22nd Calgary Underground Film Festival

April 17-27, 2025 Globe Cinema

12th CUFF.Docs Documentary Film Festival

November 20-24, 2024 Globe Cinema

The Life And Deaths Of Christopher Lee

United Kingdom, 2024: 103 minutes: Canadian Premiere
Globe Cinema
Nov. 24 6:30 PM Buy
P4054895_DC_CLEARED_copy
Globe Cinema
Sun, Nov 24 6:30 PM Buy

description

For eight decades and across almost 300 films, one man defined what it was to be a screen villain for generations of cinema-goers. This is the unbelievable true story of the man behind the macabre, Dracula.

Christopher Lee’s story would be fascinating, even if it only went as far as audiences already know; that of an iconic actor who defined the role of Dracula and went from being the star of the 1960s Hammer horror films to a distinguished career encompassing the 007, STAR WARS, and LORD OF THE RINGS franchises. But there is so much more to the life and career of Sir Christopher Lee. Taking the form of an elaborate string puppet designed and built by Arch Model Studios (creator of the puppets for Wes Anderson's FANTASTIC MR FOX and Tim Burton's FRANKENWEENIE), Sir Christopher himself guides us through the wild and unlikely story of his 93-year journey from Italian aristocratic roots through his wartime experiences in the Finnish and British military, his post-war Nazi-hunting spy adventures (perhaps making him the inspiration for James Bond, which was written by his cousin), and his bizarre and unequalled, acting career which culminated in a Guinness World Record for highest number of screen performances.

OFFICIAL SELECTION
Fantastic Fest 2024
London Fright Fest 2024
Splat!FilmFest International Fantastic Film Festival 2024

DIRECTOR'S BIO
Jon Spira has made three feature length documentaries - ANYONE CAN PLAY GUITAR, ELSTREE 1976, and HOLLYWOOD BULLDOGS. In 2022, he wrote and directed the 4-part documentary series REEL BRITANNIA which received wide acclaim and was nominated for a prestigious BROADCAST award for best documentary.

CJSW Curated Playlist

press for The Life And Deaths Of Christopher Lee

"Spira’s excellent film does both Lee’s life and his work full justice."
- Irish Independent
"In addition to being creative and informative, in the end, the movie is unexpectedly poignant and sweet.... This is definitely something for any Christopher Lee fan to put on your watchlist."
- Ain't It Cool News

details

Biography / Music / Documentary / Art

English
103 minutes

credits

Director
Jon Spira

Screenwriter
Jon Spira

Cinematographer
Simon Vickery

Cast
Joe Dante
Peter Jackson
John Landis
Christopher Lee
Peter Serafinowicz

community

Community Partner

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