When George Lucas needed an actor to exude the eternal, relentless Dark Side Of The Force in Star Wars: Episode 2 - The Attack of the Clones, he had a choice of anyone, such was the kudos of the role. But who would be best, who could provide a human Face of Evil to rival the Death Mask of Darth Vader? Who had an appropriately intimidating physique? Who had a vast experience in combining enormous authority with unspeakable cruelty? Whose bottomless black eyes spoke of undying wickedness? Well, Lucas must have thought, I'm after a Count Dooku, and if it's a Count I need, I may as well get THE Count.

Then there was the other movie that would dominate the world's cineplexes throughout 2002, The Fellowship Of The Ring, the first instalment of Peter Jackson's Lord Of The Rings trilogy. They've got Ian McKellan in to do the wise old Gandalf, but there's a trickier role to cast. Saruman was once the head of the Council of the Wise, the protectors of all the Free Peoples. But he got greedy for power, coveted the One Ring, and was tossed off the Council by good guy Gandalf. Now - bitter, clever but cocky-complacent, a bully who's all-too-aware of his

nerability - he sneakily attempts to bring ruin to the Fellowship. Who could be that strong, that weak, that beastly? As with Lucas, there could be only one - the man who was Dracula, Sherlock, Frankenstein's monster, Fu Manchu. He may be 80 years old, but he's still Christopher