Below is a thoroughly cool video retrospective of Christopher Lee as Dracula-- I have a special fondness for Lee's portrayal because aside from the long white hair, our "Sword of Dracula" Dracula was inspired by Lee's Dracula-- tall, cruel, a predator more than a lover. Lee is magnificent in the classic sense of the word. The first pitch described him as an ultimate Christopher Lee.
Here's what amazes me about Lee's Dracula-- just imagine the fact that in 1958, the only Dracula you would have really known would be Lugosi (with a few exceptions, but if you closed your eyes and thought "Dracula," you wouldn't think John Carradine.)
Lee's Dracula came around in 1958 and suddenly Lugosi had a real rival. Not a single performance has taken that stage in the public mind since, to join Lugosi and Lee. Oldman did a fine job, but his performance has now fallen to the same plane as Langella's 1979 turn.
Who will be the next iconic count? Is there room for one?
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