Editing Christopher Lee (section)

== Career ==
=== 1947–1957: Career beginnings ===
Returning to London in 1946, Lee was offered his old job back at Beecham's with a significant raise, but he turned them down as "I couldn't think myself back into the office frame of mind." The Armed Forces were sending veterans with an education in the Classics to teach at universities, but Lee felt his Latin was too rusty and didn't care for the strict curfews.{{sfn|Lee|2003|p=109}} During lunch with his mother's cousin [[Nicolò Carandini]], now the Italian Ambassador to Britain, Lee was detailing his war wounds when Carandini said, "Why don't you become an actor, Christopher?"{{sfn|Lee|2003|p=110}} Lee liked the idea, and after assuaging his mother's protests by pointing to the successful Carandini performers in Australia (which included his great-grandmother [[Marie Carandini]], who had been an opera singer), he met Nicolò's friend [[Filippo Del Giudice]], a lawyer-turned-film producer and head of [[Two Cities Films]], part of the [[Rank Organisation]]. Lee recalled that Giudice "looked me up and down" and "concluded that I was just what the industry had been looking for." He was sent to see [[Josef Somlo]] for a contract:{{sfn|Lee|2003|p=111}}

{{blockquote|Initially, I was told [by Somlo] I was too tall to be an actor. That's a quite fatuous remark to make. It's like saying you're too short to play the piano. I thought, "Right, I'll show you..." At the beginning I didn't know anything about the technique of working in front of a camera, but during those 10 years, I did the one thing that's so vitally important today – I watched, I listened and I learned. So when the time came I was ready... Oddly enough, to play a character who said nothing [The Creature in ''[[The Curse of Frankenstein]]''].<ref name=TFInterview>{{cite news |url=http://www.totalfilm.com/features/the_total_film_interview__christopher_lee |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070612192345/http://www.totalfilm.com/features/the_total_film_interview__christopher_lee |archive-date=12 June 2007 |title=Interview – Christopher Lee |work=Total Film |date=1 May 2005 |access-date=25 August 2013}}</ref>}}

Somlo sent him to see Rank's [[David Henley (producer)|David Henley]] and Olive Dodds, who signed him on a seven-year contract.{{sfn|Lee|2003|p=111}} Like other students at Rank's "[[The Company of Youth|Charm School]]," Lee had difficulty finding work.{{sfn|Lee|2003|p=112}} He finally made his film début in 1948, in [[Terence Young (director)|Terence Young]]'s [[Gothic romance]] ''[[Corridor of Mirrors (film)|Corridor of Mirrors]]''.<ref name="Yahoo">[https://movies.yahoo.com/person/christopher-lee/biography.html "Christopher Lee- Biography"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120519163736/http://movies.yahoo.com/person/christopher-lee/biography.html |date=19 May 2012}}. Yahoo!. Retrieved 7 May 2012</ref> He played Charles; the director got around his height by placing him at a table in a nightclub alongside [[Lois Maxwell]], [[Mavis Villiers]], [[Hugh Latimer (actor)|Hugh Latimer]] and [[John Penrose (actor)|John Penrose]]. Lee had a single line, "a satirical shaft meant to qualify the lead's bravura."{{sfn|Lee|2003|p=112}}

In this early period, he made an uncredited appearance in [[Laurence Olivier]]'s film version of ''[[Hamlet (1948 film)|Hamlet]]'' (1948), as a [[spear carrier]] (his later co-star and close friend [[Peter Cushing]] played [[Characters in Hamlet#Osric|Osric]]). A few years later, he appeared in ''[[Captain Horatio Hornblower R.N.]]'' (1951) as a Spanish captain. He was cast when the director asked him if he could speak Spanish and [[Swordsmanship|fence]], which he was able to do.<ref name=aprolific>{{cite news |last=Welsh |first=Paul |url=http://www.borehamwoodtimes.co.uk/film_nostalgia/history/690680.print/ |title=A prolific star of the Elstree screen |publisher=[[Borehamwood & Elstree Times]] |date=16 February 2006 |access-date=20 December 2012}}</ref> Lee appeared uncredited in the American epic ''[[Quo Vadis (1951 film)|Quo Vadis]]'' (1951), which was shot in Rome, playing a chariot driver and was injured when he was thrown from it at one point during the shoot.<ref name=TFInterview />

He recalled that his breakthrough came in 1952, when [[Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.]] began making films at the [[British National Studios]]. He said in 2006, "I was cast in various roles in 16 of them and even appeared with [[Buster Keaton]] and it proved an excellent training ground."<ref name=aprolific /> The same year, he appeared in [[John Huston]]'s Oscar-nominated ''[[Moulin Rouge (1952 film)|Moulin Rouge]]''.<ref name="Yahoo" /> Throughout the next decade, [[Christopher Lee filmography|he made nearly 30 films]], including ''[[The Cockleshell Heroes]]'', playing mostly stock action characters.<ref name="AllMovie Filmography">{{cite web |url=http://www.allmovie.com/artist/christopher-lee-p41362 |title=Christopher Lee filmography |publisher=[[AllMovie]] |accessdate=18 December 2015}}</ref>

=== 1957–1976: Work with Hammer ===
[[File:Dracula 1958 c.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Lee as the title character in ''[[Dracula (1958 film)|Dracula]]'' (1958). Lee fixed the image of the fanged [[vampire]] in popular culture.<ref>J Gordon Melton (2010). "The Vampire Book: The Encyclopedia of the Undead" p. 247. Visible Ink Press</ref>]]

Lee's first film for [[Hammer Film Productions]] was ''[[The Curse of Frankenstein]]'' (1957), in which he played [[Frankenstein's monster]], with [[Peter Cushing]] as [[Victor Frankenstein|Baron Victor Frankenstein]].<ref name="Yahoo" /> It was the first film to co-star Lee and Cushing, who ultimately appeared together in over twenty films and became close friends.<ref name=TFInterview /><ref name="AllMovie Filmography" /><!--Cushing, Burton--> When he arrived at a casting session for the film, "they asked me if I wanted the part, I said yes and that was that."<ref name="aprolific" /> A little later, Lee co-starred with [[Boris Karloff]] in the film ''[[Corridors of Blood]]'' (1958). Lee had previously appeared with Karloff in 1955 in the "At Night, All Cats are Grey" episode of the British television series ''[[Colonel March of Scotland Yard]]''.<ref>Johnson, Tom (2009). "The Christopher Lee Filmography: All Theatrical Releases, 1948–2003". p. 79. McFarland.</ref> Karloff and Lee were London neighbours for a time in the mid-1960s.<ref>{{cite news |last=Thomas |first=Kevin |title=Christopher Lee, Man of Many Faces, Almost an Unknown |issue=29 November 1966; Part IV, page 17 |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]}}</ref>

