Christopher Lee has passed away

[Shaka Zulu]

And he wasn't exploited by some glory-seeking moron making him star in bad movies, either. RIP, Chris, we'll take it from here.

Depending on your feelings about George Lucas and Peter Jackson, I guess.

But seriously, he made everything better, including heavy metal.

[yt]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTfFXrVJcNQ[/yt]

I was talking about Lugosi being exploited by Ed Wood late in his life, as shown in the movie biopic Ed Wood-I don't know how that wasn't clear enough?

Before we learned Vader wore the armor because he was injured (as hinted in "Empire") and before we actually saw Sebastian Shaw under the helmet in "Jedi", I imagined Vader looked like Christopher Lee. Too bad he didn't actually play the part. He was tall enough for the costume and his voice had the gravitas to project the menace required. No need for two people to play him. Besides, he and Cushing were a duo. It just seemed weird to have one (Cushing) but not the other (Lee). Yeah, he played Dooku, but it was a case of too little, too late; Peter was decades gone.

Sincerely,

Bill

Expecting Lee to be in a hot suit of armor with a mask on his head would have been a bit much, which is why Dave Prowse was hired.

 

[Mk_Sn]

He was a great Sith. Far better and more interesting than Darth Maul.

His characters name is stupid, his acting is wooden in the films, and his role is..I forget. I guess just to be a bad guy to fight. I don't like anything of the prequel films though, and he's just another reason why.

 

[Kemaiku]

Should really sit down and have a marathon of his films over the weekend, I have I don't know how many of them.

Now we've lost him and Peter both, two of the best actors of their generation and two of the biggest names in horror history. That's just, past depressing.

I'm glad I made the effort to make sure I got to see the Hobbit last year more than ever now.

 

[Greg Cox]

And he wasn't exploited by some glory-seeking moron making him star in bad movies, either. RIP, Chris, we'll take it from here.

Depending on your feelings about George Lucas and Peter Jackson, I guess.

But seriously, he made everything better, including heavy metal.

[yt]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTfFXrVJcNQ[/yt]

I was talking about Lugosi being exploited by Ed Wood late in his life, as shown in the movie biopic Ed Wood-I don't know how that wasn't clear enough?

For the record, I realized that you were referring to the Lugosi and Ed Wood.

And, yeah, I remain pleased that Lee's career never sunk to that level. (Even Karloff was doing cheapie Mexican horror movies at the end of his life.)

 

[Gov Kodos]

And he wasn't exploited by some glory-seeking moron making him star in bad movies, either. RIP, Chris, we'll take it from here.

Depending on your feelings about George Lucas and Peter Jackson, I guess.

But seriously, he made everything better, including heavy metal.

I was talking about Lugosi being exploited by Ed Wood late in his life, as shown in the movie biopic Ed Wood-I don't know how that wasn't clear enough?

Humor, a difficult concept.

 

[cooleddie74]

In reference to an earlier post in this thread I don't know how "Count Dooku" or "Darth Tyranus" are any dumber-sounding as Star Wars characters names than the vast majority of the names used in the franchise since 1977, but I think Lee was as good as could be expected in the role and helped rescue Attack of the Clones from being a more disappointing film than it already was.

Wooden? Eh. It's all a matter of degree in a Star Wars movie, but Dooku was meant to be a cool, calm and collected antagonist who exuded sophistication and self-control in most situations. Expecting Christopher Lee to become a loud, brash and obnoxious-sounding action hero just because he's a Sith Lord in a Star Wars film isn't terribly realistic. Dooku wasn't a vampire or another horror movie character and was never meant nor designed to be over-the-top. Dooku's background was that of a member of wealth and nobility who'd abandoned the Jedi Order because of political idealism.

George Lucas made a ton of mistakes and errors in judgment during the Prequels but casting Lee as Count Dooku wasn't one of them.

 

[Trekker4747]

In reference to an earlier post in this thread I don't know how "Count Dooku" or "Darth Tyranus".....

"Tyranus" I'll give you, but Dooku? Sorry. That name is a little too close to another word, making me think he's playing an evil, squishy, turd.

 

[cooleddie74]

This is the universe that made the phrase "Bantha poodoo" part of the lexicon almost twenty years before Episode II was ever filmed. Star Wars and George Lucas have never been too subtle about names, nor how they might sound to the average ear.

 

[Gryffindorian]

Whether a vampire, an English detective, a Sith lord, or a White Wizard, or a man with the golden gun, he always impressed us with his acting talent.

 

[The Old Mixer]

This is the universe that made the phrase "Bantha poodoo" part of the lexicon almost twenty years before Episode II was ever filmed.

