While Christopher Lee His most iconic horror role came from playing the Prince of Darkness, Count Dracula, in Hammer Horror productions, which was far from his only horror film performance. In fact, Lee has had an astonishing career in dozens of horror films, as well as acclaimed performances in some of the biggest franchises of all time, such as James Bond, Star Warsand The Lord of the Rings. As an artist adept at playing heroic protagonists and sinister villains, Lee’s horror film filmography tapped into the vast array of spooky subgenres that included mystery, thrillers, and supernatural tales.
Lee gained notoriety in the horror world for playing Frankenstein’s monster in 1957. Frankenstein’s Cursewhich opened the doors to a long and fruitful partnership with Hammer Film Productions. With an innate talent for portraying mysterious and sinister characters, Lee continued to excel over the decades in such popular horror classics as The Wicker Man. As an artist boasting one of the most impressive careers Hollywood has ever seen, Lee was truly an icon of 20th century horror films.
10
Scream and Scream Again (1970)
Christopher Lee as Fremont
Three horror legends come together for the story of the serial killer Scream and scream againstarring Christopher Lee, Vincent Price and Peter Cushing. This was the second pairing of the iconic Lee and Price with director Gordon Hessler after the gothic horror The oblong box of the previous year. Telling the story of a killer who drained the blood of his victims, Scream and scream again mixed crime thriller styles with pure horror to create a minor cult classic which was overlooked during its initial release.
While it was exciting to see three horror legends cast in a fast-paced vampire thriller, it was a shame that Lee, Price and Cushing never shared the screen in Scream and scream againand Lee and Price only met briefly during the film’s climax. Despite this lost opportunity, Scream and scream again was a fantastic 1970s sci-fi horror featuring the best British horror films of that era. While the bloody narrative may have hinted at Lee’s reputation as Count Dracula, this time the roles were switched as he played UK government official Fremont.
9
Corridors of Blood (1958)
Christopher Lee as Resurrection Joe
In Blood CorridorsChristopher Lee shared the screen with the actor best known for playing his later role as Frankenstein’s monster during the 1930s, Boris Karloff. This fascinating horror was also known as Seven Dials Doctor and introduced Karloff as Dr. Thomas Bolton, a surgeon during the 1840s who was trying to experiment with the use of anesthetic gases to develop a painless surgery process. However, a demonstration gone wrong led to a patient waking up under the knife, and Bolton fell out of favor in his profession, whilst becoming addicted to anesthetic in the process.
This led him to find himself involved in a gang of criminals, including Christopher Lee as the killer, Resurrection Joe. As the bandits blackmailed Bolton into signing fake death certificates, he found himself increasingly destroyed by this dark and tragic story of exploitation and hardship. Blood Corridors It was a deeply atmospheric horror whose journey through sinister hospital practices was a truly terrifying sight. Lee’s characterization of Resurrection Joe even influenced musician and future film director Rob Zombie’s 1998 song “The Ballad of Resurrection Joe and Rosa Whore.”
8
The Mummy (1959)
Christopher Lee as Kharis / The Mummy
Just a year after first portraying his transformative role in 1958’s Dracula, Lee continued his fruitful relationship with Hammer Horror to play yet another iconic monster in The mummy. By merging plot points and ideas from two 1940s Universal horror films, The mummy’s hand and The mummy’s tomband falling heavily into debt with The mummy’s ghostThis successful reimagining took the best of previous depictions and resurrected this long-dormant series. Lee played Kharis, the high priest of Karnak, who was mummified as punishment for trying to revive his love Princess Ananka and forced to protect her tomb.
As in everything Mummy films, Lee’s character was involuntarily awakened from his deep sleep as archaeologists sought to find Princess Ananka’s tomb. This led to the scariest depiction of this undead character, as Lee’s dirty bandages and gruesome presentation made this TechniColor showcase all the more captivating. With romantic tones and a melodramatic atmosphere, The mummy managed to effectively elevate the character into more nuanced and three-dimensional territory.
7
The whip and the body (1963)
Christopher Lee as Kurt Menliff
The Italian author director Mario Bava was known as the Master of the Macabre for a reason, as his visual talent and technical achievements helped add new depth and style to horror cinema. The Whip and the Body was no different, as it told the story of Kurt Menliff’s (Christopher Lee) seemingly ghostly attempts at revenge after his lover was unwittingly betrothed to his brother. With many bizarre supernatural occurrences, Menliff’s untimely murder led his family to believe he was haunting them from beyond the grave.
This deeply atmospheric murder mystery horror showcased Bava’s ability to blend different subgenres to create a stylistic language that was truly his own. The tension of this narrative became even more effective through Lee’s cruel and sadomasochistic performance, which predicted a world of emotions through simple facial expressions. Although The Whip and the Body may not be as well-known as Lee’s other horror films, it was certainly a standout performance in his filmography.
6
The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959)
Christopher Lee as Sir Henry Baskerville
Of the numerous adaptations of Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories, The Hound of the Baskervilles it was actually one of the most attractive. This Hammer Films production starred Peter Cushing as Holmes helping wealthy heir Sir Henry Baskerville (Christopher Lee), whose family estate was supposedly haunted by a supernatural dog. In typical Sherlock Holmes style, The Hound of the Baskervilles was a gripping crime horror that mixed mystery with genuine fear.
