Christopher Lee is exceedingly underrated. The man is brilliant. I found out recently that he was the voice of King Haggard in my favorite childhood animated film, The Last Unicorn.
Same here. His voice production is absolutely magical; I found that out when I heard him read, on the BBC, some MR James horror stories I already knew and liked - and make them wholly new, merely by the way he read them.
And to look at it another way - can you think of another actor, however elderly and distinguished, who could have been a formidable enough opponent for Sir Ian McKellen as Gandalf?
I was just about to mention that. :) From what I saw of the behind-the-scenes footage on the extended versions of the films, both fine actors did extensive research in preparation for their roles. They had a lot of respect for J.R.R. Tolkien, and it certainly shows.
A powerful enough foil to the lead is a necessity for any movie. To mention a wholly different classic, the one flaw in the otherwise perfect Hollywood classic, Casablanca, is that Paul Henreid is not powerful enough to create a character who can be a suitable rival for Humphrey Bogart, deserve the devotion of Ingrid Bergman, and be feared by the Nazis as a natural leader. A decent, honourable person, yes; but they should have cast someone like Spencer Tracy. On the other hand, to have Lee facing McKellen in LOTR is exactly right.
Alive? Charlotte Rampling... although she is aged, she has aged well, and still has more beauty and presence than twenty of her colleagues. Lee, of course. McKellen, though as a human being I cannot stand him. Kenneth Branagh, although he is very much hit and miss. His Hamlet is typical of the man: full of brilliant moments, but goes completely insane at the end. Stephen Fry; unlike McKellen, he is brilliant as an actor, but also admirable as a human being. Robin Williams - I once watched him extemporize on a British TV interview show, and he was unbelievable - not just scene-stealing, scene grand larceny. Audrey Tatou - just to show that France still produces women with more charm and class than anywhere else. Can't think of anyone else just now.
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I shall take it as a reminder to see it again, when I have the opportunity. :) Besides, it is my father's favorite movie.
Question, somewhat related. Who are your favorite actors/actresses? Alive, that is.
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