America
Christopher Lee: A stellar career from Dracula to Saruman (Tribute)
By
By Ankit Sinha
New Delhi, June 12
From my earliest childhood
memories, one image which remains etched deep within my subconscious is
that of the foreboding aura of Dracula. The feared vampire of Bram
Stoker's eponymous novel was brought alive on screen in 1958 by the
legendary Christopher Lee - an actor who defined the horror genre in
cinema.
It was in 1957 that a 35-year-old Lee was cast in
Hammer Film Productions' "The Curse of Frankenstein" as Frankenstein's
monster - the character which was destined to attain immortality in the
annals of horror cinema.
The charismatic actor passed away on Sunday at the age of 93 in London after suffering respiratory and heart problems.
As
a fan, Lee's death came as a shock as since I had long revered the
veteran actor for his versatility and panache. With his impeccable
portrayals of Frankestein's monster and Dracula, the actor had become a
household name in the horror genre and had developed an enviable fan
following in India and across the globe.
Born Christopher Frank
Carandini Lee in London on May 27, 1922, the actor had an illustrious
career which spanned nearly 70 years. His towering personality - he was
6' 4" - distinguished good looks and rich baritone made him an enviable
and respectable figure in Hollywood. Lee had a predilection for the
sinister and macabre, as he admitted being "fascinated by the nature of
evil" during a 2003 interview.
"There is something sad about
malevolence, to be wicked," the "Lord of the Rings" actor was quoted as
saying in the interview with the Guardian.
Although cinephiles
fondly remember the actor for his portrayal of Dracula, Lee's first
break came in Terence Young's 1948 drama "Corridor of Mirrors". He
played secondary and anonymous characters in various low-budget films
for 10 years before finding his mark in the industry.
As the
years passed, Lee's acting career took even a bigger curve as he
branched out to play several memorable roles. If he was famous for
portraying Dracula and Frankenstein's creature in the late 1950s, he
attained fame in the 1960s as Fu Manchu, in the 1970s as the pagan Lord
Summerisle "The Wicker Man" and Scaramanga in Bond-movie "The Man with
the Golden Gun" and in the 2000s as the evil wizard Saruman in "The Lord
of the Rings".
His career witnessed a renaissance at the turn
of the new millenium, but the film which acted as a silent precursor to
his resurgent popularity was the highly controversial "Jinnah". Directed
by Jamil Dehlavi, the 1998 biopic saw Lee in the role of Pakistan's
historic founder, Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Lee left an everlasting
impression with his sincere portrayal of the Pakistani national icon.
The
veteran actor was reintroduced to a new generation of film lovers in
the 2000s with his role as Saruman in the hugely popular "Lord of the
Rings" trilogy and as Count Dooku in the "Star Wars" series.
Lee
was knighted in 2009 and received a Bafta fellowship in 2011. He never
intended to retire as he had stated in an interview: "I hate being idle.
As dear Boris (Karloff) used to say, 'When I die I want to die with my
boots on'."
With Lee's death, an era of cinematic brilliance has
come to a closure. Yet, the memories of his stellar career will
continue to inspire fans of his works till eternity.
The Dracula isn't dead, he is sleeping in his coffin, waiting to arise again.
(Ankit Sinha can be contacted at [email protected]. The views expressed are personal)