Christopher Lee

Tim Burton Talks FRANKENWEENIE, BEETLEJUICE 2, BIG EYES and a PINOCCHIO Film with Robert Downey Jr.

by Christina Radish    Posted: May 9th, 2012 at 9:00 am

The black and white, stop-motion animated 3D film Frankenweenie, from director Tim Burton and based on the ideas in his 1984 live-action short, is a heart-warming tale about a boy and his beloved dog.  After unexpectedly losing Sparky, young Victor (voiced by Charlie Tahan) sews him back together and harnesses the power of science to bring his best friend back to life, but quickly faces unintended and sometimes monstrous consequences for his actions.  The voice cast also includes Catherine O’Hara, Martin Short, Martin Landau, Atticus Shaffer and Winona Ryder.

During an early press day for the film, in which we got the chance to preview nearly 30 minutes of the film, director/producer Tim Burton talked about expanding the original story from his short, where the idea originally came from, casting actors that he hadn’t worked with in a while to voice some of the characters, how the stop-motion medium has changed over the years, his hope that younger audiences will want to explore the monsters that he’s paying tribute to in the film, and post-converting to 3D.  He also talked about the fact that Seth Grahame-Smith is working on writing Beetlejuice 2 and that he might be interested in getting involved depending on what he thinks of the script, the rumor about him doing a Pinocchio movie with Robert Downey Jr., and that Big Eyes is in the works, but that you never know what will be ready to go next.  Check out what he had to say after the jump.

DARK SHADOWS Featurette Highlights Christopher Lee’s Role, Cinematic Vampire History, and Shows Original Series Cast Members

by Dave Trumbore    Posted: April 26th, 2012 at 5:43 pm

With a cast that sports Johnny Depp, Eva Green, Chloe Grace Moretz, Jackie Earle Haley, Helena Bonham Carter and Michelle Pfeiffer, it’s easy to lose Christopher Lee in the mix.  This new Dark Shadows featurette reminds us that Lee is a consummate master of the horror genre and can boast a role that will forever be cemented in cinematic history.  There’s a nice visitation of classic (ie non-Twilight) vampire movies that serve as inspiration for Depp’s version of Barnabas Collins, an imprisoned vampire who is awakened in the 1970s and must protect his dysfunctional descendants.  The film, directed by Tim Burton, also stars Gulliver McGrath, Bella Heathcote, Ray Shirley, and Jonny Lee Miller. Dark Shadows opens May 11th.  Hit the jump to check out the featurette.

Christopher Lee Talks THE HOBBIT, HUGO and DARK SHADOWS

by Dave Trumbore    Posted: December 29th, 2011 at 4:34 pm

In a Christmas address by the incomparable Christopher Lee, the actor remarked on his completed works of 2011 (including a tongue-in-cheek clarification of his role in The Wicker Tree). More notably, Lee also touched on his role in Hugo and his working relationship with director Martin Scorsese, his own personal vitality (Lee will turn 90 in 2012) and his work in Dark Shadows with Tim Burton and Johnny Depp. Oh and you might have been wondering about his reprisal of the role of Saruman in Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit movies. Not to worry as Lee goes into some detail about his involvement and it’s safe to say the actor’s work has been completed on both films. Hit the jump to check out the video.

First Trailer and Poster for THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: December 20th, 2011 at 6:51 pm

Finally, the first trailer for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey has been released. Peter Jackson returns to direct the adventure of young Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) who sets out on an adventure with a company of dwarves. This trailer really is like a warm embrace from an old friend. While most trailers this far out from release show very little in the way of footage, Jackson shows off a great deal. Freeman looks excellent as Bilbo, the dwarves are fantastic (they sing!), and the tag brought a big smile to my face. While a year is a very long time to wait, this snippet is a swell look into the wonder to come.

Hit the jump to check out the trailer. The film also stars Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving, Elijah Wood, Orlando Bloom, Andy Serkis, Luke Evans, Benedict Cumberbatch, Evangeline Lilly, and Stephen Fry.  The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey will be released on December 14, 2012.

New Featurette for Martin Scorsese’s HUGO

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: October 10th, 2011 at 12:28 pm

Earlier today, we reported that an unfinished cut of Martin Scorsese’s Hugo would be playing tonight at the New York Film Festival.  Now a new featurette has gone online and it makes me more excited to see the film than the trailer.  The visuals on display are fantastic and while I’m a little surprised that we’re getting two movies where a boy tries to unlock a mystery left by his deceased father, I’m betting Scorsese’s film will be the better one.  In the featurette, the legendary director is genuinely excited (as always) for his first 3D movie and I’m hoping there will be some positive buzz coming out of tonight’s screening.

