Christopher Lee Movies
After several years in secondary film roles, the skeletal, menacing Christopher Lee achieved horror-flick stardom as the Monster in 1958's The Curse of Frankenstein, the second of his 21 Hammer Studios films. Contrary to popular belief, Lee and Peter Cushing did not first appear together in The Curse of Frankenstein. In Laurence Olivier's Hamlet (1948), in which Cushing plays the minor role of Osric, Lee appears as the cadaverous candle-bearer in the "frighted with false fires" scene, one of his first film roles. In 1958, Lee made his inaugural appearance as "the Count" in The Horror of Dracula, with Cushing as Van Helsing. It would remain the favorite of Lee's Dracula films; the actor later noted that he was grateful to be allowed to convey "the sadness of the character. The terrible sentence, the doom of immortality...."Three years after Curse, Lee added another legendary figure to his gallery of characters: Sherlock Holmes, the protagonist of Sherlock Holmes und das Halsband des Todes. With the release eight years later of The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes, Lee became the first actor ever to portray both Holmes and Holmes' brother, Mycroft, onscreen. Other Lee roles of note include the title characters in 1959's The Mummy and the Fu Manchu series of the '60s, and the villainous Scaramanga in the 1974 James Bond effort The Man With the Golden Gun. In one brilliant casting coup, the actor was co-starred with fellow movie bogeymen Cushing, Vincent Price, and John Carradine in the otherwise unmemorable House of Long Shadows (1982). Established as a legend in his own right, Lee continued working steadily throughout the '80s and '90s, appearing in films ranging from Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990) to Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow (1999).
In 2001, after appearing in nearly 300 film and television productions and being listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for being the international star with the most screen credits to his name, the 79-year-old actor undertook the role of Saruman, chief of all wizards, in director Peter Jackson's eagerly anticipated screen adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings. Thought by many to be the millennial predecessor to George Lucas' Star Wars franchise, audiences thrilled to the wondrous battle between Saruman and Gandalf (Ian McKellen) atop the wizard's ominous tower, though Lee didn't play favorites between the franchises when Lucas shot back with the continuing saga of Anakin Skywalker's journey to the dark side in mid-2002. Wielding a lightsaber against one of the most powerful adversaries in the Star Wars canon, Lee proved that even at 80 he still had what it takes to be a compelling and demanding screen presence. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Condensed from the 13-episode series directed by Ted Newsom and hosted by horror movie star Christopher Lee, 100 Years of Horror, the two-hour version, is a celebratory overview of the Hollywood horror genre, rich with film clips from horror movies throughout most of the 20th century. Stars getting screen time here include old masters Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, and Claude Rains, as well as The Omega Man himself, Charlton Heston, Halloween babysitter Jamie Lee Curtis, and horror dabblers Robert De Niro and Kenneth Branagh. The program includes interviews with directors Roger Corman, Joe Dante, John Carpenter, and Herschell G. Lewis, and with actors (host) Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, and Claude Rains. Highlights include outtakes from the surprisingly effective Abbot & Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948) and from the 1960 version of The Lost World. ~ Steve Blackburn, All Movie Guide
- 1996
Part of the 13-part 100 Years of Horror series directed by Ted Newsom and hosted by horror movie star Christopher Lee, 100 Years of Horror -- Aliens & Sorcerers looks at horror movies that include sorcery and magic, and at those that cross into the realm of science fiction. This installment of the series features clips from movies including The Magic Sword, Necromancy, the seminal classic The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, The Thing (with Gunsmoke's James Arness in the alien monster suit), It Came From Outer Space, The Blob (starring a very young Steve McQueen), and others. The 100 Years of Horror series chronicles the history of movie horror from the earliest experimental chillers through the "golden age of movie monsters" and on through the gory shock-horror films of the late 20th century. Host Lee starred in The Curse of Frankenstein (1956) and The Mummy (1959). ~ Steve Blackburn, All Movie Guide
- 1996
Part of the 13-part 100 Years of Horror series directed by Ted Newsom and hosted by horror movie star Christopher Lee, 100 Years of Horror: Double Demons looks at the way Hollywood has portrayed bizarre transformative and psychological tales featured in movies such as Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, based on Robert Louis Stevenson's thriller about schizophrenia, which has been filmed well over a dozen times since the first film version in 1908; The Wolf Man also reworked in numerous versions; I Was A Teenage Werewolf, starring young Michael Landon; and numerous other pictures. Highlights include rare archival footage from Hollywood's "Golden Age of Horror," as well as interviews with the filmmakers, who provide details about the filming of these stories. ~ Steve Blackburn, All Movie Guide
- 1996