{{Quote box|width=30%|align=left|quote=Lee's Dracula is a force of nature: red-eyed, blood dripping from fangs, often in the grip of rage. He's hypnotic, physically powerful, well-spoken, but Lee also understood – crucially – that an important layer from Bram Stoker's novel had been missing from Lugosi's performance: sexuality. Lee's Dracula is a rampant sex fiend, using that stare to make buxom ladies everywhere come over a little faint.|source = — ''[[Empire (magazine)|Empire]]'' magazine's entry for Lee's portrayal of Dracula as the 7th Greatest Horror Movie Character of All Time.<ref name="Lee Empire" />}}

Lee's own appearance as Frankenstein's monster led to his first appearance as the [[Transylvania]]n vampire [[Count Dracula]] in the film ''[[Dracula (1958 film)|Dracula]]'' (1958, known as ''Horror of Dracula'' in the US).<ref name="Yahoo" /> The film saw Lee's "triumphant debut" fix the image of the fanged vampire in popular culture, according to the writer [[Kevin Jackson (writer)|Kevin Jackson]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Jackson |first=Kevin |title=Fangs for the memories: The A-Z of vampires |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/fangs-for-the-memories-the-a-z-of-vampires-1810987.html |issue=31 October 2009 |newspaper=[[The Independent]]}}</ref> ''Dracula'' has been ranked among the best [[Cinema of the United Kingdom|British films]].<ref>[https://www.timeout.com/london/film/100-best-british-films#tab_panel_4 "The 100 best British films"]. ''Time Out''. Retrieved 24 October 2017</ref> Lee introduced a dark, brooding sexuality to the character, with [[Tim Stanley]] stating, "Lee's sensuality was subversive in that it hinted that women might quite like having their neck chewed on by a stud."<ref>{{cite news |title=Why Christopher Lee's Dracula didn't suck |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/film/what-to-watch/christopher-lee-dracula-movies-hammer/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/film/what-to-watch/christopher-lee-dracula-movies-hammer/ |archive-date=10 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |access-date=11 March 2019 |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref> The film magazine ''Empire'' ranked Lee's portrayal as Dracula the 7th Greatest Horror Movie Character of All Time.<ref name="Lee Empire">{{Cite web |year=2020 |title=The 100 Best Horror Movie Characters |url=https://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/best-horror-characters/|access-date=11 June 2023 |website=Empire}}</ref> [[CNN]] listed the performance third in their top 10 British villains, noting his "chilling, sonorous tone."<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Screening Room's Top 10 British Villains – CNN |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/Movies/10/25/top10.britishvillains/|access-date=11 June 2023 |publisher=CNN}}</ref> Lee accepted a similar role in an Italian-French horror picture called ''[[Uncle Was a Vampire]]'' (1959). The same year he starred as [[Kharis]] in the Hammer Horror film ''[[The Mummy (1959 film)|The Mummy]]''.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Hearn |first1=Marcus |last2=Barnes |first2=Alan |title=The Hammer Story: The Authorised History of Hammer Films |publisher=Titan Books |year=2007 |page=43 |isbn=978-1-84576-185-1}}</ref>

[[File:The Mummy (1959) trailer - Christopher Lee face 2.png|thumb|upright=1.4|Lee as [[Kharis]] in ''[[The Mummy (1959 film)|The Mummy]]'' (1959)]]

Lee returned to the role of Dracula in Hammer's ''[[Dracula: Prince of Darkness]]'' (1965).<ref name="Yahoo" /> Lee's role has no lines; he merely hisses his way through the film. Stories vary as to the reason for this: Lee states he refused to speak the poor dialogue he was given, but the screenwriter [[Jimmy Sangster]] claims that the script did not contain any lines for the character. This film set the standard for most of the Dracula sequels in the sense that half the film's running time was spent on telling the story of Dracula's resurrection and the character's appearances were brief. Lee went on record to state that he was virtually "blackmailed" by Hammer into starring in the subsequent films; unable or unwilling to pay him his going rate, they would resort to reminding him of how many people he would put out of work if he did not take part:<ref name="landisbook" />

{{blockquote|The process went like this: The telephone would ring and my agent would say, "[[James Carreras|Jimmy Carreras]] [President of Hammer Films] has been on the phone, they've got another Dracula for you." And I would say, "Forget it! I don't want to do another one." I'd get a call from Jimmy Carreras, in a state of hysteria. "What's all this about?!" "Jim, I don't want to do it, and I don't have to do it." "No, you have to do it!" And I said, "Why?" He replied, "Because I've already sold it to the American distributor with you playing the part. Think of all the people you know so well, that you will put out of work!" Emotional blackmail. That's the only reason I did them.<ref name="landisbook">{{cite book |last=Landis |first=John |title=Monsters in the Movies: 100 Years of Cinematic Nightmares |year=2011 |publisher=[[Dorling Kindersley]] |isbn=978-1-4053-6697-7 |page=45}}</ref>}}

His roles in the films ''[[Dracula Has Risen from the Grave]]'' (1968), ''[[Taste the Blood of Dracula]]'' (1969), and ''[[Scars of Dracula]]'' (1970) all gave the Count very little to do. Lee said in an interview in 2005, "all they do is write a story and try and fit the character in somewhere, which is very clear when you see the films. They gave me nothing to do! I pleaded with Hammer to let me use some of the lines that [[Bram Stoker]] had written. Occasionally, I sneaked one in."<ref name="TFInterview" /><!-- Although Lee may not have liked what Hammer was doing with the character, worldwide audiences embraced the films, which were all commercially successful.--> He starred in two further Dracula films for Hammer in the early 1970s, both of which attempted to bring the character into the modern-day era. These were not commercially successful: ''[[Dracula A.D. 1972]]'' (1972) and ''[[The Satanic Rites of Dracula]]'' (1973). The latter film was tentatively titled ''Dracula Is Dead... and Well and Living in London'', a parody of the stage and film musical revue ''[[Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris]]'', but Lee was not amused. Speaking at a press conference in 1973 to announce the film, Lee said, "I'm doing it under protest. I think it is fatuous. I can think of twenty adjectives – fatuous, pointless, absurd. It's not a comedy, but it's got a comic title. I don't see the point."<ref>{{cite book |last=Haining |first=Peter |title=The Dracula Scrapbook |publisher=Chancellor Press |year=1992 |isbn=978-1-85152-195-1}}</ref> ''The Satanic Rites of Dracula'' was the last Dracula film in which Lee played the Dracula role, as he felt he had played the part too many times and that the films had deteriorated in quality.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/christopher-lee-words/ |title=Sir Christopher Lee In His Own Words |website=Empire |date=12 June 2015 |first=Owen |last=Williams |url-status=live |archive-date=27 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160927103018/https://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/christopher-lee-words/ |access-date=25 September 2022}}</ref>

