Serial - a shift in gear

OK, Saturday evening I got a question on Twitter if I knew what a certain picture with SCL was from. He is sitting on a bed, holding a telephone. And he is dressed in a leather jacket. What is this? Was the question.

The answer: I think it is a scene from Serial (1980). SCL plays a mc-cult leader - and he plays gay.

I am qouting the synopsis from Films of Christopher Lee [which was published in 1983]: "Christopher Lee plays a self-proclaimed "barracuda" (i.e, man-eater) of an American busineess tycoon, who moonlights as the ringleader of a marauding gang of gay motorcyklists, in this satire of modern California mores."

It is the last entry in that book before appendixes. Notes of the authors in the book:

"Lee is brilliantly funny here (...) Serial (..) seems a highly appropriate place for us to pause, since it epitomizes the transformation of an English to an international performer."

"Startling as it undoubtedly is to see Lee playing so off-type a role as that of a gay American business executive, one hopes that this is not the start of a new trend for him, since he played a somewhat similar character later in a two-hour episode of Charlies Angels!"

Lee's own comments: "A satirical, completely outrageous comedy. In it, I play a head-hunter, an American. I play it as an American, with an American accent, which was totally acceptable to the studio and the audience, which I regard as a compliment. (...) I can assure any doubters amongst the public that this is my own voice and I was not dubbed (...). On weekends, I play the head of a gay motorcycle gang. What one would call a shift of gear, perhaps."

Eh, yup. :-)

I havn't seen this myself, but here is a trailer, and a very short snippet of eight (!) seconds with Lee as the gangleader, so don't blink!

Additional note: The plot thickens. The picture causing this blogpost might not be from Serial after all. But that doesn't really matter. It was a good reason to post these wonderful clips! I'll be back to update this if anything crops up.

 

Worth a special blogpost

Sweet Lord in heaven.
I seriously need some ice-cubes to cool off.

To the Devil a Daughter

OK, first and foremost a confession. I never was into those "devil-posesses-child"-films. It's just disturbing. That's why I was a bit hesitant to even see this film. I was prepared to be nauseated.

When I saw The Wicker Man for the first time, the most scaring part was that it was all so ... reliable. The set of values of the islanders are not evil - just different. Just a nothingness, an amoral way of relating to life. There is no devil, blood or anything. Just a creeping and growing conviction that those people are probably prepared to do pretty nasty stuff. And no-one is there to speak up for more normal values.

To the Devil a Daughter (1976) meets the difficult problem of dealing with the subject of satanism in a direct way. That always means trouble, since there is little room for subtlety. There are some moments in the film that makes me just want to look away. But I'll cope.

 *spoiler alert*

-----------------------

Sir Christopher Lee writes:

"In their wisdom -- or lack of it --- Hammer chose, right at the last to put in two things that completely ruined the picture: the obscene baby scene, which was distasteful; and my death, by which I tamely dissapear -- how do you kill the Devil by hitting him on the head with a rock? A ludicrous ending."

I wouldn't say the film was ruined, that is to be a bit harsh. But I'd like to ask Sir Lee exactely what baby scene he referrs to. I think there are at least a couple which could be considered quite distasteful. And the ending is rather a bit like "whoopsy-daisy there he goes".

All in all definitely a descent film. Probably I'm just greatful it didn't scare the pants of me. There are acutally some scenes that makes me think of The Shining in its way they are directed. But those moments aren't taken care of properly.

By the way, I ought to mention I havn't read the origial novel. The film obviously made the author furious.

An Invitation to remember

Brian Johnston interviews Christopher Lee. From 1989. Love that moustache! Lots of talk of his different parts - clips from Wicker man. Lee speaks of when he met Rasputins murderers, his part in the Three Musketeers etc.

And he talks of playing Mycroft Holmes. "I am the only actor in history who has played both Holmes brothers, both Sherlock and Mycroft."

Nice to watch!

On Sci-Fi, Horror and Fantasty

Two minutes of SCL from the program A Century of Science Fiction.
"What keeps theese stories interesting (...) is the human factor."

The Disputation - one can't miss out on it

Next up is this rarely aired TV-film from Channel 4.

It is a chamber play, set in medieval times, during the reign of James I:st, King of Aragon. The Disputation was filmed in 1986, just right after Sir Lee had had a major heart surgery. (He looks a bit pale, I can't help thinking it might have something to do with it.)

