Prince of Darkness: 5 Christopher Lee Movies to Watch
He played everything from Sherlock Holmes to Fu Manchu, mystic Russian monks to Bond villains, Egyptian pharoahs to Transylvanian counts with a taste for Type 0. Regardless of the role, Christopher Lee always made for a welcome screen presence; whether he turned up as a force for good or as the Prince of Darkness himself, you knew you were in for a good time — a bloody good time, usually. Filmmakers ranging from Nicolas Ray (who cast him in his 1957 war-is-hell parable Bitter Victory) to Tim Burton and Martin Scorsese made excellent use of his imposing stature and a stentorian baritone that could suggest either authority or ancient evil. Who else could brag that they had taken on Gandalf, 007, Yoda and the Police Academy recruits?
In honor of the actor’s passing at the age of 93, we’re shouting out five Christopher Lee films that should be considered required viewing (or re-viewing) as folks mourn the loss of a legend. Several are obvious and a few are obscure, but all of these highlight why he’s considered a horror and fantasy movie icon.
