Top 10 Christopher Lee Performances

Top 10 Christopher Lee Performances

He’s been a fictional monster and a real-life Knight, but also so much more. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the top 10 Christopher Lee performances.

For this list, we’re focusing on Christopher Lee’s best feature film roles over the course of his phenomenal eight-decade career. No short films or stage roles are included.

#10: Captain Robeles
“The Devil-Ship Pirates” (1964)

In the year 1588, a group of dirty pirates fought with the Spanish Armada, and after docking at a remote English village for repairs, they thought “Hey, maybe we can pretend the Spanish DIDN’T lose and that we’re NOT pirates.” And they did exactly that, led by Captain Robeles – a man dressed to impress and willing to flog the unassuming locals without mercy. His beard demanded respect, and a no-nonsense demeanor made him the perfect man to lead a takeover based on one big lie. This pirate was a real SOB, and the distinguished Christopher Lee brought him to life.

#9: Mohammed Ali Jinnah
“Jinnah” (1998)

After the 1947 partition of India, a 70-year-old man ushered in a new era as the founder and Governor-General of Pakistan. In Jamil Dehlavi’s award-winning biopic, Christopher Lee starred in the titular role and portrayed the man’s life from his days as the leader of the All-India Muslim League to his impassioned pleas for Muslim Indians to have a new state. Although this wasn’t Lee’s BEST role, it was the performance that he considered to be the most significant of his career. Given the legacy of Jinnah, we’d have to agree.

#8: Kharis
“The Mummy” (1959)

The concept is rather simple: if you rob Egyptian graves, you will die. And as an elderly archaeologist discovered, if you creep on the tomb of Princess Ananka, an enormous walking Mummy will STALK YOU. Once a high priest, Kharis was buried alive as punishment for trying to raise his beloved Ananka from the dead, and when the Scroll of Life was read, the Mummy was raised from the darkness to savagely murder those who betrayed his domain. He can survive shotgun blasts to the chest, and the towering Christopher Lee made him a classic monster of cinema.

#7: Sir Henry Baskerville
“The Hound of the Baskervilles” (1959)

Based on the novel by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, this Sherlock Holmes film starred Christopher Lee as the last surviving member of the ill-fated Baskerville clan. For hundreds of years, a mysterious “hound of hell” wreaked havoc on the aristocratic family after a distant relative viciously murdered the daughter of a servant with a curved dagger. By starring alongside the great Peter Cushing as Sherlock Holmes, Christopher Lee flourished in his role as the head of Baskerville Hall and capped off the decade in style.

#6: Nicholas, Duc de Richleau
“The Devil Rides Out” [aka “The Devil’s Bride”] (1968)

Yet another collaboration between Christopher Lee and director Terence Fisher – and also the last – this horror flick pitted Lee against deeply unsettling occult members and even the devil himself. As the well-dressed Duke of Richleau, Lee sported a remarkable mustache-goatee combo while trying to survive crazy-eyed stares from the devil’s main disciple and his psycho following. We heard the devil’s evil, and we FELT his evil, but it was Lee’s polished performance that we felt the most.

#5: The Creature
“The Curse of Frankenstein” (1957)

Call it a brain FAIL. In the first installment of the “Hammer Horror” franchise, Baron Frankenstein thinks he’s the cat’s ass of science by bringing a dead dog back to life, but he struggles hard when trying to give his newly-created monster a professor’s brain, or even a decent haircut for God’s sake. But it was these mistakes that set the stage for Christopher Lee’s terrifying performance as “The Creature,” – a being so ugly and disturbing that he would even make Kharis say “Damn, that thing is UG-LY.” This role kicked off a series of classic Lee performances and was certainly a defining moment of the horror genre.

#4: Lord Summerisle
“The Wicker Man” (1973)

Thirty-three years before a dreadful Nicolas Cage remake, Christopher Lee starred in a British horror film which thoroughly creeped out audiences. As the leader of an island pagan cult, Lord Summerisle dreamed of a great harvest that would save his people, but until then, they pass the time having public sex and dangling frogs in their mouths to cure nasty sore throats. Oh, and don’t forget about the masks. The plot was based around the disappearance of Rowan Morrison, but the real story was Lee’s maniacal character with out-of-control hair.

#3: Francisco Scaramanga
“The Man with the Golden Gun” (1974)

How does one become a Bond villain? Well, a lengthy villain resume is important, and it also helps to be the step-cousin of franchise creator Ian Fleming. Arguably the best Bond nemesis of all time, Francisco Scaramanga has plenty of devious ways to throw Bond off track, and he also has a third nipple – definitely a “unique” trait suitable for a villain. While the film itself didn’t make film critics drool,Christopher Lee’s take on the high-priced assassin set the bar for future cinematic sociopaths.

#2: Saruman the White
“The Lord of the Rings” franchise (2001-03)

He’s a man of skill, and the white wizard of Middle-earth, but his dark sorcery led to his downfall. Just three years after starring in “Jinnah,” Christopher Lee took on a new challenge by auditioning for the role of “Gandalf.” After being deemed too old, he settled for the equally beard-tastic Saruman the White and reached a new generation of movie fanatics over 50 years after his film debut. The character speaks softly and carries a big stick, and he’s yet another devious prick portrayed by Sir Christopher Lee.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
- Mycroft Holmes
“The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes” (1970)
- Paul Allen
“The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll” (1960)
- Count Dooku
“Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones” (2002)
- Stratton Villiers, MI5
“Death Line” [aka “Raw Meat”] (1972)

#1: Dracula
“Dracula” franchise (1958-73)

It all began in 1958 with Terence Fisher’s “Dracula,” and Christopher Lee would reprise his iconic role over and over again for the next 15 years. Count Dracula is THE vampire of all vampires, and Lee’s numerous performances made him the quintessential Dracula of the 20th century. Lee was born for the part with his menacing 6’5” frame, charming demeanor and a face capable of contorting to scare the living daylights out of anxious viewers. He thrilled us with his masterful take on a timeless character, and we salute Christopher Lee for his lifetime of work.

Do you agree with our list? What is your favorite Christopher Lee performance? For more mind-blowing Top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.