Christopher Lee: 5 Awesome Performances And 5 That Sucked

1. Lord Summerisle - The Wicker Man (1973)

No list about Christopher Lee would be complete without the cult classic that is The Wicker Man. With all the bizarre stories surrounding its production, its mistreatment by the distributors and its iconic, terrifying imagery, it has become a lynchpin of subversive British cinema. Not even the disastrous, meme-worthy remake involving Nicolas Cage and some bees can take away from what many still regard as the Citizen Kane of horror movies.

Originally released as the 'B' feature for Don't Look Now, The Wicker Man is the story of Sergeant Neil Howie, a devoutly Christian police officer called out to the remote Scottish island of Summerisle to investigate the disappearance of a young girl. Once there, he discovers the islands' residents are Pagan worshippers, under the watchful eye of Lord Summerisle. Fighting temptation on all sides, Howie struggles to get to the bottom of the mystery, and the truth is far more terrifying than he could ever have imagined... Aside from being his most famous role outside of Dracula, Lord Summerisle is Lee's greatest performance because it combines all the characteristics which make him such a compelling actor. Summerisle is intelligent, deceptively charming, refined and intimidating, with a dark heart and ruthless spirit hiding just below the surface. Lee brings enormous presence to the role, giving even the most perplexing moments great weight. It is perhaps the best depiction of religious fundamentalism in cinema, and the crowning glory of his long career. Having kept our appointment with The Wicker Man, let's move on to five of Lee's not-so-finest hours...