Today actor Christopher Lee turns 91!
For a younger generation of film goers Mr Lee is synonymous with the character of Saruman from the “Lord of the rings” and perhaps Count Dooku from the latest Star Wars trilogy, but for the rest of us Christopher Lee is Dracula! Lee’s Dracula was a tour de force of unrelenting evil! Showing none of the humanity exhibited by the vampires of most modern horror movies or the forlorn lost soul of Bela lugosi’s Count. Christopher Lee, standing all of 6ft 5 inches, brought an incredible presence to the character of Dracula, portraying a Prince of darkness that was stoic and regal yet utterly brutal and without conscience.
When we think of Hammer Horror Films, Christopher Lee’s Dracula automatically springs to mind, but Lee actually began his association with Hammer playing the role of Frankensteins Monster in “The curse of frankenstein” (1957) before going on to portray the undead count in a total of 7 films for Hammer film studios:-
Dracula (1958)
Dracula, prince of Darkness (1966)
Dracula has risen from the grave (1968)
Taste the blood of Dracula (1970)
Scars of Dracula (1970)
Dracula A.D 1972 (1972)
The satanic rites of Dracula (1973)
Whilst i personally love all 7 films, Mr Lee himself became somewhat disillusioned with the direction Hammer took with the last 5 films and agreed to star in them only out of loyalty, but true professional that he is, the performances are never less than dripping with absolute malice and evil! Aside from Dracula and Frankenstein other notable roles filled by Lee for Hammer studios included Rasputin the mad monk, Sherlock Holmes and in one of my all time favorite horror films “The devil rides out” Lee played the role of Duc De Richleau, a famous character from novels written by Dennis Wheatley. It was not however only for Hammer horror films that Christopher Lee played the roll of Dracula. Lee reprised the role in “Count Dracula” (1970) from spanish film maker jesus Franco and also starred in the french language horror comedy “Dracula père et fils (Dracula and son)” 1976. In addition to these main roles Lee performs a cameo as Count Dracula alongside Peter Cushing’s Van Helsing in the comedy film “one more time” (1970).
For me Christopher Lee is the greatest Dracula actor of all time! That is not to take anything away from the magnificent Bela Lugosi, but Lee’s Dracula is the one that i grew up with and was at first terrified by and later mesmerised by as i grew older. So happy birthday Christopher Lee and fangs for the memories!
I have seen his films hundreds of times i never get bored watching them i think he and Peter Cushing are awesome actors, i started watching them in 1958 and i shall continue while i am alive, i shall never forget them R I P Christopher and Peter see you both in heaven.
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