He was 93 years old, but Christopher Lee’s death still managed to come as something of a shock to me. He was my favourite actor and I’ve always been fascinated by his off-screen persona (as I’ve pointed out on Mondo before). Lee had a presence and instant association with the genre that only a handful of other performers (Chaney, Cushing, Karloff, Legosi, Price) managed to achieve. His booming voice and towering stature made him the perfect horror movie villain, though I always preferred to see him in more heroic roles like in Horror Express (1972), my favourite of his collaborations with Cushing. It took me a while to decide what Lee clip to share today. I decided on a moment from Rasputin: The Mad Monk (1966). This is not one of Hammer’s best, but Lee’s performance in the titular role is fantastic. Below Lee demonstrates his ability to make every part of his body possessed by whatever character he is playing.
2 comments
Jerome says:
Jun 15, 2015
In terms of presence, you forgot Pleasence on your list. Sorry, couldn’t help it.
Dave Jackson says:
Jun 15, 2015
True. The actors I was mentioning were supposed to be more a collection of great actors instantly associated with classic horror. Probably should have made that clear rather than just genre performers. There would obviously be stacks more to be included in that list. Have edited what I wrote.