The Fearless Vampire Killers (1967)
"Dance of the Vampires" (original title)

A noted professor and his dim-witted apprentice fall prey to their inquiring vampires, while on the trail of the ominous damsel in distress.

Director:

Roman Polanski

Writers:

Gérard Brach (story), Roman Polanski (story)

Stars:

Jack MacGowran, Roman Polanski, Alfie Bass

1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Jack MacGowran	...	Professor Abronsius
Roman Polanski	...	Alfred, Abronsius' Assistant
Alfie Bass	...	Shagal, the Inn-Keeper
Jessie Robins	...	Rebecca Shagal
Sharon Tate	...	Sarah Shagal
Ferdy Mayne	...	Count von Krolock
Iain Quarrier	...	Herbert von Krolock
Terry Downes	...	Koukol, the Servant
Fiona Lewis	...	Magda, the Maid
Ronald Lacey	...	Village Idiot
Sydney Bromley	...	Sleigh Driver
Andreas Malandrinos	...	Woodcutter
Otto Diamant	...	Woodcutter
Matthew Walters	...	Woodcutter

Storyline

The elderly bat researcher, professor Abronsius and his assistant, Alfred, go to a remote Transylvanian village looking for vampires. Alfred falls in love with the inn-keeper's young daughter Sarah. However, she has been spotted by the mysterious count Krolock who lives in a dark and creepy castle outside the village...

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Plot Keywords:

vampire | professor | castle | village | gay | 

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Taglines:

Who says Vampires are no laughing matter?

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Genres:

Comedy | Horror

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

USA UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

June 1967 (UK)

Also Known As:

The Fearless Vampire Killers

Filming Locations:

Cortina d'Ampezzo, Belluno, Veneto, Italy

Box Office

Budget:

$2,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cadre Films, Filmways Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Iain Quarrier, who played the gay vampire Herbert, was dubbed by an uncredited Vladek Sheybal.

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Goofs

When Count Krolock looks through the bathtub skylight at Sarah: the steam drifting across the window should have condensed on the pane blocking the view from outside.

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Quotes

Count Von Krolock: A year ago exactly on this same night we were assembled here in this very room: I your pastor, and you my beloved flock. With hopefulness in my heart I told you then that with Lucifer's aid we might look forward to a more succulent occasion. Cast back your minds. There we were, gathered together, gloomy and despondent, around a single meager woodcutter.

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Crazy Credits

Fangs by Dr. Ludwig von Krankheit.

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Connections

References Vampyr (1932)

User Reviews

Awesome

This isn't the best horror/comedy. Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein is. However, second place has just got to go to this one, and there's no shame in being second here. I don't know too much about Roman Polanski's career (I think I know more about his personal life): I've seen Rosemary's Baby and Chinatown, and FVK is the third of his that I've seen. I would never have imagined from those two movies that he could direct comedy, and thus I came into FVK very skeptical. At first, I thought that the laughs were few and far between. I also thought that Polanski's direction was too showy for a comedy. But as the film went on, the comic moments began to build. And the showy direction ceased seeming showy and began to seem wonderful. If you find yourself not laughing a lot, it's understandable. Just sit back and enjoy Polanski's amazing direction. And the laughs, although, to many, they may seem too few, those that there are are enormous. I'd also like to praise the actors, including Roman Polanski himself. The set design, especially in the castle, is more than amazing. It's simply beautiful. The film has a few slow spots, and the end is particularly disappointing. Polanski himself would probably be angry at me for rejecting his ending, but it's not the finale that I object to so much as the weak climax. The suspense (yes, suspense is plentiful in this comedy) was building so well during that climactic sequence, and it doesn't pay off.

And I really don't want to give too much away, because everything is best experienced freshly (I hadn't even heard of this film before I saw that it was to be on TCM), but, man, watch out for the dance scene. I LOVE Chinatown, but I think, from the three Polanski films that I've seen, that that scene is his crowning achievement. 9/10.