The Fearless Vampire Killers (1967)

Such a frustrating disappointment

It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

One of Director Roman Polanski's Most Divisive Films. There are Those That Consider it a Masterpiece and Others, Well, Not So Much.This Vampire Spoof is Beautifully Shot and Contain Sets of Enormous Elegance with Detailed and Interesting Fills. It Cannot Be Denied its Craftsmanship and Obvious Talent Behind the Camera.However, it Does Move at a Rather Languishing Pace. Some Scenes, Especially Before They Get to the Castle, Seem Padded and Forced. But Once the Castle is the Backdrop the Film Kicks Into High Gear and the Remainder is Breathtaking and Highly Amusing.The Film had a Troubled Pre-Release with Different Opinions from Producers and Polanski and was Released Cut to Shreds. It Flopped Big-Time but Has Since Gained a Reputation and Admiration for its Brilliance, Mostly for the Display and the Humor Secondary.A Must See for Polanski Fans and Horror Movie Enthusiasts, but it's an Acquired Taste and Multiple Viewings Add More Appreciation. Expectations are High Going In Considering the Director. This Was Made Prior to "Rosemary's Baby" (1968) and "Chinatown" (1974), but After "Repulsion" (1964).Note...The beautiful and radiant Sharon Tate is highlighted by many viewers as a small but welcome addition to the Film. Her marriage to Roman Polanski was to follow as was her tragic and brutal death at the hands of the Manson Family.

One of Roman Polanski's earlier films and a very good example of that earlier period. The Fearless Vampire Killers succeeds because of its hilarious characters, tongue in cheek tone, excellent fairytale-like locations and costumes and simply because its story is rather captivating.The first act intentionally mimics most of the clichéd vampire stories started by Dracula. Somewhere in rural Eastern Europe lays a castle under the shadow of which the locals live in absolutely terror, while still providing some good, honest laughs with their primal wacky hijinks. Well okay, perhaps that last point isn't exactly a staple of the vampire genre, but the film is a parody. But then, an absentminded professor and his somewhat slow assistant ride into town to look for vampires. Just as a beautiful young maiden goes missing.I especially love the characters in this film. Professor Abronsius (Jack MacGowran) is a hilarious combination of aged Van Helsing and Doc Brown from Back to the Future. Nuttier than fruitcake, but very knowledgeable about vampires, plus utterly unaware of his own mortality and age. The vampire (Ferdy Mayne) is also one of the best vampire lords I've seen in cinema. He has all the poise, the style, the creepy lines said with a thick European accent, the castle, the servants, the capes. Yet he's at all times utterly believable, even when the movie is hamming up the parody.The Fearless Vampire Killers is an excellent movie to check out if you're looking for a good vampire film, if you've liked other Polanski films or if you're merely looking for a smart comedy with great production values.

Fun and funny vampire movie from acclaimed director Roman Polanski.Plot is reasonably basic, and not entirely watertight. However, this is more than made up for by the humour of the plot. While Polanski crafts a feeling of foreboding, dread and fear, your vampire staples, he balances this with some great comedy. The stark contrast between the usual vampire atmosphere and the humour makes the comedy even better.At the forefront of this comedy is Polanski himself, as the bumbling assistant. It is most physical comedy and often feels Chaplinesque. Polanksi enhances this by speeding up the frames during some of the sequences, giving a silent movie feel to these scenes.Jack MacGowran is also great as the Albert Einstein-lookalike Professor. Nice twist in the plot towards the end too.

I can not understand why the critics talk so badly about this movie. Dance of the Vampires is a very good movie. It was probably misunderstood in their US release, because it is a movie with a truly European touch, and might be misunderstood or not appreciated by the average American audience. Also, it is one of those movies that looks idiotic at a first glance, but it is not, believe me.Dance of the Vampires has many good points:1. A film about Vampires directed by a Polish Holocaust Survivor is in itself even ironic. It is even more ironic to see that the evil Vampires are of German Stock, called "von Krolock", and have some plans to dominate the world¡¡¡ 2. The Jewish Vampire is never allowed to rest in the same place as their German Vampire creators, being portrayed as a second rate vampire, unfit to join the ranks of the "pure race" bloodsuckers. Another irony, another parody, Polish sense of humor at its best, very theatrical. 3. The Vampires Ball Scene is absolutely captivating: perhaps it could be even interpreted as a parody of nobility and aristocracy itself. A bunch of dead-like people, actually vampires, perpetuating their old-fashioned traditions, dance in a castle¡¡ All rotten, dead, evil and decadent¡¡ Do you want it more clear? 4. The wintry landscapes, the beautiful snowy castle, the photography is just amazing, breathtaking, impressive. It does add indeed an eerie quality to the movie, some sensation of strangeness¡¡¡ 5. Sharon Tate: oh, yes, she is very beautiful in this movie. Redheads always make excellent vamps¡¡¡ Here, you see an unsatisfied woman. Sarah, the daughter of the Jewish innkeeper who later turns vampire, is never at all in this world. She is discontent with her reality, and actually seems like she does enjoy the fact of having been abducted and seduced by the aristocratic bloodsuckers. She lived before in the oppressed atmosphere of a plebeian inn. But now, she does live in a dream-like castle. The story of Sarah is the story of a damsel in distress who is not actually such, and that actually does not want to be saved¡¡¡¡ Call it black humor, if you want. But it is that way¡¡ It is sad to hear Alfred when he talks to her in the ball, trying to save her, as she clearly does not want that.A curious mix of parody, ironic-cynical comedy, and actual horror and sadness. Indeed a very good movie, with a very good end. Oh, Sarah, your heart always belonged to darkness¡¡¡¡¡