LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Saruman: Christopher Lee
built 276 days ago
In Peter Jackson's film trilogy (2001–2003), Saruman's role is similar to that in the book. The character is significantly more active in the first two films than in their equivalent books, and he appears in several scenes that are not depicted in the novel. Smith and Matthews suggest that Saruman's role is built up as a substitute for the story's primary antagonist (Sauron), who never appears directly in the book, and only once in the films. Jackson confirms this view in the commentary to the DVD.[11] They ... suggest that having secured veteran British horror actor Christopher Lee to play Saruman, it made sense to make greater use of his star status.[12] Despite his increased role in the first two films, Saruman does not appear in the theatrical release of The Return of the King. Jackson reasoned that it would be anticlimactic to show Saruman's fate in the second movie (after the Battle of Helm's Deep) and too retrospective for it to be in the third one.[13] Saruman's appearance in the Shire was abandoned altogether by Jackson, but the extended DVD version of the film starts with a scene including Saruman, before he is killed by Gríma Wormtongue.
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Plus, of course, he has a beautiful, low voice; Saruman's voice is magical and he can use it to sway the minds of his hearers. Saruman could probably read you the phone book and make you think he was the most amazing creature on the planet, worth following and dying for. Lee's voice works for that. Mm-hm.
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-He ... auditioned for Saruman, but wasn't tall enough! Then he read on the internet that Chris Lee got Saruman and thought "well, I can't complain". Then he read that Donald Sutherland got Denethor, and well, that didn't happen.
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Christopher Lee