Part of the 13-part 100 Years of Horror series directed by Ted Newsom and hosted by horror movie star Christopher Lee, 100 Years of Horror: Dracula and the Vampires delves into the pervasive influence in Hollywood of the historically based character Dracula. Brought to literary life in the 1897 novel Dracula by Bram Stoker, the Transylvanian, bloodsucking count has been immortalized in dozens of movies since the silent era, both good and bad, serious and comic. The program highlights rare film clips featuring the most famous bloodsucker, Bela Lugosi, as well as John Carradine, Lon Chaney Jr., and host Christopher Lee. ~ Steve Blackburn, All Movie Guide
- 1996
Part of the 13-part 100 Years of Horror series directed by Ted Newsom and hosted by horror movie star Christopher Lee, 100 Years of Horror -- Frankenstein looks at how Mary Shelley's 19th century novel Frankenstein almost single-handedly established a new genre: horror. Since Hollywood produced its first movie version of the tale in 1908 (with actor Charles Ogle, over 80 motion pictures and a dozen television shows have been made that feature some variation of the original story. The highlights of this program are the interviews and home movies with actor Boris Karloff, the actor who, with his makeup artist, created the most widely known version of "the Monster" in the James Whale-directed Frankenstein (1931). Also included is the only color film footage known to exist of Karloff as the Monster, dating from approximately 1938. ~ Steve Blackburn, All Movie Guide
- 1996
Spirits of the dead have long haunted people's imaginations, and never more morbidly than in Hollywood horror movies. Part of the 13-episode 100 Years of Horror series directed by Ted Newsom and hosted by horror movie star Christopher Lee, 100 Years of Horror: Ghosts and Phantoms reviews many of Hollywood's filmic escapades that feature spectral or otherwise unseen characters of horror. These creatures can be found in movies such as The Phantom of the Opera, starring Lon Chaney in the 1925 version, and Claude Rains in the first talkie version (1943); The Invisible Man, an earlier Claude Rains vehicle (1933), adapted from the H.G. Wells story; and the Robert Wise-directed The Haunting (1963). Included are production background information and interviews with some of the filmmakers. ~ Steve Blackburn, All Movie Guide
- 1996
Part of the 13-episode 100 Years of Horror series directed by Ted Newsom and hosted by horror movie star Christopher Lee, 100 Years of Horror: Giants and Dinosaurs takes a loving look at movie monsters. Films starring monsters in the form of dinosaurs have been thrilling audiences since the 1925 filming of The Lost World, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's adventure tale about scientists who discover prehistoric giant beasts in a remote land. That silent film featured surprisingly well-rendered special effects. Since then a horde of other "creature features" have been spawned, including The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms, the 1933 groundbreaking spectacular King Kong, Japan's atomic mutant Godzilla, and Steven Spielberg's Jurassic Park. Included here are interviews with some of the filmmakers, along with clips, rare production stills, and previously unreleased footage. ~ Steve Blackburn, All Movie Guide
- 1996
From the 13-part 100 Years of Horror series directed by Ted Newsom and hosted by horror movie star Christopher Lee, this second tape, 100 Years of Horror: Mad Scientists and Mad Monsters, examines the villainous "Mad Scientist," who has been a stock character of the horror genre from the earliest days of cinema. This program features clips from some of the classic mad scientist movies. The highlights of this program are the interviews and home movies with actor Boris Karloff, the actor who with his makeup artist created the most widely known version of "the Monster" in the James Whale-directed Frankenstein. Also included is the only color film footage known to exist of Karloff as the Monster, dating from approximately 1938. ~ Anthony Graham Ristow, All Movie Guide
- 1996
The old newspaper dictum "If it bleeds, it leads" could also apply to the marketing of modern horror movies. Part of the 13-episode 100 Years of Horror series directed by Ted Newsom and hosted by horror movie star Christopher Lee, 100 Years of Horror: Madmen & Gory Gimmicks reviews how Hollywood has packaged and sold its horror movies over the past 100 years. Highlights include rare color footage from the original 1925 version of The Phantom of the Opera, which starred the great Lon Chaney as the phantom. The actor reputedly created the character's hideous visage using springs and clamps in his nostrils and mouth. Madmen & Gory Gimmicks also relates the true story that inspired The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974). Host Lee appeared in many horror movies himself, including Corridors of Blood (1958). ~ Steve Blackburn, All Movie Guide
- 1996
In the 19th century, malformed or deformed people were the object of morbid curiosity in traveling sideshows and circuses. In the 20th century they became fodder for Hollywood horror movies. Part of the 13-episode 100 Years of Horror series directed by Ted Newsom and hosted by horror movie star Christopher Lee, 100 Years of Horror: Mutants and Freaks reviews the many "mutant" and "freak" characters that have suffered on the silver screen from the earliest days of moviemaking. The program features clips from many films, among them The Creature From the Black Lagoon (Amazonian Gill-Man); The Little Shop of Horrors (man-eating flower); Freaks (the aforementioned sideshow denizens); and The Day the Earth Stood Still (Gort, the Robot). The program includes interviews with some of the filmmakers, behind-the-scenes stories, still photos, and rare film footage. ~ Steve Blackburn, All Movie Guide
- 1996