I was lucky to catch it on TV as it was aried in Sweden a couple of years later, late 80's, but have seldom heard of it since.

I have understood that the marketing of this marvellous piece of acting on the behalf of Lee and all the others in the cast was virtually non-exsisting. Lee claims in Tall Dark and Gruesome that he was furious about this, nearly causing him a relaps of bad heart.

That is understandable. Forget all about sexy scoundrels, black magic, villains, Kurt Menliffs, or whatever he has played. This chamber play is, together with Jinnah, one of the finest piece of high-class acting I have ever seen him done. It most definitely has Shakespearian, or I Claudius - qualities about it:

The intelligent and proud character of Rabbi Moses ben Nachman (Alan Dobie) is summoned up to the court of the liberal but troubled King James to dispute wether Jesus was Christ or not.

King James gives the Rabbi all rights of free speech, and refuses to fold when the Church is protesting. ("I cannot and will not take back my word!")

The Rabbi easily outargues his opponent, much to the dismay of King James's wife, the narrow-minded and intriguing Queen Yolanda (Helen Lindsay).

I won't reveal anymore. You will have to see for your selves. The sound is, as usual, a bit off. But if you are a fan of Sir Christopher Lee's, and want to see him in a real high end production when it comes to acting - you simply cannot miss out on this. You just cannot.

IMDB on it.

Enjoy!

Part 1 :

Part 2:

The return of Captain Invincible!

Sometimes you stumble on wonderful things. This for example.
The Return of Captain Invincible (1983) Film on You Tube. I don't suppose It'll stay up for long, so you better check it out ASAP if you havn't seen it. Name your poison! I'm cracking up!!! :-)

The Four Musketeers

I hadn't seen The Four Musketeers (1974) before. Just some clips on You Tube, and from those came to the conclusion that I *had* to have this film. If not for anything else, so for the fencing scenes.

To be honest, the story is wearing a bit thin - but who cares? It is funny, there is action, and a string of absolutely marvellous actors and actresses.

And above all: There are scenes with men who can fight without any digital effects what so ever. Sir Christopher is the a perfect schemer with his eyepatch and Faye Dunaway by his side. They make a great couple. The budoir scene with a bleeding Rochefort make me rewind the film and watch again. And again.

The film is on the border of beeing too much of slapstick. But that is OK, I guess. After all, it is adventure and not serious drama. That scene with Michael York and Sir Christopher out fencing on the slippery ice is make me laugh out loud. They are both really struggling to maintain dignity - all in vain.

The last scenes, the reasons why I bought this film in the first place, are impressive. D'Atagnagne and Rochefort are growling and panting just as they are running a Marathon. Exhausted, they wobble around each other and of shere tiredness, start making mistakes, lowering the guard.

(Here, Sir Christopher teaches you to fight properly with such a sword. "It's a leathal killing weapon! And it is extremely heavy!" Got to love that man.)

Soo pleased to finally have seen this film. I think I ought to write a special post on all Sir Christophers deaths on screen. We sure have seen a lot of them. I just wish he could live - for once. Here is more on the musketeers.

More singing

Just. Listen. To. This. Voice.

1941

Ha! Watching 1941. It is sooo much better than I remember!

Release-night it was shredded by the critics, but this is wonderful, just absolute mayhem!

In the extra material the creators and Spielberg remembers how disastrous the showing-night was, a pure "humiliation". "When you experience something like that, you know it's for a purpose". At the pre-showings, Spielberg remembers, the audience sat with their ears covered. Covering eyes, that he had seen, but covering ears... "I realised I was in hot water by then!"

Loud? By todays' standards that is just nuts. 

I  love the scenes from the sub. Lee speaking German, Mifune Japanese. Characters hating eachother, a great deal of slapstick. A great scene of his was cut from the final film:

When they have captured Hollis and brought him to the sub, they want him to talk. Lee comes in with an instrument in his hands, chains and all, to make us associate to a torturing device. After leaving the room, he puts it together into a coat-hanger.

 That scene was cut from 1941 since the audience didn't laugh, but Spielberg filmed it many times over in other films, and eventually it ended up in Indiana Jones.

In Tall, Dark and Gruesome, edition of 1999, Christopher Lee writes: "Now 1941 has become a cult movie, a phrase that covers the a multitude of sins on the part of critics and distributors, meaning that years pass before they get the point and the audience is given a proper chance.

