Francisco Scaramanga
Posted on 06/22/2015 8:01:25 AM PDT by NRx
For those interested, Turner Classic Movies is running a bunch of the late Sir Christopher Lee's films today. On the list are several of the old Hammer Horror Films and the excellent 1970's adaptation of the Three Musketeers (and its sequel). The latter two where Lee co-stars opposite Michael York and the late Charlton Heston are IMO the best film versions of the classic story.
Thanks! DVRing every single one of ‘em!
LOVE his Dracula.
I spent many Saturday afternoons at the Arlo theater in Camden NJ watching old Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing Dracula movies. $0.50 was enough to get in and buy all the candy I wanted.
CL’s Dracula was the first time I had seen him in film. His excellent portrayal has haunted me into adulthood.
Ah,those were the days when going to the movies was fun. You’d get a lot for your money at the movies,then. Cartoons,mewsreels,short subjects, and double features occasionally. Nowadays? You have to pay a king’s ransom to see one movie(that is usually garbage)one time,and that’s it,except the previews. Not only that,the sound system is loud enough to deafen you.
I was 8 years old when I my older brother, who was babysitting for me and my younger brother, took us to the afternoon matinee. I was scared breathless when I saw IN COLOR “The Curse of Frankenstein” with Peter Cushing and Sir Christopher Lee as the “creature”. No talking parts for him, but he portrayed the most frightening and ugly monster I ever remember for a Frankenstein movie.
Needless to say, my older brother caught heck from my mom when she found out. 1958. Those were the days. LOL.
One of his recurring roles never gets much publicity. For a time he was the face of Fu-Manchu, a great villain of yore.
Fu-Manchu is definitely in need of a remake, and surprisingly enough, he would not be offensive at all to the Chinese, who would see him just as evil and villainous as would everyone else.
To start with he is a world class villain, a super genius, who would want to overthrow China and turn its people into mindless slaves with the use of drugs and poisons, with him as their emperor.
The trope of him being in hibernation for a hundred years, while rejuvenating into a young super genius villain, would be easy to forgive. He would easily absorb modern technology, fully understanding our weaponry, and quickly figure out how to counter it, while leaving his own weapons unaffected.
Just as easily, he could create an army of tens of millions of mind controlled slaves and assassins.
The hard part is stopping him.
Francisco Scaramanga
Same here!
I had forgotten that he was in the Three Musketteers! The makeup was so good, and, the acting as well, made me forget it was Lee.
A Giant has left us.
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