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Uncle Was a Vampire

Original title: Tempi duri per i vampiri
  • 1959
  • 1h 25m
IMDb RATING
4.9/10
305
YOUR RATING
Uncle Was a Vampire (1959)
ComedyHorror

Baron Osvaldo Lambertenghi is forced to sell his ancestral castle; when it's converted into a hotel, he stays on as a bellboy. His mysterious uncle arrives and turns out to be a vampire. Whe... Read allBaron Osvaldo Lambertenghi is forced to sell his ancestral castle; when it's converted into a hotel, he stays on as a bellboy. His mysterious uncle arrives and turns out to be a vampire. When his uncle vampirizes Osvaldo, the newly-minted blood-sucker gallops about the castle sip... Read allBaron Osvaldo Lambertenghi is forced to sell his ancestral castle; when it's converted into a hotel, he stays on as a bellboy. His mysterious uncle arrives and turns out to be a vampire. When his uncle vampirizes Osvaldo, the newly-minted blood-sucker gallops about the castle sipping from the necks of dozens of beautiful female guests.

  • Director
    • Steno
  • Writers
    • Edoardo Anton
    • Mario Cecchi Gori
    • Marcello Fondato
  • Stars
    • Renato Rascel
    • Sylva Koscina
    • Lia Zoppelli
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    4.9/10
    305
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Steno
    • Writers
      • Edoardo Anton
      • Mario Cecchi Gori
      • Marcello Fondato
    • Stars
      • Renato Rascel
      • Sylva Koscina
      • Lia Zoppelli
    • 7User reviews
    • 14Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos

    Uncle Was a Vampire (1959)
    Uncle Was a Vampire (1959)
    Uncle Was a Vampire (1959)
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    Top cast

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    Renato Rascel
    Renato Rascel
    • Il conte Osvaldo Lambertenghi
    Sylva Koscina
    Sylva Koscina
    • Carla
    Lia Zoppelli
    • Letizia
    Kai Fischer
    Kai Fischer
    • Lellina
    • (as Kay Ficher)
    Franco Scandurra
    • Il professore Stricker
    Carl Wery
    • Il nuovo direttore dell'hotel
    • (as Carlo Very)
    Antje Geerk
    Antje Geerk
    • Liliana
    Federico Collino
    • Il commendatore Luigino Visnaghi
    Susanne Loret
    Susanne Loret
    • Susan
    • (as Susan Loret)
    Angelo Zanolli
    • Paolo - il primo play boy
    Antonio Mambretti
    Ivana Gilli
    Franco Giacobini
    • Il secondo play boy
    Fiorella Ferrero
    Francesco Tensi
      Lamberto Antinori
      Christopher Lee
      Christopher Lee
      • Baron Roderico da Frankurten
      Lia Lena
        • Director
          • Steno
        • Writers
          • Edoardo Anton
          • Mario Cecchi Gori
          • Marcello Fondato
        • All cast & crew
        • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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        Storyline

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        Did you know

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        • Trivia
          The British production of "Dracula" (1958) (U.S.: "Horror of Dracula" (1958)) was such a huge hit that an Italian production company almost immediately came up with the idea of cashing in on the success by doing a vampire comedy. Christopher Lee had made such an impression in the British production that they went to the additional expense of hiring him to come to Italy to essentially recreate his Dracula character.
        • Quotes

          Baron Roderico da Frankurten: [to a dozen men who want to stake Osvaldo Lambertenghi, thinking he is a vampire] There is a word you mentioned just now, something absurd, ridiculous, incredible. Am I correct? You're speaking of vampires.

          Victor: He's a vampire!

          Baron Roderico da Frankurten: Gentlemen, are you joking? If he is a vampire, well then, I am one, too.

        • Connections
          Featured in Frightmare (1983)

        User reviews7

        Review
        Review
        Featured review
        6/10
        I was a part-time vampire...
        For those who care, this Italian film is dubbed into English and it's not a bad dubbing at all, though you might be surprised to hear a totally different voice coming out of Christopher Lee!

        In "My Uncle Was a Vampire", Christopher Lee parodies his vampire roles with moderate success. The idea is clever, but the film, at times, is overlong and has trouble maintaining momentum.

        When the film begins, the vampire, Rodrigo (Lee), is leaving his home and going to live with his Italian nephew, Baron Oswaldo (Renato Rascel). Little does he know that Oswaldo has fallen on hard times and the government is forcing him to sell his castle to pay back taxes. And, by the time Rodrigo arrives, Oswaldo is just a lowly bellboy in the new castle hotel. What follows is a strange little comedy--with Lee playing it straight and diminutive Rascel handling the humor. At one point, Oswaldo becomes sort of a part- time vampire---and a lot of other strange canon busting things occur in this one.

        While I like the idea of the film (sort of like a precursor to "Love at First Bite"), the film is overly long and Rascel alone isn't funny enough to keep the film moving along at a good pace. Still, it's pleasant and diverting...and the ending is pretty cute.
        helpful•7
        0
        • planktonrules
        • Oct 18, 2015

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        Details

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        • Release date
          • October 28, 1959 (Italy)
        • Countries of origin
          • Italy
          • France
        • Language
          • Italian
        • Also known as
          • Schlechte Zeiten für Vampire
        • Filming locations
          • Castello Brown, Portofino, Genoa, Liguria, Italy
        • Production companies
          • CEI
          • Incom-Montfleur
          • Maxima Film Compagnia Cinematografica
        • See more company credits at IMDbPro

        Technical specs

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        • Runtime
          1 hour 25 minutes
        • Aspect ratio
          • 2.35 : 1

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