We don't need unnecessary flips and twists to get across the notion that a character is powerful with the Force.
That's a true statement that is completely lost on the prequels.
Yes, Lee was totally misused. He had all the makings of a great Sith Lord (much like Liam Neeson had all the makings of a great Jedi) but like all the other story elements that had a glimmer of promise, it was drowned out by bad story telling. Oh well...At least I have a good Christopher Lee action figure of him.
I really like that pic of Lee, Price, and Cushing. Three classy gents!
Yes...it seems that Genndy Tartakovsky understood that, because Dooku does that very thing in the first Clone Wars cartoon mini-series; he gently yet ominously floats down via the Force into the gladiator arena to confront Asajj Ventress during their first encounter.
I thought Lee's best scenes in Episode II were the expository ones, like when he subtly interrogates Obi-Wan on Geonosis, and when he adresses Mace Windu and the rest of the Jedi in the arena scene. Again, less is more sometimes. We don't need unnecessary flips and twists to get across the notion that a character is powerful with the Force.
While Cushing was played to his strengths effectively, I cant help but watch the prequels and feel that Lee was misused, and when he was used, it was highly undignified. Most of this comes from the overuse of CGI. I cringe at seeing him on the speederbike. I cringe seeing the obvious double fighting the lil green flea. And one of my most hated moments, in ROTS, when Dooku comes into the room where Palpatine is being held prisoner, he stands atop a staircase, turns into a cartoon, and does a mult-somersault flip to the ground. I mean, I thought we all knew why George put him in these movies...because of Hammer Horror. Why else would he be the only bad dude with a cape instead of cloak? I mean, Dracula floats arms out, feet pointed, cape bellowing behind him. Beautiful, graceful, dignified.
From IMDB: Christopher Lee
Both he and his fellow Star Wars Sith Lord, David Prowse, have played Frankenstein's Monster opposite Peter Cushing.
Was originally offered the role of Grand Moff Tarkin in Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977). He turned down the role which eventually went to his good friend Peter Cushing.
Three truly irreplaceable gentlemen...and I absolutely love Christopher Lee. When he was first cast as Count Dooku, I'll admit to assuming Star Wars was somehow beneath him as he was cinema royalty, at least as far as I was concerned, but I was proven way wrong and utterly delighted when I read interviews with him about his then-new Star Wars role, and he totally got it, how it was a cultural phenomenon and how brilliantly he thought George Lucas marketed the characters and ultimately promoted his concepts and ideas. He seemed to get it on the same level that we fanboys always did, and that was a refreshing surprise about him, to know he could relate like the everyday shmoe could, making me an instant fan when before I was only vaguely aware of his stature in Hollywood. I would love to meet the man. Happy Birthday, Mr. Lee!!
He shared a birthday with fellow horrormeister, Vincent Price. And Peter Cushing's birthday is the day before!
PS- the New Uncle Gregory Horror Hour is the local horror-hosted movie show I produce out of Springfield, Missouri.
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