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Column: Lee to be remembered as an exceptional villain

Lee, often cast as a villain, recently and famously portrayed the evil wizard Saruman in Peter Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings” film series. Saruman was the perfect opportunity for Lee, a longtime “Lord of the Rings” fan himself, to play a villain with some dignity and eloquence — two elements that Lee personally considered to be lacking in other villain roles such as that of Count Dracula, who Lee played for British production company Hammer.

The role of Count Dracula was defining in the first half of Lee’s career: the actor played Count Dracula in seven different Hammer productions, as well as in several off-brand films, most notably Jess Franco’s “Dracula.” The films range in quality, with “The Horror of Dracula” being the best overall; but one thing that stayed consistent was Lee’s performance and dedication to the role of the titular count.

Lee drifts and pounces and through the Dracula films, all bulging eyes and protruding fangs. The actor gives an extremely physical performance, emphasizing the dual nature of the vampire as a monster possessing desire without life. Even when the Dracula films moved into intentional self-parody, Lee took the role seriously; and as a devotee of the source material, Lee would often squeeze in lines from Bram Stoker’s novel. He has famously stated, “every actor has to make terrible films from time to time, but the trick is never to be terrible in them.”

The films of Lee have had a large impact on the horror genre. One of Lee’s best-remembered performances, both critically and by fans, is that of the smilingly malevolent Lord Summerisle in the 1973 classic “The Wicker Man,” directed by Robin Hardy. “The Wicker Man” is about a seemingly idyllic English island town with a dark secret.

The film was one of several new-wave films that pushed the boundaries of existentialism in the horror genre, leading to the deeper exploration of many topics such as, in the case of “The Wicker Man,” everything from religion to post-colonialism — themes that retroactively fit very well into several Dracula films, particularly “Horror of Dracula.”

Lee’s career changed directions several times, and the World War II vet played in many films, from the “Star Wars” prequels to the titular villain in “The Man with the Golden Gun,” even going on to release several successful heavy metal albums. No matter what Lee was doing, he was always an intelligent and compelling screen presence. It’s nearly become a cliché to say he made any film better just by being in it.

Rest in peace, Mr. Lee. Film villainy won’t be the same without you.

Nathan Reynolds is a freelance reporter for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at culture@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @DailyLobo.

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