Hit the jump to check out the featurette.  Hugo opens November 23rd and stars Chloe Moretz, Asa Butterfield, Jude Law, Ben Kingsley, Ray Winstone, Christopher Lee, and Sacha Baron Cohen.

SEASON OF THE WITCH Blu-ray Review

by Harrison Pierce    Posted: July 31st, 2011 at 5:54 am

You’ve got to hand it to Nicolas Cage: while age peers Brad Pitt and Sean Penn refuse to work on anything but highbrow, Malick-ian fare and Tom Cruise rejects any role that doesn’t reflect his Level VII OT superhuman awesomeness, Cage willingly rolls around in the muck of any and all genres, with even the most dubious of filmmaking talent. In the past year alone, he’s starred in the action/horror hybrid Drive Angry, the family friendly The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, the meta-comic book movie Kick-Ass and the gritty drama The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans. Seriously, you’ve got to love this guy for working so much. He’s like a hungry immigrant but with the net worth of his fatherland. (well, before back taxes).  Continued after the jump.

First Trailer for Martin Scorsese’s HUGO

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: July 14th, 2011 at 4:27 pm

It’s apparently official trailer day, as the first trailer for Martin Scorsese’s Hugo has just been released. The film, previously titled Hugo Cabret, marks the master director’s first foray into 3D as well as his first family-geared outing. I love the magical tone and sense of wonder Scorsese’s conjured up here, and it looks cute, but I don’t necessarily get a grandiose feeling from this first trailer. While his hand is very evident in the camera movements and overall feel of the shots, the footage seems a tad bit underwhelming. It may be the incongruous rock music that plays over 2/3’s of it, or the director may simply not want to reveal too much too soon. Either way, it’s hard to deny that the prospect of Scorsese, one of the foremost authorities on the history of cinema, tooling around with native 3D is pretty damn exciting.

Hit the jump to watch the trailer. The film stars Chloe Moretz, Asa Butterfield, Jude Law, Ben Kingsley, Ray Winstone, Christopher Lee and Sacha Baron Cohen. Hugo opens December 9^th, 2011.

Andy Serkis and Ian McKellen Join THE HOBBIT

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: January 10th, 2011 at 5:04 pm

Hot off the heels of the news that Elijah Wood will be reprising his role as Frodo in Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit movies, Andy Serkis and Ian McKellen are now set to reprise their roles of Gollum and Gandalf the Wizard, respectively, from The Lord of the Rings trilogy.  In addition to the casting of Serkis, Deadline reports that Christopher Lee (Saruman) and Ian Holm (old Bilbo Baggins) are also in talks to return to Middle Earth once again.

THR broke the news of McKellen’s return, and reports that the offer for Orlando Bloom to return as Legolas is still out, but it’s not yet known if a deal can be made before the film starts shooting. Production on both 3D films is set to begin in February in New Zealand. Martin Freeman stars as young Bilbo Baggins, with Cate Blanchett and Hugo Weaving also confirmed to appear. The Hobbit Part I is scheduled to be released in December 2012, with The Hobbit Part II set to follow in December 2013.

SEASON OF THE WITCH Review

by Bill Graham    Posted: January 7th, 2011 at 10:46 am

Season of the Witch stumbles out of the gates and continues down that path to a mediocre finale that spoils a decent twist with underwhelming special effects and clichés. The acting alone should have floated this period farce by director Dominic Sena, but it feels like Nicolas Cage and Ron Perlman are rowing against each other; Cage plods while Perlman charms and conjures laughter. The real shame is that this was filmed on beautiful foreign lands and briefly utilizes wonderfully gothic sets, yet is rather boring save for a thrilling albeit cheesy bridge-crossing scene. The fact that crossing a bridge is a high point in a sword and sorcery film should set off warning signs, but if you are still under Season of the Witch’s spell, hit the jump for the full review.

9 Movie Clips Plus an Exclusive TV Spot for SEASON OF THE WITCH

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: December 18th, 2010 at 8:59 am

With director Dominic Sena’s Season of the Witch opening on January 7, we’ve been given 9 movie clips and an exclusive TV spot.  Here’s the synopsis:

Nicolas Cage and Ron Perlman star in this supernatural action adventure about a heroic Crusader and his closest friend who return home after decades of fierce fighting, only to find their world destroyed by the Plague. The church elders, convinced that a girl accused of being a witch is responsible for the devastation, command the two to transport the strange girl to a remote monastery where monks will perform an ancient ritual to rid the land of her curse. They embark on a harrowing, action-filled journey that will test their strength and courage as they discover the girl’s dark secret and find themselves battling a terrifyingly powerful force that will determine the fate of the world.