Once we'd all arrived in vintage 1941 cars at the Los Angeles premiere, 1941 had the stickiest of all sticky starts. At the end of the showing there was a rare and peculiar silence. Next day the critics seized their chance to flay Steven, their golden boy. I've never seen such harsh reviews."

And that must say a lot.

25 minutes of Lee on The Wicker Man!

A somewhat blurry video, a 25 minutes of interview with Sir Lee and Robin Hardy on The Wicker Man! I am SO incredibly PLEASED to have found this interview! 

"A brilliant and incredible film - and I don't use those words lightly." - Sterling Smith on "Critic's Choise"

Title sequence - TMTGG

"To us, Mister Bond. We are the best!"

He has a powerful weapon
He charges a million a shot,
An assassin that's second to none,
The man with the golden gun.

Lurking in some darkened doorway,
Or crouched on a roof top somewhere,
In the next room, or this very one
The man with the golden gun.

Love is required whenever he's hired,
It comes just before the kill.
No-one can catch him, no hit man can match him
For his million dollar skill.

One golden shot means another poor victim,
Has come to a glittering end,
For a price, he'll erase anyone
The man with the golden gun.

His eye may be on you or me.
Who will he bang?
We shall see. Oh yeah!

Love is required whenever he's hired,
It comes just before the kill.
No-one can catch him, no hit man can match him
For his million dollar skill.

One golden shot means another poor victim,
Has come to a glittering end,
If you want to get rid of someone,
The man with the golden gun
Will get it done
He'll shoot anyone
With his golden gun!


 

Some golden music

If you are a Mac-person - here is a link to buy the music from The Man With The Golden Gun. "Nick Nack! Tabasco!!!"

The King of all cult movies

I have this special edition of The Wicker Man, (1973) containing both the uncut verision, such as the film should have been - and the theatrical version. This is the King of all cult movies, and damn it, it is scary. "OH GOD! OH JESUS CHRIST" makes my flesh crawl. That seargants howling on the top of that hill is horrendous. Call me a whimp, but that is the way it is.

First time I saw the film (about ten years ago) I felt I had taken part in something extremely disturbing. I havn't seen it since.

When I resaw it last night, that aha-surprise moment was gone, but the feelings of taking part in something I shouldn't have, was still there. "A martyrs death" - and by that white shirt we all know: This is going to be bloody awful.

The most creeping feeling is the realisation that these people don't see anything good or anything evil in anything - it just is. The set of values we otherwise take for granted (You shall not kill) is simply just not there. Not because the people are evil or overpowered by an evil demon, but because they have learned other things.

Sometimes this film is described as a film about a sect, and sure, you could see it like that. You should't be too political about these things, but in this day and age someone could very well see it as a symbol of a downfall of the christan civlization.

I prefer just to watch Lord Summerisle in kilt and forget about all that.

Makes me less uneasy.


Additional note: 
My collectors number on that special edition box shown above is number 34380.
This guy has number 6000 something...

 

"He has a powerful weapon..."

New exhibition in London. More than 400 items are shown.
James Bond props - and of course the Golden Gun! :-)
Opened last week at Barbican - goes on until September! ITN reports.

The Daily Mail reports here.

Lovely interview on Wogan

"Chuck Norris is absolutely leathal. When you get in front of a camera with a man like that, its every man for himself, I can assure you!"

Mr Wogan actually looks a bit intimidated.

This is the song from Captain invincible, which Lee sings in the beginning of this interview, in full. Hold on, it is absoutely hysterical!!

Jinnah!

It was a miracle that this film was ever completed, due to the difficult political circumstances surrounding the filming. So states CL in his autobiography. The fight goes on in the You Tube commentars well. According to himself, one of the most imoportant movies he ever has done.

"To Chris, you are the best in the biz"

In 1978 Lee appeared in Saturday Night Live. That I did know. But here are some excerpts from that show, and Lee talking about it. Great stuff! From the documentary The Many Faces of Christopher Lee. Beware of advert, 30 sec.

"To Chris
You are the best in the biz.

From
John Belushi, second best"

On acting

Acting is "Dreaming to order". Excerpt from the documentary The Many Faces of Christopher Lee. Really lovely put.

Sir Lee on Dracula, Lugosi and such

Lee with a replica of Bela Lugosis ring. Thoughts on why he did not say anything during the film Dracula- Prince of darkness: He read the script. From the documentary The Many Faces of Christopher Lee.