Boris_G

I've long been something of a fan for Christopher Lee - any film he appears in makes me just a little bit more interested in it than I would have been normally. So why is it that so often he's disappointing, in a way Peter Cushing isn't?

We get hints of the actor he might have been in his recording of Soldier's Tale (Nimbus), where he brilliantly plays all the roles (including the cockney soldier); and some indication of his talent in such roles as Lord Summerisle in The Wicker Man; Philippe Darvas in Theatre of Death; Flay in Gormenghast (BBC TV); and, I suppose, in his first Dracula film : . Anything else I should see him in to reveal his qualities?

Ted Holmes

Interesting! I do think that sometimes he (or the directors) relied too much on the very special quality of his voice. He can come over as pompous and humourless in a way that Cushing doesn't. I should say that Cushing was an outstanding actor by any standards. Horror fans are extremely fortunate that he got into that particular niche. Dross into gold etc.....

I like Lee as Rasputin and I like his performance in The Devil Rides Out. He was pretty good in Billy Wilder's 'The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes too.

Ted

Boris_G

Many thanks for the suggestions, Ted - I'll try to follow these up.

Marky B

I once got a magazine about the musical The King And I complete with free CD nad Christopher Lee played the King. I actually used the CD in a long running snowball quiz themed called Mystery Voice. Someone won £245 on knowing Mr Lee's voice.
He has,apparently sung in opera as well.
Ta Ta
Marky B

I am special. The heavens always open for me.

Moor Larkin

Is it him that's disappointing.... Or the movie.
As someone who finds Patrick McGoohan, chasing a concrete Brontosaurus, riveting viewing, I think I might know how you feel.
You wonder how Christopher finds himself in yet another cack-handed movie.

I have read one or two interviews with Mr. Lee and I got an impression of a haughty character. That's not to say a negative... But a man who feels he knows what he wants and likes to be in control. Maybe to be in great movies you need to be willing to be 'directed'.... in all senses of the word. The system is too strong for individuals to master.

I have a thought about Anthony Hopkins: He had been in many worthy movies and was percieved as a good actor, but possibly not a movie-star. After great reviews for Charing Cross Road, not much happened, once the fuss had died down.
I'm convinced he agreed to take what he possibly saw as a daft part in Silence of the Lambs, I also think he just agreed to just reprise Brian Cox, from a few years before (in Manhunter).....He thought, " Aaah, what the hell, THEY think it's a good idea. I'll get paid."
Bang!!
He finds himself a megastar. He's in a dizzying array of Blockbusters. I'll bet he thinks it's a crazy old world, deep down.

The fact that you always find watching Christopher Lee to be a pleasure, is what really counts.

I saw Mr. Lee in an old episode of William Tell recently. He was absolutely brilliant..... If you like that sort of thing.......

[code]http://www.flickr.com/photos/29487363@N02/sets/72157606700675506/code]

Steve Crook

Well Mr Lee has appeared in a LOT of films, over 250 of them. So it's no wonder that the list includes a few clunkers.

I agree, hos performances are always interesting, even if the rest of the film isn't all that interesting.

I presume you've seen some of his non-horror, almost comedic roles like the Uruguayan bar owner in the second half of The Battle of the River Plate?

Steve

julian_craster

He sings as well....


Revelation
Lee, Christopher
Audio CD
MAGIC

NEW RELEASE


English import CD!
At 84 years of age, Christopher is the only artiste of his generation to have recorded an album. His instantly recognisable voice and bass/baritone range, combined with six decades of acting, give these songs a unique and personal interpretation.


14 tracks total:
1. The Impossible Dream (The Quest)
2. I, Don Quixote (Man Of La Mancha)
3. Carmencita
4. The Toreador March
5. O Sole Mio (It's Now Or Never)
6. High Noon
7. Wanderin' Star
8. Oh! What A Beautiful Mornin'
9. Name Your Poison
10. The Toreador March (Metal Mix)
11. The Little Drummer Boy
12. Silent Night
13. My Way
14. "Behind The Music" with Christopher Lee

ChristineCB

My first Lee films were the dreadful Hammer Dracula films (he did 7 or 8 Dracula films? I didn't realize that many). But all of the various attempts to replace Bela never worked for me (Carradine, Chaney, Langella, etc). Oldman did a good job although Surfer Dude Keanu and Cowboy Bob totally ruined that film for me...bummer, man.