Hit the jump to check out the movie clips and the TV spot:

Scorsese’s Next Now Called HUGO CABRET; Filming Commences and Full Cast Announced Which Includes Jude Law, Ray Winstone and Christopher Lee

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: June 29th, 2010 at 1:12 pm

Sony has just sent out a press release saying production has begun on Martin Scorsese’s first 3D movie Hugo Cabret and they’ve included the full cast.  What’s interesting about the press release is the title change.  The book is called The Invention of Hugo Cabret, but it looks like the studio is shortening it to just the final two words.

The other big news from the press release is the listing of the full cast.  While we already knew Ben Kingsley, Sacha Baron Cohen and Chloë Moretz were in the film, Scorsese has also landed Jude Law, Christopher Lee, Ray Winstone and Richard Griffiths.  Needless to say, this is a film we’ll be watching closely.  Hit the jump for more details and the full press release:

Hammer Films CEO Simon Oakes Discusses the Future of Horror Including LET ME IN, THE RESIDENT, LADY IN BLACK, More

by Jonah    Posted: March 13th, 2010 at 11:40 am

New Hammer Films CEO Simon Oakes recently sat down to chat about the rebirth of classic Horror House Hammer Films with a few online sites.  Oakes talked Hammer’s upcoming slate: Let Me In, the remake of critically acclaimed Let the Right One In;  The Resident, with a star studded cast including Christopher Lee, Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Hillary Swanks;  and Lady In Black based on the classic English novel of the same name.  Highlights include discussing what American audiences can expect from Let Me In versus Let the Right One In, why Hammer WON’T be making films that glorify torture, and what the return of Christopher Lee to Hammer (in The Resident) means to Oakes personally.  For fans of the genre who long to see it return to what it once was, Oakes offers exciting news, views, and insights into the future of Hammer.  It’s a fantastic extended interview that’s definitely worth a read.

To read the full transcript of the interview hit the link.

First Images of Simon Pegg and Andy Serkis in Director John Landis’ BURKE AND HARE

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: February 24th, 2010 at 11:16 pm

The first images of Simon Pegg and Andy Serkis in director John Landis’ Burke and Hare have hit the net.  We can thank the production for filming on location in Edinburgh for the photos.  Starring Pegg, Serkis, Isla Fisher, Jessica Hynes, Tom Wilkinson, Hugh Bonneville, Tim Curry and Sir Christopher Lee, the movie follows two 19th century grave-robbers who started murdering folks so they could cash in on the cadaver money when they sold the corpses to doctors who wanted to study anatomy.  What’s also interesting about the film is…it’s based on real events.

According to the Daily Mail:

The real-life Burke and Hare, who hailed from Ireland, were responsible for the deaths of at least 17 people from 1827 until 1828.  After murdering their victims, the pair then went on to sell the bodies to Dr Robert Knox, who dissected them in his anatomy classes at Barclay’s anatomy school in Surgeon’s Square.

Hit the jump for some photos from the set:

First Images from THE RESIDENT Starring Hilary Swank, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Lee Pace and Christopher Lee

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: January 17th, 2010 at 11:25 am

While Hammer Films The Resident doesn’t yet have a release date, we’ve landed a bunch of images from the  thriller that stars Hilary Swank, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Lee Pace and Christopher Lee.  While I didn’t know much about the film before landing these images, Hammer Films says The Resident is an erotic and sexy thriller in the vein of Disturbia and Fatal Attraction.  It’s written by Antti Jokinen, Robert Orr (Savior) and Erin Cressida Wilson (Fur, Secretary). Antti Jokinen also directs.  Here’s the short synopsis and after the jump are all the images:

After separating from her husband beautiful young Doctor Juliet begins a new life in Brooklyn. Her stunning, spacious loft apartment seems too good to be true and when mysterious occurrences lead her to believe she’s not alone Juliet discovers the unthinkable…someone is watching.

New ALICE IN WONDERLAND Trailer

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: December 16th, 2009 at 8:02 am

Disney has released a new trailer for Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland and you can check it out after the jump.  While the teaser trailer for Alice looked cool, this new trailer is definitely going to wow you with some pretty incredible visuals.  In fact, with this trailer, we’re finally getting a real taste of the movie and in my opinion…it looks like the perfect marriage between story and visuals.  Because if there was ever a place that Tim Burton was meant to bring to life, it’s the magical world of Wonderland.  Also, the way he’s making the film, with a mixture of live action, animation and CGI, I think it’s going to be amazing.  Check out the trailer and judge it for yourself:

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