In all, Lee played Dracula ten times: seven films for Hammer Productions, once for [[Jesús Franco]]'s [[Count Dracula (1970 film)|''Count Dracula'']] (1970), uncredited in [[Jerry Lewis]]'s ''[[One More Time (1970 film)|One More Time]]'' (1970) and [[Édouard Molinaro]]'s ''[[Dracula and Son]]'' (1976) (he also played an unnamed but Dracula-like vampire in ''[[The Magic Christian (film)|The Magic Christian]]'' [1969]). Lee portrayed Rasputin in ''[[Rasputin, the Mad Monk]]'' (1966) and Sir Henry Baskerville (to Cushing's [[Sherlock Holmes]]) in ''[[The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959 film)|The Hound of the Baskervilles]]'' (1959). Lee later played Holmes himself in 1962's ''[[Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace]]'', and returned to Holmes films with [[Billy Wilder]]'s British-made ''[[The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes]]'' (1970), in which he plays Sherlock's smarter brother, [[Mycroft Holmes|Mycroft]]. Lee considers this film to be the reason he stopped being typecast: "I've never been typecast since. Sure, I've played plenty of heavies, but as [[Anthony Hopkins]] says, "I don't play villains, I play people.""<ref name=TFInterview /> Lee played a leading role in the German film ''[[The Puzzle of the Red Orchid]]'' (1962), speaking German, which he had learned during his education in Switzerland. He auditioned for a part in the film ''[[The Longest Day (film)|The Longest Day]]'' (1962), but was turned down because he did not "look like a military man." Some film books incorrectly credit him with a role in the film, something he had to correct for the rest of his life.<ref name=guardianinterview />

Lee's friend the author [[Dennis Wheatley]] was responsible for bringing the [[occult]] to him.<ref name="auto">{{cite news |first=Nigel |last=Farndale |title=Sir Christopher Lee interview: 'I'm softer than people think' |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/8316999/Interview-Christopher-Lee.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/8316999/Interview-Christopher-Lee.html |archive-date=10 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |access-date=16 January 2016 |date=11 June 2005 |work=[[The Telegraph (magazine)|The Telegraph]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref> The company made two films from Wheatley's novels, both starring Lee. ''The New York Times'' described Lee's performance in the first, ''[[The Devil Rides Out (film)|The Devil Rides Out]]'' (1967), as "suave dignity".<ref>{{cite news |last=Thompson |first=Howard |title=Movie Review: The Devil Rides Out |url=https://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9A00E3DF1430E034BC4152DFB4678383679EDE |newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=25 September 2022}}</ref> However, the second film, ''[[To the Devil a Daughter]]'' (1976), was troubled by production difficulties and was disowned by its author. Although financially successful, it was Hammer's last horror film. Critic [[Leonard Maltin]] described it as "well-made but lacking punch".<ref name="maltin">{{cite book |editor1-last=Maltin |editor1-first=Leonard |date=1995 |title=Leonard Maltin's 1996 Movie & Video Guide |url=https://archive.org/details/leonardmaltinsmo00newy/page/1350 |publisher=Signet |page=[https://archive.org/details/leonardmaltinsmo00newy/page/1360 1360] |isbn=978-0-451-18505-1}}</ref>

[[File:Horror express gip.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1|Lee and his close friend [[Peter Cushing]] in ''[[Horror Express]]'' (1972). They starred in twenty-two films together.<ref>{{cite news |first=Alex |last=Hamilton |title=Christopher Lee obituary |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/jun/11/christopher-lee |date=11 June 2015 |access-date=16 June 2023 |work=The Guardian}}</ref>]]
Like Cushing, Lee also appeared in horror films for other companies from 1957 to 1977. These included the Dr. [[Fu Manchu]] series of films made between 1965 and 1969 (beginning with ''[[The Face of Fu Manchu]]'') in which he starred as the villain in [[Portrayal of East Asians in American film and theater|yellowface]] make-up; ''[[I, Monster]]'' (1971), an adaptation of [[Robert Louis Stevenson]]'s 1886 novella ''[[Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde]]'', with the main characters' names changed to Dr. Charles Marlowe and Mr. Edward Blake; ''[[The Creeping Flesh]]'' (1972); and his personal favourite, which he considered his best film, ''[[The Wicker Man]]'' (1973), in which he played Lord Summerisle.<ref name="Lindrea 2004">{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3733894.stm |title=Christopher Lee on the making of legends |last=Lindrea |first=Victoria |website=[[BBC News]] |date=11 October 2004 |access-date=27 July 2021}}</ref><ref name=TFInterview /> Lee wanted to break free of his image as Dracula and take on more interesting acting roles. He met with the screenwriter [[Anthony Shaffer (writer)|Anthony Shaffer]], and they agreed to work together. The film director [[Robin Hardy (film director)|Robin Hardy]] and [[British Lion Films|British Lion]] head Peter Snell became involved in the project. Shaffer had a series of conversations with Hardy, and the two decided that it would be fun to make a horror film centring on "old religion," in sharp contrast to the popular Hammer films of the day.<ref name="Burnt Offerings 1">{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XG2W-PetugU |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101234617/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XG2W-PetugU&feature=youtu.be |archive-date=1 November 2020 |title=Burnt Offerings: – The Cult of the Wicker Man 1/4 |via=YouTube |date=4 October 2020 |access-date=25 September 2022}}</ref> Shaffer read the David Pinner novel ''[[Ritual (1967 novel)|Ritual]]'', in which a devout Christian policeman is called to investigate what appears to be the ritual murder of a young girl in a rural village, and decided that it would serve well as the source material for the project. Shaffer and Lee paid Pinner £15,000 ({{Inflation|UK|15000|1971|fmt=eq|cursign=US$}}) for the rights to the novel, and Schaffer set to work on the screenplay. However, he soon decided that a direct adaptation would not work well, and began to craft a new story, using only the novel's basic outline.<ref name="Burnt Offerings 1" /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.surreycomet.co.uk/leisure/8985362.The_author_who_inspired_The_Wicker_Man___/ |title=The author who inspired The Wicker Man... |last=Gore |first=Will |publisher=[[Surrey Comet]] |date=22 April 2011 |access-date=11 April 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110826092935/http://www.surreycomet.co.uk/leisure/8985362.The_author_who_inspired_The_Wicker_Man___/ |archive-date=26 August 2011}}</ref> Lee was so keen to get the film made, and the budget was so small, that he gave his services for free.{{sfn|Lee|2003|p=307}} He later called the film the best he had ever made.<ref name=TFInterview />

