Christopher Lee will always be my favorite Dracula. I have watched the entire Hammer Film library of Dracula movies, including the ones without Lee. There is no doubt in my mind that with his tall, dark good looks and the husky voice that uttered only a few lines in movie, Christopher Lee’s Dracula was the most compelling for being both menacing and a bit of a romantic at the same time. In “Dracula Has Risen From His Grave”, for instance, he actually kissed his willing victim, a delicious blonde Monsignor’s niece of a meal, before sinking his teeth into her throat.
I even loved Christopher Lee in Airport ’77.
His villains, no matter how one dimensional in their terror, were given a tiny, merciful balance, whether through a look of vulnerability or softer stare.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOo5Yy1j5C0
His FuManchu might well fit in this category, except I do not particularly like these films. Hammer launched its entire FuManchu line of films, creating an Asianesque film villain that mirrored its more famous Dr. Frankenstein characterizations. Like their popular Dracula and Frankenstein franchises, Hammer treated FuManchu films to an Asian setting (it looks like Panderia, for you World of Warcraft players) populated with British accented characters. This, of course, gives us a FuManchu that possesses the ability to communicate in perfect King’s English.
Lee does not condescend his characterization in his portrayal of FuManchu. While there is the typical makeup treatment to Asianize the eyes, Lee does not contribute to the dumbing down, over bowing or degrading Donger type Asian accent to mar his portrayal of FuManchu. Aside from the slanty eyes and clothing, Lee does not steep himself into the dregs of awful Asian characterization in which other, more popular Hollywood actors have bathed. I can appreciate that, even if I do not like the circumstances.
I love Christopher Lee’s Dracula work too. I especially like his Dracula in the Jess Franco cult picture “Count Dracula” (1969). The picture got terrible reviews but I like it as an example of European ‘B’ horror. It’s available and you should check it out if you haven’t already seen it.
As for Fu Manchu I “regret” that I loved the Sax Rohmer books and devoured them all when I was a boy in the 1960s. The Hammer films never reached what I imagined from the books, however.