That's fine and dandy, but you don't name your imposing, gravitas-bringing villain "Darth Poodoo". Shit references have their place, and that character's name shouldn't have been one of them.

 

[cooleddie74]

Eh. The script's quality was a much bigger concern. To be fair Dooku's not the best name George could have picked but the names used for many background aliens are usually much, much goofier or stupider.

In other news related to Lee's passing has anybody seen this final video appearance he made in the '90s with his dear friend and former co-star Peter Cushing? The two men adored and loved one another so much and this video is so touching to watch. Cushing passed away not long after this was recorded.

Those two guys were talent and class from top to bottom.

[yt]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7T2WrnFzepw[/yt]

 

[HIjol]

Eh. The script's quality was a much bigger concern. To be fair Dooku's not the best name George could have picked but the names used for many background aliens are usually much, much goofier or stupider.

In other news related to Lee's passing has anybody seen this final video appearance he made in the '90s with his dear friend and former co-star Peter Cushing? The two men adored and loved one another so much and this video is so touching to watch. Cushing passed away not long after this was recorded.

Those two guys were talent and class from top to bottom.

[yt]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7T2WrnFzepw[/yt]

Meaningful Post
Caring Words
Spot On

 

[Goji]

Very sad. An odd coincidence, I had just ordered a copy of Horror Express the night before I woke up to this news, and it came in the mail today. It will certainly be a different sort of viewing than I had planned, but I'm still looking forward to it. The man was a great entertainer.

 

[Hound of UIster]

In reference to an earlier post in this thread I don't know how "Count Dooku" or "Darth Tyranus".....

"Tyranus" I'll give you, but Dooku? Sorry. That name is a little too close to another word, making me think he's playing an evil, squishy, turd.

George Lucas was a huge weeabo. Dooku and Jedi are both terms taken from japanese due to his admiration of Kurosawa films.

 

[Gov Kodos]

Very sad. An odd coincidence, I had just ordered a copy of Horror Express the night before I woke up to this news, and it came in the mail today. It will certainly be a different sort of viewing than I had planned, but I'm still looking forward to it. The man was a great entertainer.

Enjoy, it's a great performance by him and Peter Cushing. A different viewing for you, sure, but I imagine nothing would please them both more than that their work still brings joy to folks after they're gone.

 

[HarryCanyon1982]

I've been a fan for 29 years since i saw Horror of Dracula on TV and saw The Last Unicorn (anyone here remembers that movie? i'm sure any scifi/fantasy geek did).

He was great as Dracula, Dooku, Sauromon, King Haggard, Lord Summersisle and more.

 

[Goji]

Very sad. An odd coincidence, I had just ordered a copy of Horror Express the night before I woke up to this news, and it came in the mail today. It will certainly be a different sort of viewing than I had planned, but I'm still looking forward to it. The man was a great entertainer.

Enjoy, it's a great performance by him and Peter Cushing. A different viewing for you, sure, but I imagine nothing would please them both more than that their work still brings joy to folks after they're gone.

Oh, I agree, and I did enjoy it. This one has been one of my favorites of theirs since I was a child but I was used to seeing it in a washed out public domain VHS, this was the first time I saw it in widescreen and on blu-ray no less, so it was a gorgeous picture. Still a bit sad given the circumstances but glad to have the movie again.

 

[Greg Cox]

Very sad. An odd coincidence, I had just ordered a copy of Horror Express the night before I woke up to this news, and it came in the mail today. It will certainly be a different sort of viewing than I had planned, but I'm still looking forward to it. The man was a great entertainer.

Enjoy, it's a great performance by him and Peter Cushing. A different viewing for you, sure, but I imagine nothing would please them both more than that their work still brings joy to folks after they're gone.

And Telly Savalas to boot!

 

[Starkers]

Very sad. An odd coincidence, I had just ordered a copy of Horror Express the night before I woke up to this news, and it came in the mail today. It will certainly be a different sort of viewing than I had planned, but I'm still looking forward to it. The man was a great entertainer.

Enjoy, it's a great performance by him and Peter Cushing. A different viewing for you, sure, but I imagine nothing would please them both more than that their work still brings joy to folks after they're gone.

And Telly Savalas to boot!

Interestingly I saw an interview with a member of the crew from that film on Thursday evening. He said Lee and Cushing were complete gents...but intimated Savalas was a right diva! I haven't seen that film in ages, used to love it as a kid though

 

[publiusr]

This one hurts.

The last Grand Old Man of Hammer is gone.
Come on Chris....quit putting us on...