Lee appeared as the on-screen narrator in [[Jess Franco]]'s ''[[Eugenie... The Story of Her Journey into Perversion|Eugenie]]'' (1970) as a favour to the producer [[Harry Alan Towers]], unaware that it was [[softcore pornography]], as the sex scenes were shot separately.

{{blockquote|I had no idea that was what it was when I agreed to the role. I was told it was about the Marquis de Sade. I flew out to Spain for one day's work playing the part of a narrator. I had to wear a crimson dinner jacket. There were lots of people behind me. They all had their clothes on. There didn't seem to be anything peculiar or strange. A friend said: 'Do you know you are in a film in [[Old Compton Street]]?' In those days that was where the mackintosh brigade watched [[Adult movie theater|their films]]. 'Very funny,' I said. So I crept along there heavily disguised in dark glasses and scarf, and found the cinema and there was my name. I was furious! There was a huge row. When I had left Spain that day everyone behind me had taken their clothes off!<ref name=telegraphinterview />}}

[[File:The Wicker Man (1973) US trailer - Christopher Lee 1.png|thumb|upright=1.25|Breaking free from the Dracula image:<ref name="Burnt Offerings 1" /> Lee as Lord Summerisle in ''[[The Wicker Man]]'' (1973)]]

In addition to making films in the United Kingdom, Lee made films in mainland Europe: he appeared in two German films, ''Count Dracula'' (1970), where he again played the vampire count, and ''[[The Blood Demon|The Torture Chamber of Dr. Sadism]]'' (1967). Other films in Europe he made include ''[[Castle of the Living Dead]]'' (1964) and ''[[Horror Express]]'' (1972). Lee was a producer of the horror film ''[[Nothing But the Night]]'' (1972), in which he starred. It was the first and last film he produced, as he did not enjoy the process.<ref name=guardianinterview>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2003/may/29/features.victoriabarrett |title=The good, the bad and the Christopher Lee |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |date=29 May 2003 |access-date=21 December 2012 |location=London |first=Victoria |last=Barrett}}</ref>

Lee appeared as the [[Comte de Rochefort]] in [[Richard Lester]]'s ''[[The Three Musketeers (1973 live-action film)|The Three Musketeers]]'' (1973). He injured his left knee during filming, something he still felt many years later.<ref name=TFInterview /> After the mid-1970s, Lee eschewed horror roles almost entirely. Ian Fleming, author of the James Bond spy novels and Lee's step-cousin, had offered him the role of the [[Julius No|titular antagonist]] in the first Eon-produced Bond film ''[[Dr. No (film)|Dr. No]]'' (1962). Lee enthusiastically accepted, but by the time Fleming told the producers, they had already chosen [[Joseph Wiseman]] for the role.<ref name=TFInterview /> Lee finally got to play a [[James Bond (film series)|James Bond]] [[List of James Bond villains|villain]] in ''[[The Man with the Golden Gun (film)|The Man with the Golden Gun]]'' (1974), in which he was cast as the assassin [[Francisco Scaramanga]]. Lee said of his performance, "In Fleming's novel he's just a West Indian thug, but in the film he's charming, elegant, amusing, lethal... I played him like the dark side of Bond."<ref name=TFInterview />

Because of his filming schedule in [[Bangkok]], the film-director [[Ken Russell]] was unable to sign Lee to play the Specialist in ''[[Tommy (1975 film)|Tommy]]'' (1975). That role was eventually given to [[Jack Nicholson]]. In an AMC documentary on ''[[Halloween (1978 film)|Halloween]]'' (1978), [[John Carpenter]] states that he offered the role of [[Samuel Loomis]] to Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, before [[Donald Pleasence]] took the role. Years later, Lee told Carpenter that the biggest regret of his career was not taking the role of Dr. Loomis.<ref>{{cite AV media |last=Smith |first=Steve |display-authors=etal |year=2003 |title=Halloween: A Cut Above the Rest |medium=TV Documentary |publisher=[[Prometheus Entertainment]]}}</ref>

=== 1977–1999: Move to Hollywood ===
[[File:Christopher Lee à Aubagne (13) pendant le Festival des Passions (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|Christopher Lee at Festival des Passions in [[Aubagne]], France, in September 1996]]
In 1977, Lee left the UK for the US, concerned at being typecast in horror films, as had happened to his close friends Peter Cushing and [[Vincent Price]].<ref name=telegraphinterview /> His first American appearance was in the disaster film ''[[Airport '77]]'' (1977). In 1978, Lee surprised many people with his willingness to go along with a joke, appearing as guest host on NBC's ''[[Saturday Night Live]]''.<ref name=TFInterview /> [[Steven Spielberg]], who was in the audience for that show, cast him in ''[[1941 (film)|1941]]'' (1979).<ref name=TFInterview /> Meanwhile, Lee co-starred with [[Bette Davis]] in the Disney film ''[[Return from Witch Mountain]]'' (1978).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.tcm.com/this-month/article/212737 |title=Return from Witch Mountain |website=Turner Classic Movies |access-date=15 August 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904054710/http://www.tcm.com/this-month/article/212737&#124;0/Return-from-Witch-Mountain.html |archive-date=4 September 2015}}</ref> He turned down the role of Dr. Barry Rumack (finally played by [[Leslie Nielsen]]) in the disaster spoof ''[[Airplane!]]'' (1980), a decision he later called "a big mistake."<ref name=TFInterview /> <!--Lee appeared in ''[[The Return of Captain Invincible]]'' (1982), a comedy-musical film. Lee sings on two tracks in the film ("Name Your Poison" and "Mister Midnight"), written by [[Richard O'Brien]] and [[Richard Hartley (composer)|Richard Hartley]]. Later, he appeared alongside [[Reb Brown]] and [[Sybil Danning]] in ''[[Howling II: Your Sister Is a Werewolf]]'' (1985). -----This is just an uncited list, "and then he did another thing.{{cn}} And another thing.{{cn}} And yet another.{{cn}}" So what? -->

