Christopher Lee Has Risen From the Grave

At 93 years of age it could be said that he had a good innings, but nevertheless the loss of legendary actor, Christopher Lee is a shock. He seemed immortal, had been around forever and was one of those who would always be around. His work spans the decades, crossing genres, taking in everything from schlock horror to Star Wars, Lord of the Rings and beyond. He's resided both in Baker Street and Baskerville Hall and even recorded both opera and heavy metal music. The actor celebrated his 93rd birthday only a few weeks ago, and the as soon as I heard the news of his passing all I could think was, 'Wow, he's going to look freaky in his coffin!'



'I've seen many men die right in front of me. I've seen the worst that human beings can do to one another. the results of torture, mutilation and seeing someone blown to pieces by a bomb.' Christopher Lee talking about his experiences during the second world war.

Lee appeared in over 200 movies, many of then genuine classics - The Man with the Golden Gun, The Whicker Man, Lord of the Rings, but it is perhaps for his work with the Hammer studios where he became something of a double act with another much missed British horror icon, Peter Cushing that he will be best remembered.

'I was attached to the SAS from time to time but we are forbidden – former, present, or future – to discuss any specific operations. Let's just say I was in Special Forces and leave it at that.' Christopher Lee


Following a highly colorful and distinguished war record, Lee's entry into film started in 1946, . He

was initially turned down by several studios, being told he was too tall to be an actor but he was signed as a contract player to The Rank Organization and made his screen debut in future James Bond director, Terence Young's Corridor of Mirrors (1947). Lee had only one line in the movie - a satirical shaft meant to qualify the lead's bravura." - nevertheless he made an impact on the director who would later recommend him to friend, Terence Fisher for Hammer's 1957, The Curse of Frankenstein. The film was a huge success and then a year later Lee portrayed Count Dracula in Hammer's Dracula (AKA, The Horror of Dracula) and was arguably the screen's greatest ever Dracula, in the minds of many, including my own,  Lee eclipsed Bela Lugosi's portrayal of the character and remains the definitive screen vampire. During his time with Hammer Lee played many iconic roles, Frankenstein's Monster, Dracula, The Mummy, Rasputin and even Henry Baskerville alongside Peter Cushing as Sherlock Holmes. Lee himself would play Sherlock Holmes in 1962's,  Sherlock Holmes and The Deadly Necklace. But Lee's association with Holmes doesn't end there and he also played, Mycroft Holmes (Sherlock's brother) in Billy Wilder's The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1970).

Lee's work with Hammer is enough to guarantee him screen immortality but there was so much more to the actor - 1973's The Whicker Man is an all time classic and the actor also worked in Spainish films but left after discovering he had unknowingly narrated a soft porn movie. That film was Jess Franco's Eugenie (1970)

' 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 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!' Christopher Lee



In 1973 Lee played alongside Roger Moore in the James Bond movie, The Man with the Golden Gun and perhaps provided his best screen villain since Dracula, The movie may not be one of the best in the Bond franchise but Lee is mesmerizing on screen.

" In Fleming's novel he's just a West Indian thug, but in the film he's charming, elegant, amusing, lethal.^'   Christopher Lee

That same year Lee appeared on the cover of Paul McCartney's Band on the Run album cover and then in 1977, tired of only being offered roles in horror movies Lee relocated to America. His first role was in Airport 77 and later Steven Spielberg would cast him in 1941. In more recent years Lee turned up in Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings as well as The Hobbit. He also put his stamp on another classic movie franchise when he appeared in the Star War prequels. In 2010 Lee took the unlikely move of recording an heavy metal album but nevertheless, Charlemagne: By the Sword and the Cross, was both a critical and commercial success.

Lee's last role was in the video game,  Deus Ex Machina 2  in which Lee narrated the piece in the role of the programmer.


Christopher Lee died in hospital after a short illness but people like Christopher Lee are never truly gone, because they will live on forever through their work. He will continue to thrill movie fans for as long as there are movie fans and as I look at my considerable DVD collection of his work I am reminded that, Christopher Lee has truly risen from the grave.

