The only cast member of LOTR to meet Tolkien. Tolkien also gave him permission to play a role if they ever turned his books into a movie.
He gave him permission to play Gandalf, funnily enough.
Sir Christopher Lee dies at 93
11–20 of 41 posts
Re: Sir Christopher Lee dies at 93
#12A lesser-known but highly amusing performance, “Never, Never Say Die.” The Avengers, Season 5 Episode 10.
Re: Sir Christopher Lee dies at 93
#13He volunteered to fight for the Finnish forces in the Winter War against the Soviets and was then in the proto-SAS: "I was attached to the SAS from time to time but we are forbidden – former, present, or future – to discuss any specific operations. Let's just say I was in Special Forces and leave it at that. People can read in to that what they like." That's quite impressive! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_…
There's the story of filming the scene in Lord of the Rings where Saruman is stabbed in the back by Wormtongue. From Peter Jackson's DVD commentary: When I was shooting the stabbing shot with Christopher, as a director would I was explaining to him what he should do"... "And he says, 'Peter, have you ever heard the sound a man makes when he’s stabbed in the back?' And I said, 'Um, no.' And he says 'Well, I have, and…
And then the scene was removed :(
Re: Sir Christopher Lee dies at 93
#14Earlier quoted context omitted.
There's the story of filming the scene in Lord of the Rings where Saruman is stabbed in the back by Wormtongue. From Peter Jackson's DVD commentary: When I was shooting the stabbing shot with Christopher, as a director would I was explaining to him what he should do"... "And he says, 'Peter, have you ever heard the sound a man makes when he’s stabbed in the back?' And I said, 'Um, no.' And he says 'Well, I have, and…
And then the scene was removed :(
Not in the extended edition!
Re: Sir Christopher Lee dies at 93
#15Earlier quoted context omitted.
There's the story of filming the scene in Lord of the Rings where Saruman is stabbed in the back by Wormtongue. From Peter Jackson's DVD commentary: When I was shooting the stabbing shot with Christopher, as a director would I was explaining to him what he should do"... "And he says, 'Peter, have you ever heard the sound a man makes when he’s stabbed in the back?' And I said, 'Um, no.' And he says 'Well, I have, and…
And then the scene was removed :(
More importantly the pun about it being a purely bywater joke to refer to New Row as "Sharky's end" never made it to the big screen.
You know nothing Peter Jackson.
Re: Sir Christopher Lee dies at 93
#16I have a small Christopher Lee story. I did some extra work on Lord of the Rings when it was being filmed in New Zealand. One very brief scene in the movie is Saruman speaking to the wild-men, telling them how the Rohan came and took their lands from them and that's why they should fight for him.
It was this scene here (towards the end of the clip): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zU_zsyulWDg - it looks like it was only in the extended edition.
I was somewhere in the back of that mob listening to him do the speech. That's when I really understood what good acting was because I was actually getting stirred up listening to it. I wanted to go after the Rohan's for taking my land! I was ready to fight!
Anyway, it's not much. I didn't even speak to him but it made me realize how great actors project almost an aura of belief around them when they're acting.
Re: Sir Christopher Lee dies at 93
#17I have a small Christopher Lee story. I did some extra work on Lord of the Rings when it was being filmed in New Zealand. One very brief scene in the movie is Saruman speaking to the wild-men, telling them how the Rohan came and took their lands from them and that's why they should fight for him. It was this scene here (towards the end of the clip): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zU_zsyulWDg - it looks like it was o…
He also has a Zappa feel. Another pretty charismatic man.
Re: Sir Christopher Lee dies at 93
#18Brilliant innings, he achieved more than many could even imagine.
Re: Sir Christopher Lee dies at 93
#19The only cast member of LOTR to meet Tolkien. Tolkien also gave him permission to play a role if they ever turned his books into a movie. He gave him permission to play Gandalf, funnily enough.
There was actually a fair bit of grumbling among some hardcore LOTR fans when it was announced that Ian McKellen would play Gandalf, mostly because of his political and cultural leanings.
Of course, Lee made a career of playing villains and monsters, so I find it completely unsurprising that he was cast as Saruman instead.
Re: Sir Christopher Lee dies at 93
#20Brilliant innings, he achieved more than many could even imagine.
Between him and Brian Blessed, I reckon they've done enough for 50 normal people lives.