Lee played the [[mad scientist]] Dr. Catheter in ''[[Gremlins 2: The New Batch]]'' (1990). In a nod to his role as Dracula in Hammer Films, as the Bat Gremlin transforms, Dr. Catheter experiences deja-vu – the audience hears Dracula music.<ref>{{cite news |title=Sir Christopher Lee: Vampire, wizard, jedi and heavy metal musician |url=https://www.itv.com/news/2015-06-11/sir-christopher-lee-vampire-wizard-jedi-and-heavy-metal-musician |access-date=21 October 2022 |publisher=ITV}}</ref> Lee made his last appearances as Sherlock Holmes in the television films ''[[Incident at Victoria Falls]]'' (1991) and ''[[Sherlock Holmes and the Leading Lady]]'' (1992).<ref>{{cite web |title=Christopher Lee |url=https://www.arthur-conan-doyle.com/index.php/Christopher_Lee |website=The Arthur Conan Doyle Encyclopedia |access-date=10 January 2022 |url-status=live |archive-date=10 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220110113225/https://www.arthur-conan-doyle.com/index.php/Christopher_Lee}}</ref>

Lee and Peter Cushing appeared together in more than a dozen feature films for Hammer Films, [[Amicus Productions]], and other companies, as well as in ''Hamlet'' (1948) and ''Moulin Rouge'' (1952), albeit in separate scenes. They featured, too, in separate instalments of the ''[[Star Wars]]'' films: Cushing as [[Grand Moff Tarkin]] in the original film, and Lee decades later as [[Count Dooku]]. The last project that united them in person was a documentary, ''Flesh and Blood: The Hammer Heritage of Horror'' (1994), which they jointly narrated, two months before Cushing's death.<ref>{{cite web |last=Gillis |first=Joe |title=All 24 Movies Featuring Christopher Lee & Peter Cushing |url=https://screenrant.com/christopher-lee-peter-cushing-24-movies-all/ |publisher=[[Screen Rant]] |access-date=10 January 2022 |date=7 August 2021}}</ref>

Lee considered his best performance to be in this period, when he played Pakistan's founder [[Muhammad Ali Jinnah]] in the biopic ''[[Jinnah (film)|Jinnah]]'' (1998).<ref name=TFInterview /><ref name="Lindrea 2004" />

=== 2000–2009: Resurgence in franchise films ===
[[File:ChristopherLeeSaruman2.jpg|thumb|upright|left|Lee at [[Forbidden Planet (bookstore)|Forbidden Planet]], New Oxford Street, London, signing ''The Two Towers'']]

Lee had many television roles. These included the role Flay in the [[BBC]] television miniseries ''[[Gormenghast (TV serial)|Gormenghast]]'' (2000) based on [[Mervyn Peake]]'s novels. He also appeared as Lucas de Beaumanoir, the Grand Master of the [[Knights Templar]], in the BBC/[[A&E Network|A&E]] co-production of Sir [[Walter Scott]]'s ''[[Ivanhoe]]'' (1997).<ref name="BBC Notts 2001">{{cite web |title=Stuck on you. Horror star flies into Notts |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/nottingham/spotlight/2001/christopher_lee.shtml |publisher=[[BBC]] |access-date=10 January 2022 |date=31 July 2001}}</ref><!-- He played a role in the made-for-TV series ''[[La Révolution française (film)|La Révolution française]]'' (1989) in part 2, "Les Années Terribles," as the executioner, [[Charles-Henri Sanson]], who beheaded [[Louis XVI of France|King Louis XVI]], [[Maximilien de Robespierre]], [[Stefan Wyszyński]] in the [[CBS]] film ''John Paul the Second'' (2005) and others.-->

Lee portrayed [[Saruman]] in [[Peter Jackson]]'s fantasy action epic [[The Lord of the Rings (film series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' film trilogy]]. In the commentary, he stated that for decades he had dreamt of playing [[Gandalf]]. He conceded that he was now too old, and that his physical limitations prevented him from being considered; [[Ian McKellen]], who was in his early 60s, was cast in the role alongside Lee, in his mid-70s. The role of Saruman, unlike that of Gandalf, required no horse-riding and far less fighting. Lee had met [[J. R. R. Tolkien]] once, which made him the only person involved in Peter Jackson's films to have done so.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Paul |first1=Leggett |title=Good Versus Evil in the Films of Christopher Lee |date=2018 |publisher=McFarland |pages=1}}</ref> He made a habit of reading [[The Lord of the Rings|the novels]] at least once a year.{{sfn|Lee|2003|p=274}}{{sfn|Lee|2003|p=337}}<ref>{{cite video |people=[[Peter Jackson]] |title=Cameras in Middle-earth (''The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring'' Special Extended Edition documentary) |medium=DVD |publisher=[[New Line Cinema]] |year=2002}}</ref> In addition, he performed for [[The Tolkien Ensemble]]'s album ''[[At Dawn in Rivendell]]'' in 2003.<ref>{{cite AV media |author=[[The Tolkien Ensemble]] |title=[[At Dawn in Rivendell]] |publisher=[[Decca Records|Decca]] |type=CD |year=2003}}</ref> Lee's appearance in the final film in the trilogy, ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King]]'', was cut from the theatrical release, but the scene was reinstated in the extended edition.<ref>{{cite web |last1=McCarrick |first1=Michael |title=Lord of the Rings: Why Saruman Doesn't Appear in Return of the King's Theatrical Cut |url=https://www.cbr.com/lord-of-the-rings-return-of-the-king-saruman-fate-explained/ |publisher=CBR |access-date=27 July 2021 |date=25 February 2021}}</ref> ''The Lord of the Rings'' marked the beginning of a major career revival that continued with the role of the villainous Count Dooku in the [[George Lucas]]-directed ''[[Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones]]'' (2002) and ''[[Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith]]'' (2005). Lee acted opposite [[Hayden Christensen]], [[Ewan McGregor]], and [[Natalie Portman]], and did most of the swordplay himself, though a stunt double was required for the long shots with more vigorous footwork.<ref name=TFInterview />