Tainted Stats

Weekly Stats Report: 1 Jun - 7 Jun 2015
Project: THE TAINTED ARCHIVE
URL: http://tainted-archive.blogspot.com/

Summary

	Mon	Tues	Wed	Thur	Fri	Sat	Sun	Total	Avg
Pageloads	102	113	70	63	69	96	47	560	80
Unique Visits	100	92	68	55	56	83	46	500	71
First Time Visits	99	88	67	50	53	79	45	481	69
Returning Visits	1	4	1	5	3	4	1	19	3

Catch up with Granny

"Cannot stop reading these books just love them so funny and just gets you and pulls you in. Warning once you read 1 you will have to read them all." Amazon Review

Granny Smith Investigates


Granny Smith

A hit on Amazon Kindle

Murder’s never been so much fun.
" I liked the story, entertaining, easy to read."
"laugh out loud funny and Granny Smith is a wonderful invention"
"Granny Smith complete with pipe , what a vision... proves where there is a way she will take try it...enjoyed this book easy reading ."


US
UK


It had been a while since I have read the likes of the character Miss Marple from Agatha Christie works. Now Granny Smith has fulfilled that void in my reading life. Granny Smith is not exactly old to be a Granny by heart but irrespective of that, everyone has been calling her Granny. She is a young at heart woman who has a trait to be curious about everything that is happening around her. So when her friend Sheila gets engaged to Nigel, who is younger than her, Granny Smith gets suspicious. The following murder in the town makes Granny even more curious and on she follows the clues of the murder, much to the chagrin of Detective Inspector Miskins.

It starts with a murder at the Village Fete. Unfortunately for the murder, she happens to be Granny Smith's next door neighbour and when the poor husband of the victim is arrested, Granny Smith leaps on her bike into action. With a surveillance team comprising of long suffering husband and gay son, she is on the case!!
A lovely easy read and a good plot- a real winner :)

Tainted Stats

Weekly Stats Report: 13 Apr - 19 Apr 2015
Project: THE TAINTED ARCHIVE
URL: http://tainted-archive.blogspot.com/

Summary

	Mon	Tues	Wed	Thur	Fri	Sat	Sun	Total	Avg
Pageloads	88	103	72	65	84	77	77	566	81
Unique Visits	81	92	62	64	66	68	71	504	72
First Time Visits	74	85	58	63	65	67	68	480	69
Returning Visits	7	7	4	1	1	1	3	24	3

The Row of Thrones

The Sunday Times this weekend posted a rather bitchy overview of tonight's episode of Game of Thrones after Sky Atlantic seemingly snubbed the newspaper's TV critics from advance screenings of the opening episode of season five -  The Sunday Times summed up the first episode with the following paragraph:

 G.... Of Th..... We don’t know what we did to upset them, but the folk at Sky Atlantic decided the Sunday Times TV desk should not be invited to the launch of their latest series of the blood, sex and dragons saga. The channel rarely makes any effort to keep us onside and we use Twitter to find out what it is up to. We have no idea if this week’s episode is any good, but we asked people who were at the launch and their response was: “It’s ok, nothing great, bit of sex, but not much happens this week.” More updates as we get them. 

Maybe the Sunday Times should have illegally downloaded the episode which was leaked to the Internet a week or so ago and has become the most downloaded illegal torrent file in the history of the world wide web.

Tainted Stats

Weekly Stats Report: 6 Apr - 12 Apr 2015
Project: THE TAINTED ARCHIVE
URL: http://tainted-archive.blogspot.com/

Summary

	Mon	Tues	Wed	Thur	Fri	Sat	Sun	Total	Avg
Pageloads	84	104	108	84	93	107	73	653	93
Unique Visits	79	97	105	66	85	93	67	592	85
First Time Visits	74	94	101	65	84	93	63	574	82
Returning Visits	5	3	4	1	1	0	4	18	3

The Hundred Year Old man who climbed out of a window and disappeared

What a wonderful movie - think Forrest Gump as a hundred year old, explosive expert and you pretty much have the theme of this movie. Mind you, it's much better than Forrest Gump ever was, though no less ridiculous. It's also a heck of a lot more entertaining. The film is based on a bestselling novel by Jonas Jonasson, and I must admit to having been out of touch - I'd never heard of the book which was Sweden's biggest selling title in 2010 and since has gone on to become an international bestseller, nor was I aware of this movie version until I saw it as a discount title in the DVD section of my local ASDA. Strange given that it's the third highest grossing Swedish movie of all time, coming only behind The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and The Girl who Played with Fire.

I guess I've not been following movie releases the way I used to - still, I'm glad I've finally discovered the movie which I loved. So impressed was I that no sooner had the end credits run than I downloaded the source novel to my Paperwhite.

It's a scream from start to finish - from the moment 100 year old Allan Karlsson climbs out of the window of his nursing him in order to escape his birthday celebrations, the film doesn't really put a foot wrong. If you like your comedy on the black side then you'll enjoy this.