35 Quotes by Christopher Lee
Christopher Lee was an iconic actor whose commanding presence and deep, resonant voice made him a force to be reckoned with in the world of cinema. With a career spanning over six decades, Lee became synonymous with the portrayal of classic villains, most notably his role as Count Dracula in a series of Hammer Horror films. However, his versatility extended far beyond the horror genre, as he portrayed characters ranging from Sherlock Holmes to Saruman in "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy.
Lee's commitment to his craft and dedication to creating multidimensional characters earned him critical acclaim and a devoted global fanbase. Beyond his acting prowess, Lee's life was an adventure in itself; he served in the Royal Air Force during World War II and was later knighted for his services to drama and charity. His impact on the film industry, his contributions to popular culture, and his undeniable talent continue to be celebrated long after his passing, leaving an enduring legacy that remains etched in the hearts of cinephiles worldwide.
Christopher Lee Quotes
I've seen many men die right in front of me - so many in fact that I've become almost hardened to it. Having seen the worst that human beings can do to each other, the results of torture, mutilation and seeing someone blown to pieces by a bomb, you develop a kind of shell. But you had to. You had to. Otherwise, we would never have won.
I think that - apart from the fields of science and medicine - we live in an age of decline. Look at the world. There is decline in morals, ideals, manners, respect, truthfulness: just about everything, in fact.
Someone asked me yesterday if Dracula met Saruman and there was a fight, who would win. I just looked at this man. What an idiotic thing to say. I mean, really, it was half-witted.
We don't always get the kind of work we want, but we always have a choice of whether to do it with good grace or not.
Lon Chaney and Boris Karloff didn't like the word 'horror'. They, like I, went for the French description: 'the theatre of the fantastique'.
I associate heavy metal with fantasy because of the tremendous power that the music delivers.
Making films has never just been a job to me, it is my life. I have some interests outside of acting - I sing and I've written books, for instance - but acting is what keeps me going, it's what I do, it gives life purpose.
Films are now made by accountants. They pick a pretty young female or male face out of the air and give them a part - not because they think that person is right for it or is ready for it, but because they think that person will make them money.
The Dracula movies are probably some of the most famous and enduring ones there are and I am very grateful to them, for sure.
I was always fascinated by fairy stories, fantasy, you know, demons, necromancers, gods and goddesses, everything that is out of our kin and out of our everyday world. I was always interested in enchantment and magicians and still am.
I have been metal all my life, only I did not know about it. The people in this album (Charlemagne) and I, share the same values.
I haven't spent my entire career playing the guy in the bad hat, although I have to say that the bad guy is frequently much more interesting than the good guy.
Acting is like a snowstorm or perhaps a large empty vacuum. I`m not deluded by the fact that I'm getting all these offers for work, I'm very happy about it, but I know also that there is the other side and who knows, next year, they may not offer me anything. You never know.
The thing I have always tried to do is surprise people, to present them with something they didn't expect.
I was once asked what I thought was the most disquieting thing you could see on the screen and I said, "An open door".
I thought that people should know about the dangers of Satanism, and diabolism does exist - there's no question about it.
There are many vampires in the world today - you only have to think of the film business.
Johnny Depp, as far as I'm concerned, is number one. Of his generation, there's no one who can touch him. Some performers, today, it's like looking at holes in the air.
As far as I am concerned, Don Quixote is the most metal fictional character that I know. Single handed, he is trying to change the world, regardless of any personal consequences.
To be a legend, you've either got to be dead or excessively old.
I'm much softer than people think. I don't present to the world an emotional face. I'm pretty good at self-control, but I am easily moved.
You can learn Elvish, if you want. It's a language like Italian and English. You can learn to read it, you can learn to write it, and you can learn to speak it.
I've always acknowledged my debt to Hammer. I've always said I'm very grateful to them. They gave me this great opportunity, made me a well-known face all over the world for which I am profoundly grateful.
There was a gap of seven years between the first and second Dracula movies. In the second one as everybody knows, I didn't speak, because I said I couldn't say the lines.
It's a band singing on how metal should be played, the effect it has on the band and its listeners.
Every actor has to make terrible films from time to time, but the trick is never to be terrible in them.
If I had any deadly secrets, I wouldn't still be alive.
People should not pass judgment until they have seen the film.
The secret to a long marriage in the film industry? Marry someone wonderful, as I did. And always have her come along on location.
Once asked if he felt wearied by the constant onslaught of autograph seekers, actor Gregory Peck replied that he would be more worried when they stopped asking.
Comedy is the most difficult thing to do. Easily the most difficult.
I didn't want to be known as a man who only made horror films. I made some - very few.
What's really important for me is, as an old man, I'm known by my own generation and the next generation know me, too.
Acting as a profession came to me by chance: in 1946, after the war, I was having lunch with my cousin, who was the Italian ambassador, and he asked, 'What are you going to do now you're out of uniform?' I said, 'I'm pretty inventive, and I can imitate people,' and he said, 'Have you thought about being an actor?'
The saddest country I went to was Romania, years ago, during Ceausescu's rule.
I wasn't a spy. I'd have been spotted in five seconds. Yes, I was in intelligence, but that covered a multitude of things.
― Christopher Lee Quotes
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Tal Gur is an author, founder, and impact-driven entrepreneur at heart. After trading his daily grind for a life of his own daring design, he spent a decade pursuing 100 major life goals around the globe. His journey and most recent book, The Art of Fully Living, has led him to found Elevate Society.