[[File:Christopher Lee as Saruman LOTR.jpg|thumb|Lee played the corrupted wizard [[Saruman]] in [[Peter Jackson]]'s [[The Lord of the Rings (film series)|''The Lord of the Rings'']] and [[The Hobbit (film series)|''The Hobbit'']] film trilogies. The role has been described as "one of the most powerful villains in cinema history", relying on Lee's "physical appearance", in contrast to the Dark Lord Sauron.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Tilakaratne |first1=Wishka |title=Christopher Lee's Best Performances, Ranked |url=https://movieweb.com/christopher-lee-best-performances-ranked/ |website=MovieWeb |access-date=27 December 2022 |date=28 June 2022}}</ref>]]

In 2005, Lee played [[List of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory characters#Dr. Wilbur Wonka|Dr. Wonka]], father of [[Willy Wonka]], in [[Tim Burton]]'s [[Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (film)|film adaptation]] of the [[Roald Dahl]] children's classic ''[[Charlie and the Chocolate Factory]].''<ref>{{cite news |title=Sir Christopher Lee: Vampire, wizard, jedi and heavy metal musician |url=https://www.itv.com/news/2015-06-11/sir-christopher-lee-vampire-wizard-jedi-and-heavy-metal-musician |access-date=5 September 2022 |publisher=ITV}}</ref> He also voiced Pastor Galswells in the animated film ''[[Corpse Bride]]''. In 2007, Lee collaborated with Burton again on ''[[Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007 film)|Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street]]'', playing the spirit of Sweeney Todd's victims, called the Gentleman Ghost, alongside [[Anthony Head]], with both singing "The Ballad of Sweeney Todd," its reprises and the Epilogue. These songs were recorded, but eventually cut since Burton felt that the songs were too theatrical for the film. Lee's appearance was completely cut from the film, but Head still had an uncredited one-line cameo.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kcrw.com/etc/programs/tt/tt031210tim_burton |title=Tim Burton |publisher=[[KCRW]] |access-date=4 October 2010 |date=29 July 2006}}</ref> Also in 2007 he played the First High Councillor in ''[[The Golden Compass (film)|The Golden Compass]]''. In late November 2009, Lee narrated the Science Fiction Festival in [[Trieste]], Italy.<ref>{{cite web |title=2009 Trieste Science+Fiction |url=https://www.sciencefictionfestival.org/en/archivio/tsff-2009/ |publisher=Science Fiction Festival |access-date=25 September 2022}}</ref> Also in 2009, Lee starred in [[Stephen Poliakoff]]'s British period drama ''[[Glorious 39]]'', [[Academy Award]]-nominated director [[Danis Tanović]]'s war film ''[[Triage (film)|Triage]]'', and Duncan Ward's comedy ''[[Boogie Woogie (film)|Boogie Woogie]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2008/10_october/31/1939.shtml |title=Stephen Poliakoff's feature film 1939, featuring stellar line-up of UK's finest acting talent, starts shooting |publisher=[[BBC]] |access-date=30 September 2017}}</ref>

During this time Lee provided voices for numerous films and video games.<ref name="Behind the Voice Actors">{{cite web |title=Christopher Lee |url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/Christopher-Lee/ |website=Behind the Voice Actors |access-date=25 September 2022 |archive-date=24 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624195734/https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/Christopher-Lee/ |url-status=live}}</ref>{{sfn|Pohle|Hart|Baldwin|2017|pp=325–328}} He spoke fluent English, Italian, French, Spanish, and German, and was moderately proficient in Swedish, Russian, and Greek.<ref name="tiscali">{{cite web |url=http://www.tiscali.co.uk/entertainment/film/biographies/christopher_lee_biog.html |title=Extensive biography at Tiscali UK |publisher=[[Tiscali]] |access-date=4 October 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090326052506/http://www.tiscali.co.uk/entertainment/film/biographies/christopher_lee_biog.html |archive-date=26 March 2009}}</ref> He was the original voice of [[Thor]] in the German dubs of the Danish 1986 animated film ''[[Valhalla (1986 film)|Valhalla]]'', and of King Haggard in both the English and German dubs of the 1982 animated adaptation of ''[[The Last Unicorn (film)|The Last Unicorn]]''.<ref name="Behind the Voice Actors" /> He provided all the voices for the English dub of ''[[Monsieur Hulot's Holiday]]'' (1953).<ref>{{cite news |title=Monsieur Hulot's Holiday (1953) |url=https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b6b999bde |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160519070656/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b6b999bde |url-status=dead |archive-date=19 May 2016 |access-date=15 November 2020 |publisher=British Film Institute}}</ref> He voiced [[Death (Discworld)|Death]] in the animated versions of [[Terry Pratchett]]'s ''[[Soul Music (novel)|Soul Music]]''<ref name="Behind the Voice Actors" /> and ''[[Wyrd Sisters]]'',<ref name="Behind the Voice Actors" /> and reprised the role in the [[Sky1]] live action adaptation ''[[The Colour of Magic (TV film)|The Colour of Magic]]'', taking over from the late [[Ian Richardson]].<ref name="Behind the Voice Actors" /> He provided the voice for the role of [[Ansem the Wise]]/[[DiZ]] in video games including ''[[Kingdom Hearts II]]''.<ref name="Behind the Voice Actors" />

[[File:Christopher Lee 2.jpg|thumb|left|Lee filming Marcus Warren's ''[[The Heavy (film)|The Heavy]]'' in [[Westminster]], London in 2007]]
Lee reprised his role as Saruman in the video game ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth]]''.<ref name="Behind the Voice Actors" /> He narrated and sang for the Danish musical group The Tolkien Ensemble's 2003 studio album ''At Dawn in Rivendell'', taking the role of [[Treebeard]], [[King Théoden]] and others in the readings or singing of their respective poems or songs.<ref>A selection of independent international reviews is given at {{cite web |last1=Weichmann |first1=Christian |title=The Lord of the Rings: Complete Songs and Poems (4-CD Box) |url=http://www.tolkien-ensemble.net/rezensionen/rezensionen.html |publisher=[[The Tolkien Ensemble]] |access-date=13 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161027034047/http://www.tolkien-ensemble.net/rezensionen/rezensionen.html |archive-date=27 October 2016 |language=English}}</ref> In 2007, he voiced the transcript of ''[[The Children of Húrin]]'' by J. R. R. Tolkien for the audiobook version of the novel.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Tolkien |first1=J. R. R. |last2=Lee |first2=Christopher |title=The Children of Hurin (Audiobook) |date=2006 |publisher=[[HarperCollins]] |url=https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/The-Children-of-Hurin-Audiobook/B004EW5K28}}</ref> In 2005, Lee provided the voice of Pastor Galswells in ''[[The Corpse Bride]]'', co-directed by Tim Burton and [[Mike Johnson (animator)|Mike Johnson]].<ref name="Behind the Voice Actors" /> He served as the narrator on ''[[The Nightmare Before Christmas]]'' poem, also written by Tim Burton as well. Lee reprised his role as Count Dooku in the animated film ''[[Star Wars: The Clone Wars (film)|Star Wars: The Clone Wars]]'' (2008).<ref name="Behind the Voice Actors" />

