin, the Mad Monk.
Like his friend, Peter Cushing, Lee did horror films for other companies as well. His personal favorite being The Wicker Man (no, not the Nicolas Cage version) where he played Lord Summerisle.
Lee wanted to break away from his image as Dracula, and take on more interesting role. His other roles included Eugenie, The Three Musketeers, The Four Musketeers, and The Return of the Musketeers.
In 1974, Christopher Lee got a very coveted role as a James Bond villain, assassin Francisco Scarmanga in The Man with the Golden Gun. It should be noted that Lee was step cousins with 007 author, Ian Flemming. So it was inevitable that he would get a part in the long running Spy franchise. On his performance, Lee said "In Fleming's novel he's just a West Indian thug, but in the film he's charming, elegant, amusing, lethal... I played him like the dark side of Bond."
Christopher Lee moved to the United States in 1977 to find more acting work, because he felt in London he was being type cast in horror films.
His first US role was in the disaster film Airport, 1977.
For years, audiences knew how scary he could be. But in 1978, Chdistopher Lee surprised everyone by how funny he could be when he hosted Saturday Night Live. As a result, he was cast in Steven Speilberg's 1941.
George Lucas originally considered Christopher Lee for the role of Grand Moff Tarkin in Star Wars. But the role went to his best friend, Peter Cushing.
Sadly, his friend Peter Cushing passed away in 1994.
Adding to what was already an impressive resume, Christopher Lee was cast as the Evil Wizard Sauraman in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Christopher Lee being cast in those films couldn't be more prefect, considering he was the only actor in the cast to have actually met the author of those books, J.R.R. Tolkien, in real life. To say Christopher Lee was a Tolkien fan was a gross understatement. Christopher Lee read The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings once a year every year. Peter Jackson consulted with Christopher Lee when making the films. There's even a feature on the Blu-Ray where Christopher Lee translates the One Ring in ELVISH!
And Lee's passion for Middle Earth showed in his performance. His booming voice gave Sauraman gravitas and made him a serious threat to the Fellowship. He was once a good wizard, but was seduced by the power of Sauron. Which is what Frodo Baggins is in danger of. You know he's evil, but he's so charismatic, you would be tempted to agree with his views.
Lee reprised his role for the Hobbit films, An Unexpected Journey and Battle of the Five Armies.
Because the movies were too long, Sauraman's death was unfortunately cut out of the final film, Return of the King (not that it made the film any shorter). Lee was upset at the decision, as many fans were. But luckily, Peter Jackson included his death in the Extended Editions. Everything about that scene is perfect, the dialogue, the shots, and Christopher Lee's chilling performance. Why they cut it out of the theatrical version, in my opinion, is a riddle even Bilbo and Gollum can't solve.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-9hXh2-XDDU
But Lord of the Rings wasn't the only epic saga Christopher Lee would be part of. In 2002, like his best friend, Peter Cushing, before him, Lee would join George Lucas' Star Wars saga as the ruthless Darth Tyranus! a.k.a. Count Dooku!
Now, whether you love or hate them, every Star Wars fan has strong, passionate feelings toward the Star Wars prequels. Some fans complain about a lot of things (Jar Jar Binks, Midichlorians, etc.) But I've never heard any Star Wars fan, even prequel haters, say one bad thing about Christopher Lee's portrayal as Coubt Dooku in Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith.
He brought gravitas and dedication to a role that could have easily fallen flat if given to a lesser actor. He made Count Dooku a menacing figure, and gave the Jedi a good reason to feel a disturbance in the Force. Count Dooku has a lot of similarities to famous Star Wars villain Darth Vader. He wears a cape, is in a powerful political position, is strong with the Dark Side of the Force, and actually used to be a Jedi Knight until he was seduced by the Dark Side, just like Sauraman.
Count Dooku is a foreshadowing of the path Anakin will take. Count Dooku maims Anakin in a fierce Lightsaber battle, leaving Skywalker hungry for revenge. In Sith, Anakin gets his revenge by cutting both Dooku's hands off. Palpatine insists Anakin should cut Dooku's head, and he does. This was the first step in Anakin's fall to the Dark Side.
This arc is mirrored in the Original Trilogy. Luke Skywalker goes through the same thing. He's a young Jedi who's strong with the Force, but doesn't know how to control it. He engages Vader in a fierce Lightsaber battle, and loses his right hand. He then faces Vader again in Jedi, and cuts Vader's hand off. Palpatine insists Luke should kill his father and take his place. However, unlike Anakin, Luke becomes aware of how close he is to turning to the Dark Side, and refuses.
Many fans criticise this as a rehash, but I think it proves a point. That if we don't learn from the mistakes of the past, we'll be doomed to repeat it.
It shows how significant Count Dooku's role was in the Saga. And why Christopher Lee's performance was so perfect.
Oh yeah, and that fight he had with Yoda. I saw Attack of the Clones with my Dad in 2002. The fight between Yoda and Dooku made he audience go insane! And all these years later, that fight is still awesome!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BvnwLLXHabg
We all wish we could work with our childhood heroes. Well, Tim Burton got to work with his not once, not twice, but FIVE times!!! Christopher Lee became Tim Burton's John Ratzenberg, and spearsd in films such as Sleepy Hallow (where he had a small role), Corpse Bride we Pastor Galswells, the Gentlemen Ghost in Sweeny Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, the Jabberwocky in Alice In Wonderland, and Willy Wonka's strict dentist father Dr. Wilbur Wonka in Burton's reimagining of Roald Dahl's Charlie In The Chocolate Factory.
Since its release, many feel divided on Burton's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Some admire it for its quirky spirit and Bizzare tone. While others detest it for those reasons, and feel it pales in comparison to Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. While I agree it doesn't hold a candle to the Gene Wilder classic, I feel Burton's version stands on its own. And Christopher Lee's performance is definitely a highlight. Having Willy Wonka's father as a dentist, I felt, was a nice touch, as it gave Willy's character layers, and it teaches a lesson to kids on why we have to love and appreciate our parents, even when it seems like they're being too controlling.
Christopher Lee has said before that Tim Burton is his favorite director. How wonderful is it, that Tim Burton went from being a fan of Christopher Lee's, to having him as a fan, and even as a friend? Extremely.
In December 2012, Christopher Lee released a Heavy Metal album featuring covers of Christmas songs called A Heavy Metal Christmas. Seriously, how awesome is it that Christopher Lee released a Heavy Metal album? And at 90 no less! The dude was literally a rock star!
Lee was knighted in 2009 "For Services to Drama and to Charity" by Prince Charles.
He was married to Danish former model Birgitta Krøncke Lee and had a daughter, Christina Erika Catandini.
With a resume that included WWII Veteran, Knight, Prolofic Actor, AND Heavy Metal Artist, there was almost nothing Christopher Lee couldn't do! It seemed like Christopher Lee was immortal.
Unfortunately, that wasn't the case.
When his best friend, Peter Cushing died, Christopher Lee said "He was really the most gentle and generous man. I have often said he died because he was too good for this world."
So were you, Christopher Lee. So were you.
I guess we all thought, and hoped, that Christopher Lee would live forever. But luckily, thanks to his films and his legacy, he will.
RIP Christopher Lee.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_G7NVnoiMV4
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