Lee and Cushing worked well together as Holmes’s anxious and energetic nature clashed with Baskerville’s convincing portrayal. With dark tendencies that can often be missing from other Sherlock Holmes adaptations, the addition of an actor as menacing as Lee gave his character an extra depth that left viewers constantly questioning his true nature and intentions. While Lee had already become known as Count Dracula at the time The Hound of the Baskervilles was releasedhis role here as a good guy was a nice change of pace in a career filled with antagonistic horror performances.
5
The Devil Rides (1968)
Christopher Lee as Nicholas, Duke of Richleau
Although Christopher Lee was primarily known for playing terrifying villains in horror films, one of Lee’s greatest heroic roles occurred The devil rides. This story of devil worshipers converting new victims was one of director Terence Fisher’s greatest achievements and a surprising adaptation of Dennis Wheatley’s 1934 novel. Like a great battle of good versus evil, The devil rides was a stylish showcase of spectacular sets with a solid script from screenwriter Richard Matheson.
Set in South London in 1929, Lee played Nicholas, Duc de Richleau, investigating the strange doings of his protégé and his late friend’s son. The devil rides It was a foreboding journey into the world of the occult, as the underbelly of Satanism soon began to rear its ugly head. With a much more serious tone than many other Hammer Horror productions The devil rides I saw Nicholas’s wise man trying to overcome the evil forces that were corrupting the younger, more impressionable characters.
4
I Like Fear (1961)
Christopher Lee as Doctor Gerrard
British horror I like fear was released with the title Scream of Fear in the UK and was influenced by recent horror hits that explore issues of psychological suspense, such as Alfred Hitchcock’s Psychopath. Like the story of a wheelchair-bound woman who returns to her estranged father’s estate on the French Riviera; despite being told that he is absent, she is continually tormented by visions of his corpse. With a chilling atmosphere and plenty of twists and turns, Scream was the kind of movie that was more effective the less viewers knew about it.
Christopher Lee played the supporting role of Doctor Gerrard. According to the book by Marcus Hearn and Alan Barnes The Hammer Story: The Authorized History of Hammer Films (page 61), Lee considered I like fear the best Hammer horror film he’s ever been in. Lee said: “the best director, the best cast and the best story” of all his Hammer releases. Filled with chilling mystery, a moody black-and-white aesthetic, and a period soundtrack by Clifton Parker, I like fear was a must-see for lovers of 1960s British horror.
3
The City of the Dead (1960)
Christopher Lee as Alan Driscoll
The classic trope of a small town with a mysterious past informed British horror The City of the Deadalso known as Horror Hotel. As the directional debut of John Moxey, who would later make a name for himself directing episodic television for series such as Magnum, P.I.this story of witchcraft and secrecy was truly one of Christopher Lee’s most underrated roles. Starring Venetia Stevenson as Nan Barlow, a history student traveling to Whitewood, Massachusetts, t
While studying the small town’s association with witchcraft in the 1600s, she soon discovered that this strange connection wasn’t just a thing of the past.
Lee played Alan Driscoll, a history professor who was later revealed to be a secret member of the Whitewood clan. How innocent young schoolgirl Nan was the perfect virgin human sacrifice to appease the town’s long-standing witch’s curse The City of the Dead became increasingly disturbing and truly sinister. This old-fashioned horror leaned into the same suspenseful tension that made Psychopath such success in the same year that Nan Barlow’s horrific fate acted as the British equivalent of Marion Crane’s premature death.
2
The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)
Christopher Lee as the creature
Christopher Lee’s first film for Hammer Film Productions was also one of his most iconic, as he played Frankenstein’s monster in The Curse of Frankenstein. As Hammer’s first color horror film, the success of The Curse of Frankenstein was instrumental in the development of later releases such as Dracula and The mummywhich would turn Lee into a bona fide gothic horror icon. With a chilling presence, Lee’s characterization of the Creature made this release a huge success and led to six sequels featuring different monsters.
The Curse of Frankenstein was notable as one of the first color horror films to present gory depictions of blood and violence. A controversial release in its time The Curse of Frankenstein helped usher in a new, more abrasive era in horror cinema, as audience sensibilities were pushed to the limit. Although Lee’s association with horror began with this film, it would be far from his last, as he continued to be associated with the genre throughout his entire career.
1
The Wicker Man (1973)
Christopher Lee as Lord Summerisle
British folk horror The Wicker Man featured Christopher Lee in one of his most iconic horror roles as Lord Summerisle. This mysterious and atmospheric story explored Sergeant Neil Howie’s visit to the isolated Scottish island of Summerisle in search of a missing girl, where he soon discovered that the island’s inhabitants had abandoned Christianity in favor of Celtic paganism. With a narrative that unfolds slowly and culminates in plans for a ritualistic human sacrifice, The Wicker Man was a true classic of 1970s British horror.
Lee’s characterization of Lord Summerisle, the village’s dangerous king and priest at the same time, was fundamental to The Wicker Man’s esteemed reputation as one of the best horror films of all time. Nicknamed “the Citizen Kane of horror films” by Fantastic Cinema magazine, The Wicker Man It was a clever horror that delivered chills and thrills in equal measure. Despite being one of his most famous roles, Lee was not paid The Wicker Man by foregoing payment to appear in the film and overcoming the tendency to Christopher Lee to be labeled as monstrous characters like Dracula, the Mummy and Frankenstein’s monster.
Sources: The Hammer Story: The Authorized History of Hammer Films, Fantastic Cinema