Some thirty years after playing Francisco Scaramanga in ''The Man with the Golden Gun'', Lee provided the voice of Scaramanga in the video game ''[[GoldenEye: Rogue Agent]]''.<ref name="Behind the Voice Actors" /><ref>[http://eagames.co.uk/products.view.asp?id=387 The EA Games website]. Retrieved 2 May 2006. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060314212024/http://eagames.co.uk/products.view.asp?id=387 |date=14 March 2006}}</ref> In 2013, Lee voiced The Earl of Earl's Court in the [[BBC Radio 4]] radio play ''[[Neverwhere (radio play)|Neverwhere]]'' by [[Neil Gaiman]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=BBC Radio 4 Extra – Neil Gaiman – Neverwhere – The Earl of Earl's Court |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/profiles/2QjvbpK5pLH4vJl9jgtQ77D/the-earl-of-earl-s-court|access-date=11 June 2023 |publisher=BBC |language=en-GB}}</ref> Lee recorded special dialogue, in addition to serving as the Narrator, for the ''[[Lego The Hobbit (video game)|Lego The Hobbit]]'' video game released in April 2014; at 91 years and 316 days old he appears in the ''[[Guinness Book of Records]]'' as the oldest video game narrator.<ref>{{cite news |title=Oldest videogame voice actor |url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/94943-oldest-videogame-voice-actor |access-date=14 September 2020 |agency=Guinness World Records}}</ref>

=== 2010–2015: Later roles ===
In 2004, Lee lamented that Hollywood scripts were mainly spin-offs, as people were afraid of taking financial risks, commenting that he was mostly being offered spin-offs of ''Lord of the Rings'' or ''Star Wars''.<ref name="Lindrea 2004" /> In 2010, he marked his fourth collaboration with Tim Burton by voicing the [[Jabberwock]] in Burton's [[Alice in Wonderland (2010 film)|adaptation]] of [[Lewis Carroll]]'s classic book ''[[Alice in Wonderland]]'', alongside [[Johnny Depp]], [[Helena Bonham Carter]] and [[Anne Hathaway]].<ref name="AllMovie Filmography" /><ref name="Behind the Voice Actors" /> Lee respected Depp as "a fellow survivor",<ref name="Walker 2006" /> describing him as "inventive and [having] enormous versatility".<ref name="Walker 2006">{{cite web |url=http://new.spectator.co.uk/2006/05/never-be-terrible-in-a-terrible-movie/ |title=Never Be Terrible in a Terrible Movie |last=Walker |first=Tim |website=[[The Spectator]] |date=31 May 2006 |access-date=17 December 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016085817/http://new.spectator.co.uk/2006/05/never-be-terrible-in-a-terrible-movie/ |archive-date=16 October 2015}}</ref> In 2010, Lee received the [[Steiger Award]] (Germany) and,<ref>{{cite news |title=Steiger Award 2010: Die Preisverleihung |language=de |trans-title=Steiger Award 2010: The Award Ceremony |url=https://www.ruhrnachrichten.de/nachrichten/steiger-award-2010-die-preisverleihung-g15787.html |access-date=11 June 2021 |work=[[Ruhr Nachrichten]] |date=13 March 2010 |quote=Marius Müller-Westernhagen, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Sir Christopher Lee – die Liste der Prominenten, die am Samstag in der Bochumer Jahrhunderthalle mit dem Steiger Award 2010 ausgezeichnet worden sind, ist lang. |archive-date=11 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210611114849/https://www.ruhrnachrichten.de/nachrichten/steiger-award-2010-die-preisverleihung-g15787.html |url-status=dead}}</ref> in February 2011, Lee was awarded the [[BAFTA Academy Fellowship Award|BAFTA Fellowship]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-12395181 |title=Christopher Lee to receive Bafta Fellowship |work=[[BBC News]] |date=8 February 2011 |access-date=14 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110210090142/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-12395181 |archive-date=10 February 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Christopher Lee (Berlinale 2012) 2.jpg|thumb|right|Lee at the [[Berlin International Film Festival]] in February 2012]]
In 2011, he appeared in a Hammer film, ''[[The Resident (film)|The Resident]]'', for the first time in 35 years. The film was directed by [[Antti Jokinen]], and Lee gave a "superbly sinister" performance alongside [[Hilary Swank]] and [[Jeffrey Dean Morgan]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2011/mar/10/the-resident-review |title=The Resident – review |date=10 March 2011 |access-date=2 January 2014 |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |last1=Clarke |first1=Cath}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bloody-disgusting.com/news/18048 |title=Hi-Res Look at Hilary Swank in Hammer Films' 'The Resident' |publisher=Bloody-disgusting.com |access-date=4 October 2010 |date=10 November 2009}}</ref> While filming scenes for the film in [[New Mexico]] in early 2009, Lee injured his back when he tripped over power cables on set.<ref name=timesinterview>{{cite news |url=http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/arts/film/article2432282.ece |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131220234403/http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/arts/film/article2432282.ece |url-status=dead |archive-date=20 December 2013 |title=Christopher Lee: a giant among actors |newspaper=[[The Times]] |date=20 November 2009 |access-date=20 December 2012}}</ref> Lee appears as the unnamed "Old Gentleman" who acts as Lachlan's mentor in a flashback.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ruemorgueradio.com/RMpodcast/RM-051.mp3 |title=RM-051.mp3 (audio/mpeg Object) |last=Hardy |first=Robin |publisher=[[Rue Morgue Radio]] |access-date=12 April 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130520175938/http://ruemorgueradio.com/RMpodcast/RM-051.mp3 |archive-date=20 May 2013}}</ref> Also in 2011, Lee appeared in the critically acclaimed ''[[Hugo (film)|Hugo]]'', directed by [[Martin Scorsese]].<ref name="Trumbore 2011">{{cite web |last=Trumbore |first=Dave |title=Christopher Lee Talks The Hobbit, Hugo and Dark Shadows |url=https://collider.com/christopher-lee-the-hobbit-dark-shadows/ |website=Collider |access-date=11 June 2021 |date=29 December 2011 |url-status=live |archive-date=25 July 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130725230553/https://collider.com/christopher-lee-the-hobbit-dark-shadows/}}</ref>

