To say that Sir Christopher Lee was an interesting man is to undersell the very interesting life of Sir Christopher Lee. Former SAS Nazi hunter, Hammer horror icon, Star Wars and Lord of the Rings villain and heavy metal singer, Christopher Lee is one of cinema’s most, well, fascinating figures, and far more than just the guy who played Dracula.
This documentary by writer and director Jon Spira explores the life (and, yes, screen deaths) of Christopher Lee in the actor’s own words… kind of. Utilising slick animation and a charming greyscale marionette, the mighty man (voiced by Peter Serafinowicz in a fine impression) guides audiences through a tour of his prolific career. Illustrated with clips from his work and interviews with those who knew and loved him (including Harriet Walter, Peter Jackson, and Joe Dante) it’s a vibrant, original exploration of the life and work of one of cinema’s all-time greatest. Like the presence of John Landis, its irreverence may occasionally grate, but it’s a novelty way of unpacking the legacy of a screen icon and a joyful celebration of his life.
Along the way, a portrait of a conflicted, highly sensitive man emerges. Lee’s disdain at being known as the Dracula guy is well recorded, but this documentary also explores the actor’s lack of self-confidence (convincing himself he was going to be fired from Lord of the Rings, for example), his insecurities and his abiding passion for filmmaking. With a career which spanned over sixty years, there’s a lot to get through, and much of his work with Hammer goes mostly glossed over (aside from his delightful friendship with Vincent Price and Peter Cushing) – a move which would likely please the actor if he were still around to see it, but a glaring omission to those with a love of his horror films.
Unlike swathes of his horror output, Lee’s surprising sense of fragility isn’t overlooked, and the film takes a bittersweet turn as it enters his later years. With it, the sense that impostor syndrome may have haunted this great man to the end of his life. But what a life it was.
THE LIFE AND DEATHS OF CHRISTOPHER LEE premiered at Pigeon Shrine FrightFest on August 25th, 2024.
