F Is for Fangs
No big surprise here. What else could we pick?
Fangs, first and foremost, are REVEALED. Monsters (like Lon Chaney Jr.’s Wolfman) whose fangs are visible all the time have a distinct disadvantage over vampires in this department, because their fangs can never take on that (to state things baldly) sexual charge that the vampire fang, suddenly and surprisingly revealed, always carries.
Bela Lugosi built this car from the tires up, of course, but all the same, my feeling is that Christopher Lee managed to take the suddenly revealed fang-face a step further. When Lee bared his teeth in the Hammer Dracula films, he did so with an authority so convincingly elemental that you just knew that, whatever he may have said to the contrary, even Peter Cushing took his hat off to him a little bit. Lee, in these films, was an animal in human clothing, and when his true identity was revealed he had a way of reveling in this fact – going in a moment from secret monster to showboat – that makes him, for me, the most definitively charismatic monster in cinema.
That sudden, prideful fang-face of Lee’s is echoed in all kinds of later horror films, but the most interesting reappearance of it, to my mind, occurs in the scene in The Exorcist when the possessed Regan reveals her true demonic colors to the house-calling medical team. Regan makes an expression in this scene (fangless, it’s true) that is pure channeled Christopher Lee.
Biggest waste of fang-plastic in a horror movie? I hate to pick on Michael Landon, but I’d have to nominate I Was a Teenage Werewolf. Cover those things up! They’re so un-scary they’re positively indecent.
Fangtastic!
YES. Totally agree with this one--best Dracula ever.
Now that Hammer Horror is supposed to be going back into production, what about a new version of Dracula with Lee as Van Helsing? Good idea? Bad idea? What do you guys think?
This is on the vampire topic subject so hope y'all don't mind this question.
Has a movie been made closely adapted from the book Lilith authored by ancient fantasy writer George MacDonald (he inspired C.S. Lewis prior to C.S.L.'s Christianity conversion)? I stumbled upon MacDonald's works by accident decades ago in a hole in the wall used bookstore. (Lilith is a female vampire and it's an excellent book with a "bite!")
Did some late night engine searching the Lilith topic and I dug up a couple of Lilith titles, different authors, movies..but nothing directly mirroring MacDonald's masterpiece. However, he may have in some way inspired the others. There was even a 1964 Lilith movie with Warren Beatty (Lilith character's insane).Then something of maybe 70's acclaim. Thanks for induldging me. Good question, Court. Lee's so diverse. I didn't realize he was still alive.
Well, the fangs in "Fearless Vampire Killers" looked pretty off. It's a great movie, inspired a musical, but sometimes you can't concentrate on anything BUT the fangs.
Same goes for an episode of "Bigfoot and Wildboy" with a vamp girl. Every time she is supposed to be evil, you see the fang dentures protruding like they're about to fall out-
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Yfj72kVwzxE
Sommers, however, just decided to have them CGI for one cool effect-
http://www.vanhelsingfan.com/pictures/displayimage.php?album=2&pos=65
Now THAT is one terrifying vamp bite.
i still say bela lugosi was the best dracula but christoper lee was a great vampire too.
I love Bela Lugosi, he and Boris Karloff got me into horror when I was a snot-nosed 6-year-old. With that said, I agree that Christopher Lee was the best Dracula. The debate over which is better, Universal or Hammer, I could never say one is better than the other because they both bring such great things to the table.
When the announcement was made a few months ago that Hammer Films was coming back, I was filled with joy, but it makes me wonder something; will this revival be about the Hammer of old or focused on cashing in on a familiar name with crappy remakes?
Anyways, Court, I think that would be a great idea for Christopher Lee to return to Hammer as Van Helsing. AX, you didn't know that Lee was still alive? Hahaha. Have you not seen Lord of the Rings? He's also going to be in some sort of re-imagining or whatever of The Wicker Man (with a new title) from the guy who did the original. I don't know, that whole thing has me confused on what is going on.
Malice/others: I'm thrilled he's still alive! Thought I recalled reading he passed away not that long ago...glad he's still around and never want to start any rumors. Must be forty something brain fog on my part. Oops.
The Fearless Vampire Killers It's Totally Funny If Your A Gearge
Romero Fan And Peter Cushing As Van Helsing Allway's Played
A Real Awsome Role...Christoper Lee Played The Part As Being
Dracula Real Well Then Any Other's I Have Seen. I Do Hope That
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