Sir Christopher Lee is an interesting person with an even more fascinating life. The actor started off his career following his contributions to the Second World War by joining the Royal Air Force and then, the RAF intelligence. He is also someone who witnessed the last public execution by the Guillotine, and met two of Rasputin's assassins. Interestingly, unlike most actors, acting was not Lee's dream job, and he ended up in the world of cinema simply because of a relative's suggestion.
"Without previous aspirations or natural talent for acting, except a pleasing dark baritone voice that he exercised in song at home and abroad every day of his life", Lee ended up playing some influential roles that are still being applauded. Of course, many might recognize him for his villainous roles like Saruman in Lord of the Rings franchise or Willy Wonka's harsh father in Tim Burton's Charlie and The Chocolate Factory. Even without much experience, Lee ended up delivering some brilliant performances that can never be replicated. Here's a list of his best character portrayals.
6 The Mummy (1959)
This 1959 horror entry is another film that brings Peter Cushing and Lee onto the big screen together, the former as the protagonist and the latter as a seeming antagonist. In this particular film, we see Lee taking over the role of the Mummy, or Kharis. Even though he is portrayed as a "creature", who is hunting down people, a closer look suggests that his intentions are based on love and care for his former love. The film received some positive feedback, with Daily Dead calling it, "Complete with great performances, a strong plot, good special effects and a sharp script for its day, The Mummy is one of Hammer's best films and easily the best mummy film to date".
Lee's performance of the mummy can be regarded as a phenomenal contribution to the film, in turn, making it one of the best remakes.
5 The Wicker Man (1973)
For fans of Ari Aster's Midsommar, Robin Hardy's The Wicker Man is a brilliant watch that ensures the viewers have some chilling moments. The film is a British folk horror movie that focuses on a group of islanders on an island called Summerisle, engaging in some disturbing rituals, including human sacrifices. We follow our protagonist, Police Sergeant Neil Howie, played by Edward Woodward, falling into one of the islanders' traps. Lee plays yet another horrifying villain, Lord Summerisle, the leader of the island and also, the mastermind behind the rituals and the trap.
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4 The Lord of The Rings (2001-2003)
The Lord of The Rings franchise includes Lee as an antagonist. Saruman the White is introduced by Gandalf, played by Ian McKellen, as someone with great knowledge who helps defeat Sauron (seen in The Hobbit, the prequels). However, as the story progresses, and Saruman makes his appearance on screen, it turns out he has actually betrayed his former allies by joining Sauron. In the second film, The Two Towers, he becomes one of the main antagonists, and is Sauron's puppet. Given that he makes himself known to the audience through his physical appearance, which is lacking in Sauron's character, he is definitely one of the most powerful villains in cinema history.
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3 The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)
By taking Merry Shelley's 1818 gothic novel Frankenstein; The Modern Prometheus as the inspiration, this film follows a Victor Frankenstein, played by Peter Cushing, awaiting trial for the murder of his maid, Justine, played by Valerie Gaunt. Lee takes over the role of The Creature, who was an artificial human being created by Frankenstein, by collecting different human remains from graveyards. What makes this particular film different from the original story, is that unlike Shelley's Victor, Hammer's Victor is the main antagonist, as he goes on to murder several people by using The Creature as an assassin. It is no doubt that Lee's physical appearance once again makes him the ideal person to portray such a legendary character. Even though his character is mute, his presence cannot be ignored.
2 Jinnah (1998)
A rare instance where Lee steps away from the limelight of villains, Jinnah is a British-Pakistani film that focuses on Muhammed Ali Jinnah, the first Governor General of Pakistan, and his fight for the partition of India. Of course, having a British actor take over the role of Pakistan's very first leader brought up a great deal of controversy with "many Pakistanis concerned that a white Western actor, particularly one with Lee's background, will make Jinnah a figure of ridicule". However, Lee ended up delivering a performance that changed many minds. This can be further seen through Lee's comments on this role, as he states, "(Jinnah) The most important film I made, in terms of its subject and the great responsibility I had as an actor was a film I did about the founder of Pakistan..." This goes on to show how Lee did not regard the role with simplicity, and gave it the time and effort it deserved.
1 Dracula (1958)
Universal-International
This 1958 British gothic horror film is the first time Christopher Lee played Count Dracula, a character he goes on to reprise ten times in total. Produced by the infamous Hammer Film Productions, Dracula is a film that is based on Bram Stoker's 1897 novel of the same name, and focuses on how Count Dracula was being hunted by Doctor Van Helsing (played by Peter Crushing). The film became a massive hit with many critics reacting positively to it. In fact, Rotten Tomatoes has given it a 91% rating. Given that this film is decades old and that there was no CGI, it is quite fascinating to see how the creators have captured some of the fantasy elements through makeup and other objects. On top of it all, Lee's performance as the vampire is spectacular, as his rough voice and great height make him perfect for the role.