What's a ghoul to do? Part of the 13-episode 100 Years of Horror series directed by Ted Newsom and hosted by horror movie star Christopher Lee, 100 Years of Horror: Scream Queens & Girl Ghouls takes a look at the tremendous appeal and genre influence of damsels in horrific distress. Included are Fay Wray (King Kong, 1933) and Jamie Lee Curtis (Halloween, 1978). The program also examines the fright appeal of scary women and includes interviews with "girl ghouls" Linnea Quigley (Rat Woman in the television movie Burial of the Rats, 1995) and Brinke Stevens (Marci in Nightmare Sisters, aka Sorority Succubus Sisters, 1987). Highlights include film clips from King Kong, The Phantom of the Opera, The Most Dangerous Game, and others. ~ Steve Blackburn, All Movie Guide
- 1996
For many classic horror movie fans, Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff are inseparable from the iconic characters they portrayed. Part of the 13-episode 100 Years of Horror series directed by Ted Newsom and hosted by horror movie star Christopher Lee, 100 Years of Horror: The Gruesome Twosome celebrates the careers of Dracula and Frankenstein. Sometimes appearing in the same movie, Lugosi and Karloff appeared in some of the best (and worst) monster movies ever made. The Gruesome Twosome includes film clips from Lugosi-Karloff vehicles Son of Frankenstein (1939), with Karloff as the Monster and Lugosi as Ygor (not I-gor); The Invisible Ray (1936); Black Friday (1940), and others. Highlights include interviews with Karloff and Lugosi, as well as behind-the-scenes stories from friends, relatives, and co-workers. ~ Steve Blackburn, All Movie Guide
- 1996
"Can a Pharaoh's evil prophecy reach out across 4,000 years to enslave...to kill...to menace YOU?" Part of the 13-episode 100 Years of Horror series directed by Ted Newsom and hosted by horror movie star Christopher Lee, 100 Years of Horror: The Walking Dead unravels the history of mummies, zombies, and a host of other walking dead from Hollywood's golden age. Highlights include film clips from The Mummy (1932), I Walked With a Zombie (1943), White Zombie (1932), and others. The video includes a special featuring the series of Mummy movies starring the great Lon Chaney Jr., produced by Universal Pictures 1942-1944. ~ Steve Blackburn, All Movie Guide
- 1996
The Devil has been appearing in movies since the first version of Faust was filmed in 1900. Part of the 13-episode 100 Years of Horror series directed by Ted Newsom and hosted by horror movie star Christopher Lee, 100 Years of Horror: Witches & Demons examines the spell that the subject of the occult casts over movie audiences. Movies about witches and devil worship often conjure box-office magic, as interviews and production sidelights in this program show. Witches & Demons also features film clips from various occult movies. Host Lee starred in a number of occult movies himself, including City of the Dead (aka Horror Hotel) (1960), about an inn run by a 17th century witch who was burned at the stake and now lures victims for Satan. ~ Steve Blackburn, All Movie Guide
It's December of 1941, and the people of California are in varying states of unease, ranging from a sincere desire to defend the country to virtual blind panic in the wake of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Thus begin several story threads that comprise the "plot" of this strange period comedy, a sort of satirical disaster movie, from Steven Spielberg. The stories and story threads involve lusty young men, officers (Tim Matheson) and civilians (Bobby Di Cicco) alike, eager to bed the young ladies of their dreams; Wild Bill Kelso, a nutty fighter pilot (John Belushi) following what he thinks is a squadron of Japanese fighters along the California coast; a well-meaning but clumsy tank crew (including John Candy) led by straight-arrow, by-the-book Sgt. Tree (Dan Aykroyd), who doesn't recognize the thug (Treat Williams) in his command; and homeowner Ward Douglas (Ned Beatty), who is eager to do his part for the nation's defense and, despite the misgivings of his wife (Lorraine Gary), doesn't mind his front yard overlooking the ocean being chosen to house a 40 mm anti-aircraft gun. There is also a pair of grotesquely inept airplane spotters (Murray Hamilton, Eddie Deezen) who are doing their job from atop a ferris wheel at a beachfront amusement park; a paranoid army colonel (Warren Oates) positive that the Japanese are infiltrating from the hills; a big dance being held on behalf of servicemen, being attended by a lusty young woman of size (Wendie Jo Sperber) eager to land a man in uniform; and General Joseph "Vinegar Joe" Stillwell (Robert Stack), in charge of the defense of the West Coast, who can't seem to get anyone to listen to him when he says to keep calm. And, oh yes, there's also a real Japanese submarine that has gotten all the way to the California coast under the command of its captain (Toshiro Mifune) and a German officer observer (Christopher Lee), only to find itself without a working compass or usable maps. Its captain won't leave until the sub has attacked a militarily significant, honorable target, and the only one that anyone aboard ship knows of in California is Hollywood. By New Year's Eve, all of these characters are going to cross paths, directly or once-removed, in a comedy of errors and destruction strongly reminiscent of the finale to National Lampoon's Animal House (as well as several disaster movies from the same studio), but on a much larger and more impressive scale. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dan Aykroyd, Ned Beatty, (more)
A Century Of Science Fiction pays tribute to the history of SF on screen, from the silent epics of Georges Melies to the latest high-tech space epics such as Independence Day. Narrated by Christopher Lee. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