Lee's Frankenstein, Lee's Mummy, the Fu Manchu's - all dreadful but the vomitous film-making received all of my negative vibes, man.

I figured they'd held Lee's family hostage, probably lopped off a few of their fingers, maybe executed someone over the years, and he was once again enslaved into those roles.

I'm glad that he wasn't turned over to the Japanese when they considered humanizing ol' Radioactive-Breath in GODZILLA vs PLASTIC SURGEONS FROM OUTER SPACE. Nor did I believe that rumor about him in the GORGO costume.

And when he wasn't repackaged as some legendary screen character, I enjoyed those films more.

Ascoyne D'Ascoyne

[quote=julian_craster;41716]He sings as well....


Badly....if a performance he gave on a TV breakfast show some years ago when a record he had recorded for a charity was about to be released was anything to go by. There was little sense of phrasing or "colouring" in his singing, he just belted out the song at the top of his voice. Perhaps this might be a clue as to why Lee's film performances are not to be compared with those of Cushing; although he has a rich, beautiful voice he certainly doesn't have the range or subtlety of intonation that Cushing possessed.
I also get the impression of an actor very much on his dignity. Has he ever played, for instance, an eccentric, comic character like those that Cushing portrayed in films like "No Secrets" or "At the Earth's Core"?

ChristineCB

I always thought Lee would have been just about perfect in some parody role, much less Leslie Neilson has gained.

But I've also thought he'd be a grand comedian, totally adept at a "Me? Funny" look down his nose, while wearing arrows thru his head or juggling balloon animals.

Mostly, I'm glad he's still presented on-screen in these days.

Ascoyne D'Ascoyne

To each his own. Unlike yourself, CB, I think that Lee's best performances have been given behind a thick layer of greasepaint (to me Lee IS Count Dracula) and that he often disappoints when he's in civvies. Maybe Mr. Lee (like many another actor) is basically a shy soul who prefers to be hiding beneath a mask. This reserve might even come across as a certain haughtiness. It could certainly account for the automoton-like singing performance which I mentioned earlier; stage fright in a musician can often result in a stiff, unmusical performance.

jacobean

There was a feature on him last week on the early evening news about his new singing career. Good luck to him on this, but as someone else pointed out,
he does seem to shout the songs like 'My Way' out at the top of his voice. Even the news presenter said afterwards, 'Scary!' - and I dont think he meant Lee's career playing monsters and fiends.
I think he also did an opera album about 5 years ago as well so this is hardly a new career for him. His voice did lend itself better to this genre rather than the more modern style ballades.

Boris_G

I think Lee lets his hair down more in the Soldier's Tale recording (on Nimbus) I mentioned in the first post - certainly he's far less stiff than usual and characterises the various roles with tremendous gusto. Apart from the three main roles - narrator, (cockney) soldier and devil, there are several smaller parts (bank official telephones the soldier, etc). Definitely one worth getting hold of.

But I agree he often is 'on his dignity', and hasn't always thrown himself into many of the roles he has taken on in the way Cushing - SFAIK - has always done.

Marky B

Actually I thought Bela Lugosi was the worst Dracula. Such a ham. My favourite Dracula,although strictly speaking it wasn't Dracula,was Max Schreck in Nosferatu with our Christopher a close second. Gary Oldman's try was okay,but the film was too much a splash of colour and it would have been nice if there was some reference to the Demeter's port of call into England,the wonderful town of Whitby.
Ta Ta
Marky B

I am special. The heavens always open for me.

Nick Dando

What about Klaus Kinski? He was copying Max Schreck but he gave a stunning performance. And Willem Dafoe gave an equally memrable perforamnce as Schreck.

Nick