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Originally Posted by reaper72  Outside of Dracula,(which I understand,he despises) |
He doesn't despise Dracula - he actually likes the first one he did for Hammer - but he was totally disillusioned with the Hammer sequels because of how far removed the character was from Stoker's novel. Who can blame him when seeing some of what he has to do in those films? Taste the Blood is a great film, but is a mockery of Dracula's evil qualities as he's relegated to a boo hiss panto villain lurking in the shadows. His dialogue in this, "They have destroyed my servant. They will be destroyed" and "The firssssssst (etc)" is laughable. However, when giving Isla Blair her lovebite, being repulsed by the crucifix and throwing dangerous items around he is back on form thanks to Lee the actor and not Lee the spouter of crap dialogue. Scars of Dracula, for all its flaws is actually a lot more faithful to Stoker's book than their original interpretation so I'm sure Lee must have found some gratification from that.
He has said a number of times he'd STILL like to play Dracula if they did it as in the book. He's certainly old enough to carry off the older Count without much makeup. Franco's version is probably the best we're gonna see of Lee in that capacity and those early moments certainly do service to both Stoker and Count Dracula.
Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee are completely different actors. It's magic when they are onscreen together and those duels, particularly in Dracula '58 and A.D. 72, show great actors giving plenty of value for money. Just look at Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires. Cushing vs John Forbes Robertson lacked chemistry and tension. Cushing didn't seem to rise to the challenge like in the previous Dracula films, but how he managed to do the scene with JFR without laughing his head off is testament to his professionalism. Unlike the laughable JFR, even at his worst looking as Dracula (Scars), Christopher Lee had the ability to still make Dracula look like a nightmare in a cape. His screen presence alone makes Christopher Lee one of the greatest actors of all time (I happen to think that 70's Lee has him looking at his fanged best).
Anyone who dismisses Lee as inferior to Cushing really should take time out to look at his portrayal in The Curse of Frankenstein and The Mummy. In both of these films a mute Lee is mesmerising and his height, appearance and sympathetic performance make him a scene stealer. His eyes are a pair of fantastic little actors and like Dracula, he portrays torment in a most moving way. That is one helluva feat for these monstrous of men.
Peter Cushing is definitely more engaging than Lee as the hero and can be thrilling as the villain, but Christopher Lee has presence in stillness and action that makes him the focal viewpoint in many films. The Devil Rides out features a relaxed and believable figure to get behind in times of crisis. He is a fantastic hero in this film and it is a shame he never got more roles of this ilk.
Peter Cushing would never be able to play monstrous roles the way that Lee does (also include mad monks, pagan leaders and devilish priests) and Christopher Lee in turn could never be the match for Cushing's Baron, the heroic Van Helsing, quaint antiques shop proprietors, eccentrics like Dr. Abner Perry or loveable heroes like Arthur Grimsdyke. Nor could Lee pull off frenzy the way Cushing could. Take a look at The Skull, Corruption and Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed for examples of this. Another villainous role Lee could never better would be that of Gustav Weil in Twins of Evil. Arguably Cushing's greatest performance in a role where lessons are learnt.
Some say Lee can't do comedy, but I totally disagree. His performance in The Rainbow Thief is hysterical. He is both chilling and very witty in the Three and Four Musketeers, laugh out loud so in Serial, and doesn't mind sending himself up when in the likes of Gremlins 2 and 1941.
For these reasons and many more I believe that they are both worth admiring as standalone talents. By bringing so many different qualities to these films I think we should just count ourselves lucky as horror fans that we are being supplied with such riches. Adding a grander scale to films undeserving of it, I personally don't feel I have to choose the better actor for they are both brilliant and I can see so time and time again via what they've left us with on the screen.