Why did I get the feeling this interview is very old, and is just now being published?

b/c imdb.com is shitty when it comes to reliable and up to date news

It was in todays newspaper. Can't be that old.

Christopher Lee is a moron.

He's never happy. Ever.

LOL new article! http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=4286701

Legendary Actor's Scathing Attack on Young Film Stars

By Sherna Noah, PA Showbusiness Correspondent

Movie legend Christopher Lee has criticised today’s generation of younger stars for being “over-hyped”.

Lee, 82, who has more than 200 films to his name, described some actors’ performances as “holes in the air”.


The actor, known for playing villains such as wizard Saruman in Lord of the Rings and Dracula, told Total Film magazine: “Johnny Depp, as far as I’m concerned, is number one.

“Of his generation, there’s no one who can touch him.

“Some performers today, it’s like looking at holes in the air.”

The British actor, who made his name in the Hammer films, said: “You get these young, over-hyped stars with very little experience, pitched into big-budget movies in major roles and they can’t begin to handle them.

“It’s extremely dangerous because it means they’re not going to last long.”

Lee, who worked with Oscar nominee Depp on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, said he still did not know why his scenes had been cut from the third Lord of the Rings film.

He told Total Film: “When it came out, millions of others were confused too. The reaction of the public was quite extraordinary.

“My point was not that, as an actor, I’d had my scenes taken out.

“It was the story. You can’t have a man looking frantic on a balcony when everything is being destroyed and then never see him again.

“The audience would demand, as they did, to know what happened to him.

“I just didn’t understand it. I was given plenty of reasons why I was cut out, none of which made sense.”

The Star Wars actor added: “At the time I read it, I wanted to play Gandalf. But they thought I was too old.

“So I played wizard Saruman, which is in many ways immensely important because Saruman is the one and only total adversary of the Fellowship.

“Everything that happens he’s responsible for. And that’s why it was so extraordinary that they didn’t have me in the third film.”

Lee, who was a cousin through marriage of Bond creator Ian Fleming, backed Pierce Brosnan, who is said to have been axed from the next 007 movie, as the best of the James Bond actors.

“I don’t think anyone has ever succeeded in putting Ian Fleming’s James Bond up on the screen,” he said. “The closest in my opinion is Pierce Brosnan.”

Lee was voted 16th in a recent poll of the greatest movie stars of all time.

Total Film goes on sale on Thursday March 24.

I believe he is egocentric... though he might have a reason to be so, but still... not very humble.

sure, he has a large ego, but Jesus Christ, he's one of the best actors of all time!!! Cut the man some slack, and while your at it watch Horror Of Dracula :razz:

I can easily understand his frustrations... in 2003. But, Jesus... it's been over a year. Give it a rest. Does he really want Jackson to re-release ROTK with ALL of his scenes added in just to make him happy? Let it go already. Your scenes are on the DVD, aren't they?!

Haha, Lee is delusional. There was no "extroardinary reaction" from the public due to his not showing up on screen in the film. This was not a major topic surrounding the film, and was not a major criticism of any critics or audiences that I've heard of. His character wasn't completely ignored as if he didn't exist, he just didn't actually come into view of the camera. If that's his problem, he's stupid. After watching the EE of Return of the King, I actually prefer the film's version of his end as a character much better than the one in the EE, which is rather "meh". The EE's are great for fanboy's, like me, but they aren't as good films as the theatrical versions, which I find are more appropriately edited (in my opinion).

This guy has got to get over it and move on.

PEACE, Mike

I disagree. I much prefer the extended editions, and they dont seem nearly as sloppily edited together as the theatrical version. How do you explain Peter Jackson building up the badassness of that stupid deformed Orc the entire movie, and then NOT showing his death? That's just bad editing right there.

I'm glad Christopher sees my point of view on the subject. It's nice to have a guy with his resume backing your arguments. :razz:

I applaud this guy majorly.. =D> He's right.. It was enough that this film was 3 and a half hours long as it stands, but would it of hurt Peter Jackson to of kept his scenes intact and ran the film just over 10 minutes as a result, even when the film was as long as it was?? I'm sure Jackson lovers will defend Jackson to no end on his decision to cut him cause Jackson can do no wrong, but Lee's right.. It was bullshit.. I'm pretty certain George Lucas won't pull this shit and have better respect for the world's last great legendary horror actor than Jackson did..

Wow, he whines about nothing. He had maybe 5 minutes or less, and his part in Return of the King was not pivotal or anything. Basically you knew he was over with when his tower got taken over with.

Lee having a 5 minute part or less constitutes more than enough reason for Jackson keeping his scene intact and he should've, but you know what?? It's over and it's water under the bridge.. What can you do?? What's done is done........

Those 5 minutes sure did make a good selling point for those extended edition DVDs, didn't they? It certainly wasn't cut for pacing reasons, as it was reportedly cut for.

Lee is right, and it's one of the many reasons why Two Towers and Return of the King pale in comparison to Fellowship. If I didn't know better, I'd say Fellowship was directed by someone else.

Yes it was. ROTK works better without it.

Well, both me and Christopher Lee disagree, so your opinion really falls a little short. :razz:

!

I totally agree, everytime you post somethign right now I find myselg thinking "he is brillant and 100% right."

Dont forget about me! I also think Return of the King is better with that scene IN!

I'd turned the last hour in a five minute montage and put in the Lee scene.