(Christopher Lee and Andrew Lesnie, Photo Credit)
“PIPPIN: I didn’t think it would end this way.
GANDALF: End? No, the journey doesn’t end here. Death is just another path, one that we all must take. The grey rain-curtain of this world rolls back, and all turns to silver glass, and then you see it.
PIPPIN: What? Gandalf? See what?
GANDALF: White shores, and beyond, a far green country under a swift sunrise.
PIPPIN: Well, that isn’t so bad.
GANDALF: No. No, it isn’t.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings
Two of our friends have taken “another path” in a little less than a month. Cinematographer Andrew Lesnie, who won the Academy Award for his work on The Fellowship of the Ring, passed away on April 27th and we lost Christopher Lee, famous for many roles in addition to his unforgettable portrayal of Saruman, on June 7th.
For most of us, Andrew and Christopher were not “friends” in the truest sense of the word. We did not share even the most passing of acquaintances. However, Peter Jackson gave us such unprecedented access to the filming of the six film adaptations of J.R.R. Tolkien’s work, that it is difficult to not feel that our dear friends have journeyed on.
And thus we grieve with those family and friends who knew and loved Christopher Lee and Andrew Lesnie.
And we remember.
Like many of you, I have been aware of the work of Christopher Lee since my childhood. My first memories of Dracula and those first cinematic horror chills that delight me so much to this day are indelibly linked to Christopher Lee. Christopher Lee, Vincent Price, Peter Cushing…they are still the ones I prefer to turn to if I want to experience things that go bump in the night. I was thrilled when he was given the role of Saruman in The Lord of the Rings film adaptations, and that was before discovering just how passionately devoted he was to Professor Tolkien’s creations.
I have written before about the fact that I have watched the multiple hours of behind-the-scenes coverage on the Extended Editions of all three The Lord of the Rings films more times than I have watched the films. Not only do they scratch a geek itch that I never knew I had before Peter Jackson made these films, but I draw inspiration from them in so many aspects of my life. The passion and dedication of the people working on the films, from the guys who hand-made the chain mail all the way up to director Peter Jackson himself, does not cease to move me.
Because of all of this coverage, I feel a connection with Andrew Lesnie and with Christopher Lee that otherwise would not be there. I was so sad to see the announcement come across my email feed on April 27th that Andrew Lesnie had passed away from a heart attack. At only 59 years of age, he was taken far too early. If you’ve seen the behind the scenes, he was such an affable man. Unassuming, always smiling. He was an incredibly talented cinematographer and I am grateful that Peter Jackson, and the companies that paid for the creation of the extras on the Extended Editions of all six films (for which we are impatiently awaiting the last), allowed us the opportunity to get to know this man in ways we would not have otherwise.
Initially when I saw Facebook posts yesterday about Christopher Lee’s death, I was shocked. One link proclaimed it was all a hoax and I even mentioned that fact to the friend who had first posted about Lee on my feed. Alas, it was all too true. Unlike Andrew Lesnie, Christopher Lee lived a very long life. At age 93 he was still working, doing the work he loved. You could see in the extras on The Desolation of Smaug that he had slowed considerably in the decade plus since the release of The Fellowship of the Ring. They wanted him in the Hobbit films so badly that they were traveling to meet him in order to film.
No matter how long, or how short, a life may be, death cannot help but result in sadness, and so our hearts go out to those who knew these gentlemen intimately and whose grief is most difficult to bear. Their memories will live on with us each time we watch one of the six Peter Jackson adaptations, as well as the many other films that would not be the same without their creative spark. I look forward to seeing each man once again when the Extended Edition of The Battle of Five Armies is released this November.
If you have a moment, be sure to read Peter Jackson’s tributes to Andrew Lesnie and Christopher Lee.
As for today, I can think of no better way to honor each man than to listen to some of Howard Shore’s The Lord of the Rings soundtrack music while pondering that “far green country under a swift sunrise”.
Christopher Lee had an amazing career. It’s hard to believe I was watching Christopher Lee in a Hobbit movie last Christmas when he was 93. And, he was in 10 Dracula movies, too! Astonishing!
