THE MAN WHO COULD CHEAT DEATH (1959)
Starring Anton Diffring, Hazel Court and Christopher Lee
Written by Jimmy Sangster and directed by Terence Fisher
Now, we get to Christopher Lee -- the other, perhaps even more famous than Cushing, face of Hammer Horror. With his imposing presence and baritone voice, Lee is perfect for both horror and heroic roles, and plays both throughout his filmography, though he may have been happier doing some less silly stuff. Still, I'm glad any time he's on screen.
Unfortunately, his first entry into this year's Horrorfest is not very memorable. He's relegated to third fiddle in a not-very-interesting role, supporting the story of an artist who has undergone secret transplants in order to remain young-looking even though he's well over 100 years old. He has to drink a potion to keep it up, and continue to repeat the surgery from time to time, and the professor he's in league with is getting too old to keep going. They want another doctor (Lee) to take over, though, of course, there are ethical considerations.
This one plods along at a snail's pace without much in the way of memorable set pieces. If you love period sets and costumes, it might be worth a watch for that, or if you're a Lee or Hammer completist. It's notable here as being the first color film of the season -- that was one of the things that Hammer was most known for, as opposed to their predecessors, presenting their tales of gothic horror in bright, well-shot and sometimes startling (for the time) color.
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