CHRISTOPHER LEE TALKS ABOUT MODERN HORROR FILMS

Sir Christopher Lee (top left) pictured here with Vincent Price and Peter Cushing
Sir Christopher Lee (top left) pictured here with Vincent Price and Peter Cushing

Christopher Lee was born in London, England in 1922 and since that time has had a prolific career as an actor for over 6 decades. But it’s his roles in the Hammer Studios horror films from the 1950’s through the 1970’s that have earned him a permament place in horror cinema history. Recently Mr. Lee spoke with Grace Wong for CNN about the current state of horror films calling them “obscene”.

Here are some highlights from the article:

“I find it quite nauseating what they do,” Lee told CNN. “The blood is all over the screen like an avalanche — the mutilation — dreadful things, and I just don’t enjoy that.”

What I believe he is referring to is what has come to be known as “torture porn” that includes films like Hostel and the Saw series. To learn more about torture porn read this article.

Though Lee is approaching the age of 90 he is still acting. He has a starring role in the upcoming film The Resident alongside Hilary Swank and Jeffrey Dean Morgan.

Sir Christopher Lee and Jeffrey Dean Morgan in The Resident
Sir Christopher Lee and Jeffrey Dean Morgan in The Resident

Lee will also be reprising his role as Lord Summerisle in a reimagining of The Wicker Man, titled The Wicker Tree due out in 2010. Lee has this to say about The Wicker Man:

But he considers 1973’s “The Wicker Man” “the best picture I’ve ever done.” The role was written for him and remains his favorite.
“They didn’t have to look for me to play the part; they wrote the part for me,” which doesn’t happen very often, he said.

The Wicker Man (1973)
The Wicker Man (1973)

In closing he says this about his career:

“Well,” he said. “What else would I do?”

You can read the rest of the interview with Christopher Lee here.