Screen legend Christopher Lee was widely regarded as one of the hardest working actors in the business, with more films under his belt than most actors could possibly dream of. He continued to act well into his 90's, before he passed away. During that time, he participated in productions both great and small; humbling, and grandiose.
We've decided to honor the late acting legend by running down a list of his highest-rated films, as per IMDb. It's a showcase of Lee's best work across a variety of genres, and serves as a reminder of just how incredible an actor he truly was.
Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King (2003) / 8.9
Both Christopher Lee and his fans were upset that Saruman's scenes following his defeat at Orthanc were cut from the theatrical version of Return Of The King. However, they were restored in glorious detail for the Extended Edition of the film, which remains the single-best way to watch all three films, to this day.
Although Saruman's death in Return Of The King is drastically different from the novel source material, many fans believed it to be an improvement on the story. Of course, Lee churned out a short, but very memorable performance that ended with his character impaled on a spike.
Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring (2001) / 8.8
Lee made his big-screen Lord Of The Rings debut in the first chapter, The Fellowship Of The Ring where he played the wicked wizard Saruman with precise excellence. Lee summoned the best bits of his villainous roles throughout the decades, and distilled them down into a performance worthy of the ages.
Saruman would first start out as a seemingly benevolent wizard with close ties to Gandalf the Grey, before audiences quickly learned that he had been corrupted by the dark lord Sauron, and his own desire for the One Ring.
Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers (2002) / 8.7
While Saruman played a role in Mordor's attempt to destroy the world of men, that task would be greatly expanded on in the second film of the trilogy, The Two Towers. Here, Saruman takes center stage as the primary villain who orchestrates an attack on the vulnerable nation of Rohan.
It was a chance for Christopher Lee to expand on the performance he gave in Fellowship, and turn the character of Saruman into a key character who held the fate of mankind in his clutches. Luckily, his plan was thwarted, putting an end to his schemes once and for all.
Jinnah (1998) / 8.0
Christopher Lee was no stranger to playing a variety of roles that had nothing to do with iconic monsters or wicked villains. In fact, his performance as Mohammed Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan remains one of his absolute best.
Here, Lee throws his Hammer horror past into the bin, in favor of playing a straight-up honest man looking to broker peace between a Hindu majority and a Muslim minority, and he does so with a performance full of conviction, elegance and style.
Olympus Force: The Key (1988) / 7.9
It's hard to imagine how Olympus Force: The Key managed a 7.9 rating on IMDb, as it would barely hold up with audiences, by today's standards. It made practically no money at the box office, and has largely been forgotten as a movie about Olympian Gods who go up against a group of terrorists trying to destroy the world.
As usual, Lee turns in a top-notch performance as the character of Filly, injecting a bit of comedy into a role which he'd later repeat in 1990's Gremlins 2: The New Batch. It's a testament to the commitment Lee gave to every one of his roles, regardless of budget.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012) / 7.8
Although Peter Jackson's Hobbit follow-up trilogy would fail to live up to the unprecedented critical success of Lord Of The Rings, audiences were still happy to see Christopher Lee return to his role as Saruman. Here, Lee plays the white wizard as he was long before his fall into tyranny and corruption.
Still, Lee manages to inject elements of Saruman's arrogance and stubbornness into the role, which helped bridge the two depictions of the characters, and provide some foreshadowing. Unfortunately, by 2012, Lee was beginning to slow down both physically and mentally, which was difficult for the 90-year old actor to hide. He fought through it to deliver another knockout performance.
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge Of The Sith (2005) / 7.5
Star Wars fans were all-too-happy to see the iconic Lee take on a role in a galaxy far, far away, and Lee seemed to enjoy it, as well. Although his role as Count Dooku would be featured primarily in Attack Of The Clones, it was Revenge Of The Sith that would garner better critical praise.
Lee only shows up for one scene in the film to participate in a rematch with Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker, whom he soundly defeated in the previous movie. Fans were a bit sad to see him check out so early, but Lee's performance will live on forever.
Hugo (2011) / 7.5
Martin Scorcese's uber-ambitious fantasy film Hugo may not have raked in the box office dollars the director hoped for, but it was praised by critics for its classic-style story and an excellent cast, including Christopher Lee as Monsieur Labisse.
In the film, Labisse gifts young Hugo Cabret with a Robin Hood book originally intended for his godson after the two physically bump into each other, causing Labisse to drop his books.
The Wicker Man (1973) / 7.5
Lee's performance as Lord Summerisle in the classic thriller The Wicker Man continues to stand the test of time as one of his most iconic, and beloved roles. This film about a pagan cult that lures a Christian police officer to a remote island in search of a missing girl is as charming as it is disturbing.
Here, Christopher Lee pulls out all the stops, and mixes comedy, prestige and ominous foreshadowing properly befitting a man of Lord Summerisle's stature. By the time the final horrifying scene takes place, audiences understand just how unhinged and full of denial the character truly is.
The Last Unicorn (1982) / 7.5
Christopher Lee had high praise for Peter S. Beagle's novel The Last Unicorn, and he was more than happy to lend his voice talents to the film adaptation as King Haggard, a madman who tasks the terrifying Red Bull with gathering all the unicorns in the world for himself.
Lee even went so far as to compare his performance in the film as the closest he'd ever get to playing King Lear, during an Australian television interview. As the camera swung to catch Beagle's stunned reaction, Christopher caught his gaze, and winked in a sign of utmost respect for the author.