The last of a truly intriguing group of British actors, Christopher Lee, has passed away at the age of 93:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/11666316/christopher-lee-dies-live.html

There is no doubt as to my absolutely favorite Christopher Lee movie: 1973’s The Wicker Man.  Yes, he made a damn great Dracula and was a great villain in countless films (he was one of the more intriguing elements as the titular villain in the otherwise very dull -to me- James Bond film The Man With The Golden Gun), but his role in The Wicker Man has stayed with me every since I saw the film.

Sadly, when mentioning this particular film modern audiences may confuse it with the truly horrible 2006 Nicholas Cage remake of the same name.  That later film is rightfully scorned but the original is an absolute horror classic that tackles issues of faith and religion in a manner today’s studios wouldn’t touch with a ten foot pole.

Here’s to you, Mr. Lee.  You’ve entertained people for many, many years and lived a long and very productive life.  In the end, that’s about all we can hope to do as well.