Christopher Lee- A Tribute

I suppose that everyone has a picture of Christopher Lee as Dracula in all of those Hammer movies and I do too. Christopher Lee made that role his own as well as many others during his long career. Let me discuss those films that I like. Lee starred in his first Dracula movie in 1958 with Peter Cushing who was a lifelong friend of Lee's. He went on to star as Dracula in another ten movies! It is no wonder that people associate him with the role. He was a versatile actor and he played roles from Sherlock Holmes to Fu Manchu.

I remember him as being in Death Line(1972), a 70's horror movie starring Donald Pleasance and Dark Places(1973)  in which he had a lead role. I enjoyed that movie. But, my favourite Christopher Lee film has to be The Wicker Man(1973). His role as Lord Summerisle was very well played.  He seemed like a normal man who lives on the island and you would not guess that he is the leader of this pagan cult that burns people alive in the giant Wicker Man. Lee also appeared in the sequel The Wicker Tree but the less said about that movie, the better.He also did lots of voice work and if you can believe it music as well!

Lee was in a James Bond movie- The Man With the Golden Gun(1974), as well as The Three Musketeers(1973)which I enjoyed. He starred in House of The Long Shadows in 1983 which was famous as he starred with Peter Cushing, Vincent Price and John Carradine! What a cast! He was also in Howling 2 as a vampire hunter!! He had roles in Gremlins 2 and Police Academy:Mission to Moscow, Sleepy Hollow and Star Wars Episode 2 and 3. I could list all of his movies but there isn't enough time for that.

The role that I really enjoyed him in is a role that millions of people will know him for- the role of Saruman in The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit trilogy. He was brilliant in the role as the sorcerer gone bad and I don't think that anybody else could have done better. Lee also starred in many TV shows including The Avengers, The Alfred Hitchcock hour and many many more. He had such a great career and he left so many great movies behind that he will never be forgotten.

He was 93 when he passed away last week, so he had a good long life and I think that his films will live on forever. Whichever films you enjoy, there is bound to be at least one Christopher Lee movie in your collection.A great actor and he will be sadly missed. R.I.P Christopher Lee(1922-2015).