We've Lost A King
It's natural to feel down when you lose someone you've grown up with. Even if you had never met this person. Sir Christopher Lee has been a part of my life longer than most of my friends. Oddly enough, what I am left with is exactly what I had before he went on to the next adventure. Luckily, Sir Christopher Lee had a vast filmography. The man (now a legend) was in about three million films (don't look that up). So instead of moping around the house, unshaven, unwashed and gorging myself on cookies and cream ice cream, I can celebrate the man's life and career. You should as well. Here are 10 (Merits of Sin approved) films to help you through the grief.
HONORABLE MENTION: Raw Meat (1973)
An excellent film about a cannibal searching for food and love under London in the Tube tunnels. It has to be left off the list because Lee's role amounts to little more than a cameo. A fantastic mustachioed cameo but still a cameo.
Nothing Raw about that Flavor Saver
10. Howling II: ...Your Sister Is a Werewolf (1985)
A completely stupid movie in the best way possible. The unwanted sequel to the Howling picks up where the first one ended and then stumbles off a cliff into a sea of idiocy. A game Christopher Lee plays an immortal werewolf hunter attempting to take down the queen of the werewolves once and for all. Punk clubs, dwarf werewolf hunters, shitty laser effects, exploding eyeballs and Sybil Danning's breasts all have their place in this trash treat.
Lee + The 80s = Infinite Smiles
9. Horror of Dracula (1958)
Christopher Lee's Dracula battles with Peter Cushing's Van Helsing in this Hammer classic. Lee plays Dracula as a preternatural creature that is half alpha predator and half sex appeal. It works. My first introduction to this film was from a VHS of vampire film trailers. There is a scene in the trailer for Horror of Dracula that shows Lee slowly ascending a staircase with an inhuman look on his face. His victim awaits him frozen, unable to look away from the monster slowly making his way to her. This scene (at most ten seconds long) scared the hell out of me when I was a kid and has remained with me to this day.
The Transylvania Seal of Approval means it's OK to pee your pants
8. Meatcleaver Massacre (1977)
Christopher Lee bookends the actual film but I'm throwing it on the list. Lee claims he recorded his narration for something else and the footage was placed on the beginning and end of Meatcleaver Massacre without his knowledge. It doesn't matter, it adds to the film's nutso charm. Lee rambles on about witchcraft and the occult while sitting in, what I hope is, his actual study at home. I love his scenes because it feels like he is your favorite uncle who has had one too many stiff drinks. In his current state, he has decided it's time he educated his nephew on the wonders and mysteries of the occult. Random folklore and flat out lies are presented as fact but it doesn't matter because you love the man and would never tell him he is full of shit. That's a special relationship.
7. Curse III: Blood Sacrifice (1991)
Not a great movie by even my low standards but it is still worth seeing for Christopher Lee's supporting role as a doctor well versed in curse-ology. The 1950s Africa setting and pissed off machete wielding sea god make this different enough to get a passing grade. Lee's bearded doctor has quite a bit of screen time and a couple of monologues. It's a great example of Christopher Lee elevating a film with his presence. Bring beer and friends.
6. The Devil Rides Out (1968)
A rare (at the time) heroic outing for our man Lee. He plays a master of the occult up against a satanic coven interested in recruiting as many people as they can. Charles Gray (of Rocky Horror Picture Show fame) is terrific as the villainous head of the coven. He and Lee have wonderful chemistry and enhance eachothers performances. Lee as a hero is always great to see.
Wait. You're the good guy?
5. Taste the Blood of Dracula (1970)
My favorite of the Christopher Lee Dracula series breathes some new life into the worn out tale. Three respectable heads of the community run afoul of Dracula when they murder his loyal servant. Their search for excitement and debauchery puts them in the "deserving" victim role and Dracula's vengeance is something to behold.
4. The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)
Christopher Lee plays a Bond villain attempting to harness the power of the sun. If you need more than that, I feel sorry for you.
3. Dr. Terror's House of Horrors (1965)
An anthology horror film featuring Christopher Lee under attack from a rival's severed hand. It's as awesome as it sounds. The first horror film I actively seeked out. Well before the internet made it easier, I was rummaging through Mom and Pop video stores and mail order catalogues for this Amicus classic. Years of exploration got me nowhere and admitting defeat was on the horizon until my grandfather recorded it off of late night television. My quest at an end, I remember being worried if all the effort was going to be for nothing. I was foolish to think that. Peter cushing, Michael Gough (as the deceased owner of the murderous appendage) and Donald Sutherland join Lee in making one of the greatest British horror films to ever warp my young mind.
2. The Mummy (1959)
My favorite mummy movie (that's more impressive than you think) and my favorite Hammer film. Lee plays the doomed and lovestruck high priest of Princess Ananka. After betraying his pharaoh because of this love he is mummified alive and buried along with the princess. A team of archaeologists disturb his lady love's tomb and he goes on a vengeance fueled rampage. Why must archaeologists always ignore Egyptian curses? Lee's mummy is terrifying, towering over his victims and expressing the best silent rage I've ever viewed. See it, dammit!
1. Horror Express (1972)
Lee and Cushing play rival anthropologists trying to survive your usual alien possessed caveman-mummy attack aboard the Trans-Siberian Express. Telly Savalas shows up as a violent Kossack and there are blank eyed zombies. Come on! How awesome does that sound? And it is awesome. It's brain meltingly awesome. Damn. I'm gonna miss this man.
I know what you're feeling, buddy
I love this
ReplyDelete