Christopher Lee: Voice and Intonation in Acting Interpretation of Film Characters

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to explore the speech and intonation patterns of Christopher Lee’s roles as a film actor, voice actor, and spoken word performer, with a particular focus on the intonational features of villainous characters from film adaptations of world classics during his collaboration with Hammer Film Productions—a studio specialising in horror cinema—as well as historical figures portrayed throughout his career. The research methodology involves the interpretation of audiovisual sources, which made it possible to analyse selected screen characters portrayed by Lee and to describe the vocal and intonational elements of his performances, especially those of classic literary villains and real historical personalities. The chronological method is employed to trace the evolution of Lee’s vocal expression throughout his extensive career in film, voice-over, and spoken word. Role analysis is used to examine his artistic work through the lens of vocal expression in all three domains of his career. The scientific novelty lies in the fact that this is the first comprehensive study—particularly within the Ukrainian academic context—of the vocal and intonational dimensions of Christopher Lee’s performances, including his contributions as a voice-over actor and master of spoken word. Conclusions. The intonational aspects of Christopher Lee’s most iconic performances as a global film star are examined. The specific features of Lee’s approach to villainous roles are revealed through the lens of voice and intonation. The vocal profiles of characters portrayed by Lee in acting are analysed. The study identifies the unique elements of Lee’s work on vocal and intonational portrayals of both real historical figures and characters from screen adaptations of world literature.