Lee reprised the role of Saruman for the prequel film ''[[The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey|The Hobbit]]''.<ref name=chrislee>{{cite news |url=http://christopherleeweb.com/story/sir-christopher-returns-hobbit |agency=Christopher Lee Official Website |title=Sir Christopher Returns in The Hobbit |date=11 January 2011 |access-date=11 January 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110115011730/http://christopherleeweb.com/story/sir-christopher-returns-hobbit |archive-date=15 January 2011}}</ref> He said he would have liked to have shown Saruman's corruption by [[Sauron]],<ref>{{cite news |first=Glen |last=Ferris |title=Christopher Lee on ''The Hobbit'' |work=[[Empire (magazine)|Empire]] |date=4 June 2008 |url=http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=22681 |access-date=25 September 2022 |url-status=dead |archive-date=23 May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120523070831/http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=22681}}</ref> but was too old to travel to New Zealand, so the production was adjusted to allow him to participate from London.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.movieweb.com/news/christopher-lee-talks-saruman-in-the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey |title=Christopher Lee Talks Saruman in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey |publisher=[[MovieWeb]] |date=31 December 2011 |access-date=20 December 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-date=7 January 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120107035919/http://www.movieweb.com/news/christopher-lee-talks-saruman-in-the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey}}</ref> In 2012, Lee marked his fifth and final collaboration with Tim Burton, by appearing in Burton's film adaptation of the [[Gothic fiction|gothic]] soap opera ''[[Dark Shadows (film)|Dark Shadows]]'', in the small role of a [[New England]] fishing captain.<ref name="weird">{{cite magazine |url=http://ollyrichards.net/2011/12/04/dark-shadows-preview-feature-empire-nov-11/ |last=Richards |first=Olly |title=The Weird Bunch |magazine=[[Empire (magazine)|Empire]] |date=November 2011 |page=70}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Dark Shadows: About |url=http://darkshadowsmovie.warnerbros.com/assets/img/_downloads/_pdf/Dark_Shadows_Production_Notes.pdf |publisher=Warner Bros |date=29 April 2012 |access-date=25 September 2022 |url-status=live |archive-date=28 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190228090508/https://www.warnerbros.com/movies/dark-shadows/}}</ref>

[[File:Christopher Lee at the Berlin International Film Festival 2013.jpg|thumb|right|Lee at the Berlin International Film Festival 2013]]
In an interview in August 2013, Lee said that he was "saddened" to hear his friend Johnny Depp was considering retiring from acting, observing that he himself had no intention of doing that:
{{blockquote|There are frustrations – people who lie to you, people who don't know what they are doing, films that don't turn out the way you had wanted them to – so, yes, I do understand [why Depp would consider retiring]. I always ask myself, "Well, what else could I do?" Making films has never just been a job to me, it's 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... I'm realistic about the amount of work I can get at my age, but I take what I can, even voice-overs and narration.<ref>{{cite web |last=Smith |first=Michael |url=http://guardianlv.com/2013/08/johnny-depp-retirement-saddens-christopher-lee/ |title=Johnny Depp Retirement Saddens Christopher Lee |website=Guardian Liberty Voice |date=10 August 2013 |access-date=25 August 2013 |url-status=live |archive-date=11 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130811013746/https://guardianlv.com/2013/08/johnny-depp-retirement-saddens-christopher-lee/}}</ref>}}

Lee narrated the feature-length documentary ''[[Necessary Evil: Super-Villains of DC Comics]]'', which was released on 25 October 2013.<ref>{{cite web |last=Vejvoda |first=Jim |title=New Documentary on DC Supervillains Announced: Necessary Evil to be narrated by Christopher Lee |publisher=IGN |date=26 March 2013 |url=http://uk.ign.com/articles/2013/03/26/new-documentary-on-dc-supervillains-announced |accessdate=25 September 2022}}</ref> In 2014, he appeared in an episode of the BBC documentary series ''Timeshift'' called ''How to Be Sherlock Holmes: The Many Faces of a Master Detective''. Lee and others who had played Sherlock Holmes discussed the character and the various interpretations of him.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03pzsd9 |title=How to be Sherlock Holmes: The Many Faces of a Master Detective |publisher=[[BBC]] |access-date=21 March 2014}}</ref> He appeared in a web exclusive, reading an excerpt from the Sherlock Holmes short story ''[[The Final Problem]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01nwby9 |title=Web exclusive: Christopher Lee reads The Final Problem |work=[[BBC Four]] |date=23 December 2013 |access-date=21 March 2014}}</ref>

A month before his death, Lee had signed to star with an [[ensemble cast]] in the Danish film ''The 11th''.<ref>{{cite news |last=Child |first=Ben |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/may/19/christopher-lee-and-uma-thurman-attached-to-911-drama-set-in-denmark |title=Christopher Lee and Uma Thurman attached to 9/11 drama set in Denmark |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |date=19 May 2015 |access-date=21 May 2015}}</ref> One of his final performances was the independent ''[[Angels in Notting Hill]]'' directed by Michael Pakleppa,<ref>{{cite news |last=Rosser |first=Michael |url=http://www.screendaily.com/news/christopher-lee-dies-aged-93/5089303.article |title=Christopher Lee dies aged 93 |work=Screen International |date=11 June 2015 |access-date=17 October 2016}}</ref> a fantasy film about an angel trapped in London who falls in love with a human being. Lee played The Boss / Mr. President and the film premiered in the Regent Street Cinema, London on 29 October 2016.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.regentstreetcinema.com/programme/angels-in-notting-hill/ |website=Regent Street Cinema |title=Listings |date=12 October 2016 |access-date=17 October 2016}}</ref>