In memory of the two-year anniversary of his death, we look at 10 of the strangest movies on Christopher Lee’s resume
Two years ago this month, we lost one of the greatest presences cinema — not just horror cinema — has ever seen: Sir Christopher Lee. The British actor, singer and writer was 93 when he passed, leaving behind a rich resume of work and dozens upon dozens of iconic motion pictures. From his work with Hammer Studios playing not only Count Dracula (his signature role) but also Frankenstein’s monster, The Mummy and more to his work in the James Bond romp The Man with the Golden Gun to the folk horror masterpiece The Wicker Man to appearances in the Star Wars prequels and the Lord of the Rings films to his spate of Heavy Metal Christmas records; Christopher Lee could do it all and did do it all.
RELATED: Hammer’s Dracula movies ranked!
But at the end of the day, Lee was simply a gigging actor. Sure, his presence almost always elevated whatever film could afford him, but during his travels working around the globe, the actor appeared in some real deal oddball motion pictures. Some were no doubt chosen to sate his own relentless interests in travel and desire to challenge himself and improve his craft. Many were chosen to simply pay the bills. But no matter his motive, a run through his hundreds-deep list of credits reveals a pack of wildly eccentric movies that veer from godawful to sublime.
Here then, we look at 10 of the strangest and thus, most fascinating films Lee appeared in. Long live Christopher Lee!
Christopher Lee
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Uncle Was a Vampire (1959)
After the worldwide success of Hammer's 1958 masterpiece Horror of Dracula, Lee became an instant genre icon. He WAS Dracula. But in this goofball Italian comedy (aka Hard Times for Vampires) he's not Drac, just a spot-on ringer. Not a great film but it's always a joy to see the straight-faced Lee wax his deft gift for comedy.
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The Torture Chamber of Dr. Sadism (1967)
Rarely spoken about in genre circles, this German Gothic shocker (also known as The Pit and the Pendulum and Castle of the Walking Dead) is on par with the best of Mario Bava and is just so weird. We like Weird. Bava plays a diabolical undead Count Regula who is drawn and quartered and then supernaturally draws his victims to his castle to be reborn years later. And then he tortures 'em. An amazing and odd Eurohorror flick that needs more love.
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Scream and Scream Again (1970)
Batshit bananas crazy Gordon Hessler meltdown penned by Christopher Wicking makes a big deal about casting Lee, Peter Cushing and Vincent Price in the same movie...and yet they never all together share scenes. No matter. You can't get much weirder than this patchwork mad science shocker and I still have no idea what it's really about. Lee brings class, as usual.
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Horror Express (1972)
Spanish romp is the first movie in which Peter Cushing appeared in after his beloved wife passed away. He was devastated and almost didn't do the movie. That is before his best pal Lee stepped in and convinced him to do it. You can see their warmth onscreen as they play dueling scientists trying to claim the missing link. Aliens, zombies and Telly Savalas also show up to the party. Commands a solid cult following for a very good reason.
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The Keeper (1976)
Totally obscure Canadian cheapie sees Lee as the malevolent head of a skid row insane asylum who hypnotizes his victims. Strange and somber and not without its charms, with an icy look that marked all films of this "tax shelter" period in Canada.
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Dracula and Son (1976)
Although many cite Hammer's 1973 thriller The Satanic Rites of Dracula as the last time Lee played the character, this 1976 French comedy is in fact the sanguinary Swan Song. A very sweet, weird and often ludicrously funny movie with Lee once more flexing his ample comedic chops.
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Starship Invasions (1977)
Lee goes to Canada again for this hilarious and fun Ed (Bloody Birthday) Hunt-directed Star Wars riff that sees Lee in a villainous role and wearing a goofy costume. Robert Vaughan also wanders into the movie and collects a paycheck. Producer Ken Gord worked with Hunt a bunch (The Brain, Point of No Return) and went on to produce the Highlander series. He still tells hilarious stories about the making of this day-glo space opera.
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The Return of Captain Invincible (1983)
Lee loved Opera and was quite a singer. Hence why this obscure and awesome Phillipe (Howling II) Mora curiosity is so great. Lee devours the film as the singing, bugging villain Mr. Midnight and we promise you've never, ever seen another movie quite like this. Why it's not better known is beyond me...
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Howling II: Your Sister is a Werewolf (1984)
Legendary film from Lee's Captain Invincible director Philippe Mora is a perverse disaster but a charmingly odd one. Lee plays a werewolf hunter whose sister (Sybil Danning) is the Queen of the werewolves. Inexplicably, he hangs out in fake punk clubs wearing wraparound shades to "blend in". If you want a genuinely WTF Lee cinema experience, look no further than this diamond!
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Police Academy: Mission to Moscow (1994)
So the cornball Police Academy franchise loses Steve Guttenberg but gains Christopher Lee. Fair trade! Awful entry in the series sees Lee having fun as a Russian Police Chief named Rakov, with a mustache phonier than the one glued on him in the Fu Manchu movies. Before Tim Burton and Peter Jackson gave him back his dignity, Lee was often forced to pay the rent with whatever project waved a dollar at him. Like this.
