Dance of the Vampires (1967)

Director:

Roman Polanski

Writers:

Gérard Brach (story) &
Roman Polanski (story)

Release Date:

June 1967 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy | Horror

Tagline:

Who says Vampires are no laughing matter?

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Vampire | Professor | Castle | Transylvania | Bat

Awards:

1 nomination

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

Also Known As:

The Fearless Vampire Killers (USA)
The Fearless Vampire Killers or: Pardon Me, But Your Teeth Are in My Neck (USA) (DVD box title)
The Vampire Killers (USA) (working title)
Vampire Ball (Europe) (working title)

Runtime:

108 min

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Netherlands:12 | Canada:G (Quebec) | Brazil:Livre | Germany:12 (DVD rating) | West Germany:16 (nf) (original rating) | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Norway:16 (1968) | Singapore:PG | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | UK:12 | USA:Unrated | West Germany:12 (w) (f) (re-rating) | UK:A (original rating) | UK:15 (video rating)

Filming Locations:

Cortina d'Ampezzo, Belluno, Veneto, Italy

Company:

Cadre Films

Trivia:

For the ballroom scene (when the music stops and only three people are visible in a huge mirror despite of a few dozen vampires in the room) Polanski had the room completely copied behind a fake mirror with three doubles acting as the human protagonists.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When the three escape from the dance, they come across bats hanging from the ceiling and the Professor starts studying them. When Alfred pulls him, the Professor stumbles across rocks on the ground which are obviously much lighter than real rocks would be.

Quotes:

Professor Abronsius: Takes me for a nincompoop, that necrophile.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "TCM Underground: Count Yorga, Vampire/The Fearless Vampire Killers (#1.40)" (2008)

One of the all-time great horror spoofs

When I first saw this film on TV in the early 70s, I thought it was so cheesy I gave it very little attention. Then in the early 90s it was released on laserdisc in a letterboxed version and I bought it on a lark. After I viewed in the first time I still didn't think much of it and thought maybe I wasted my money. But then, as the years passed, I would look at it every so often and now I love the film. It is an acquired taste. You first have to love vampire films -- the old-fashioned, Gothic kind. Next, you need to appreciate Polanski's style and his understated approach. It's also best to watch this film late at night with the lights off, and especially with a snow storm outside. Give it a chance and this film will creep up on you. Hopefully it will come to DVD soon.