I know, that’s wild, isn’t it? So great that he continued to find work that he enjoyed doing. I love that The Lord of the Rings films introduced him and his earlier work to all kinds of younger people who may not have been as familiar with it.
What gift he gave us… 93 and amazing us in movies.
Carl,
I’ve always been a true fan of both the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings, ever since my father handed me a set of the books over 50 years ago. I think I read the entire set over 10 times, and have listened to the audio book versions many times as well (I have a long drive to work).
The Peter Jackson movies are, in my opinion, the best book-to-movie accomplishments of all time, and Christopher Lee had a huge part in pulling that off. Jackson and the writers took a lot of artistic license in pulling the story together – seeding plots from the Appendices’ of book six into the movie to make the timeline more historically significant. I especially liked the expansion in the Hobbit series of the roles of Saruman, Gandalf, Radagast and Galadriel in the battle with the Necromancer in Dol Guldor (this was only touched on in the Hobbit book). It solidified those characters, and made their roles in the first three LOTR movies much more clear.
I have not seen Christopher Lee as Dracula, but I will now have to do so after your tribute, which was beautifully done I might say. I own, but have not watched the behind the scenes materials from the original expanded LOTR DVDs. I will now have to check those out too, with an eye to discovering and getting to know Andrew Lesnie.
If you don’t mind, can you tell me where you found the beautiful quote of the conversation between Pippin and Gandalf? I’ve never seen that – it is amazing!
Looking forward to your next post,
Greg Spar
Greg, the quote is one I remember well from The Return of the King film. I have no idea if it was only in the Extended Edition or not as I only watch the EE’s and only saw the theatrical version in theaters. I found the actual quote on the Goodreads site when I did a Google search for it.
I agree with you about the book to film adaptation, these are amazing and stand head and shoulders above so many others. I’ve been watching the LOTR trilogy every year since release and I never tire of them, always find something new, and they inspire me each time to go back and read more Tolkien. I didn’t read the books for the first time until after the films came out, and they quickly became favorite re-reads.
I love all those old melodramatic Hammer Horror films (and those from other companies) that Lee, Price, Cushing and others were in.
Thanks, Carl.
I remember now, the scene from Minas Tirith with Pippin and Gandalf on the city walls. What confused me was the quote from Tolkien – it made me think that it originated in the text of the books. It was familiar, yet I could not place it.
I found my source of familiarity. Annie Lennox sings at the conclusion of the Return of the King, “Into The West”. The lyrics are beautiful, and they also reference the “white shores”, and “… all will turn to silver glass…”. It is a beautiful piece, and whether I’m listening to her sing, or just reading the lyric, it still sends chills down my back. If you’re interested you can see the entire lyric here.
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/annielennox/intothewest.html
Greg.
Oh yeah, I’m a big fan of that song.
Here is the quote from Return of the King, the book, that is referenced in the film:
“The grey-rain curtain turned all to silver glass and was rolled back, and he beheld white shores and beyond them a far green country under a swift sunrise.”
What a beautiful tribute! The opening quote is absolutely stunning. Thank you for sharing your thoughts about these two very influential people.
You are welcome. I love that quote…one of my favorite moments in The Return of the King film, too.
Thanks for sharing this, Carl
You’re welcome, Paul. I had wanted to post back with Andrew Lesnie died and didn’t get around to it. I’m sorry that that was rectified because of Christopher Lee’s passing. I’ve had an emotional reaction every time I find out someone from these films died, whether it was the these two gentleman, or Mike Hopkins, the sound editor who died in a rafting accident, or the one crew member I’m forgetting now who committed suicide. I think he might have done lighting, but am foggy and cannot find anything with a brief online search.
I love that quote, it is so beautiful and comforting. I didn’t quite believe Christopher Lee could have passed away either. He is such a legend. I didn’t realise Andrew Lesnie had died as well. God bless their souls and their family.
Yes, they are both sad losses. I’m so glad he lived long enough to play Saruman in all the films. It would have been devastating to have had to get a replacement.
What a lovely piece. I watched Christopher Lee in so many different roles – including the House of Horror and Bond role. He had an amazing career and to still be working at 93 – really an example to try and mimic!
Again, I loved your tribute.
Lynn 😀