Peter Cushing is, sadly, no longer with us. But there is no doubt he will continue to touch millions around the world. He is known as "The gentleman of horror", and that's perhaps the best way to succinctly describe him-a real gentleman. They don't make em' like this anymore folks.
Peter Cushing came into my life when I was 11. I remember watching the first Star Wars movie, and thinking that Darth Vader was really cool and all, but so was that skinny old guy in the military uniform.
I thought his part should have been bigger, he didn't get enough screen time in my opinion. This Moff Tarkin guy was so good at being evil, but there was always this "gentlemanliness" that was present as well. I recall thinking I'd like to see if that actor was in anything else. Little did I know at the time, Peter Cushing's acting career had spanned decades. A couple years later, when I was 13 or so, I saw him in an old Hammer Horror movie, along with his pal Christopher Lee, and this was the start of my love for these two brilliant men and the movies they where in.
Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee may not have been the most popular crushes for teenage girls in the 90s, but (as usual) I didn't care what was popular. I loved tracking down VHSs of the movies they where in, and had managed to buy or rent a good many. I especially liked the old Hammer Horror films they where in, the Frankenstein and Dracula series' being my favorites. These films where already quite old when I saw them, but I enjoyed them nonetheless. By the standards then and now, these old horror movies where fairly tame, sometimes a bit cheesy, but I think that's part of their charm really. They aren't filled with the over the top, in-your-face violence & gore that is more common in horror movies from the last couple decades. Even when the movie itself isn't very good, it's still enjoyable to watch Peter Cushing and/or Christopher Lee do their stuff.
The roles Peter Cushing is best known for, (aside from Moff Tarkin in Star Wars) would probably be Baron Frankenstein and Professor Van Helsing. No one can even come close to how he portrayed these parts. Peter Cushing was in 6 Hammer Frankenstein films, and 5 of the Hammer Dracula films. He was also in a good many more (well over 100) movies, horror and otherwise.
Peter Cushing, where he still alive, would have turned 100 years old last Sunday. He died in 1994, at the age of 81, which is still a respectable age to reach. Christopher Lee has been quoted as saying that Peter died because he was too good for the world. I would agree with that. There will never be another Peter Cushing, he simply can't be replicated or replaced. The world lost something special that August day in 1994. Luckily, Peter Cushing can still be remembered and enjoyed through his films, words, and other little bits he left behind.
My introduction to Christopher Lee came when I watched him play the title role in one of Hammer's Dracula movies. Prior to this, I had never thought of vampires being handsome or sexy. But this was what Christopher Lee brought to the role of Dracula, and vampires would never be the same. This was back when vampires used to be bad-ass. (Yes, I'm lookin' at you modern day sparkly sissypires) Christopher Lee's Dracula was menacing, yet gentlemanly. He could quickly go from being courteous and polite, to animalistic and blood thirsty. Hammer tended to inject some sex into their films (often called "Sexploitation"). While the earlier books and films on vampires would hint at sex, Hammer's Dracula oozed it. The first film in Hammer's Dracula series, "The Horror of Dracula" came out in 1958, and was quite shocking and risque for the times. Lee's Dracula was lean, mean, and sensual. The women who are his "victims" don't seem to mind having him bite their necks and drink their blood. In fact, they quite clearly enjoy it. They wait for him with bosoms heaving in anticipation, exposing their necks, then closing their eyes and sighing in ecstasy when he goes in for a drink. Nor does Lee's Dracula tend to just rush in and bite like an overeager teenage boy, but engages in a bit of foreplay first, caressing and nuzzling his "victim" before taking a bite of their necks. As a 13 year old girl, I'd never had a movie give me that "special tingly feeling", but I'll admit to being very jealous of some of the women in these Dracula films. Now, as a grown women in her 30s, I still find myself tingly and jealous whenever I watch one of these movies. While Bela Lugosi is probably the most well known Dracula for many, Christopher Lee was the definitive Dracula in my opinion. The role might not have been his favorite, and he rarely got enough screen time or lines in these films, but I still think Hammer's Dracula series remains the better out of all the Dracula films out there. Not to bash Bela Lugosi or Gary Oldman, but Christopher Lee was and always will be the king of vampires.
Most young people now days know Sir (he was knighted, of course) Christopher Lee for his most recent popular roles as Saruman in Lord of the Rings, or Count Dooku in the newer Star Wars movies, but he's actually been in hundreds or movies, TV shows, and plays. He has a very deep, distinctive voice that is easily recognized, and has quite a singing voice. At the age of 91 now, he's also the oldest person to have recorded a heavy metal album (make that 2 heay metal albums, just released the second- http://www.myspace.com/charlemagnemusical). How fucking cool is that? Okay, I could sit here all day and type all kinds of cool factoids about Christopher Lee, but it'd take forever, so if you don't know much about Christopher Lee beyond things you've seen him in recently, go do some googling and you'll get a better idea of how awesome he is.
So, there was my little birthday tribute to two kick-ass gentlemen. One is sadly missed, the other still going strong. If you where unfamiliar with who either of these two gents are, I hope I've encouraged you to seek out more info on them, and that they can enrich your life as much as they did mine.
Peter Cushing, where ever you are now (most assuredly somewhere really awesome), you are missed, but Happy Birthday!
Christopher Lee, please continue to kick ass. You know those "most interesting man in the world" beer commercials? They should be talking about you. Happy Birthday!
Mood: Happy
Music: Journey-Don't Stop Believin'
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