Dance of the Vampires (1967)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Roman Polanski

Writers:

Gérard Brach (story) &
Roman Polanski (story)

Release Date:

February 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:

Professor | Vampire | Castle | Bat | Ball

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 | 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) | UK:A (original rating) | UK:15 (video rating)

Filming Locations:

Cortina d'Ampezzo, Belluno, Veneto, Italy

Company:

Cadre Films

Trivia:

Producer Martin Ransohoff discovered Sharon Tate on the set of "The Beverly Hillbillies" (1962), and insisted that director Roman Polanski use her instead of Jill St. John as Polanski had planned.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When the Professor first enters Count von Krolock's library, he puts his spectacles on at the tip of his nose, so that he can read some of the books' titles. He nevertheless looks right above his glasses, thus making no use of them.

Quotes:

[opening lines]
Narrator: That night, penetrating deep into the heart of Transylvania, Professor Abronsius was unaware that he was on the point of reaching the goal of his mysterious investigations. In the course of which he had journeyed throughout Central Europe for years accompanied by his one and only faithful disciple...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Nosferatu: Phantom der Nacht (1979)

A classic vampire movie, outdated; but still great fun!

Now this is the movie that i have watched when i was twelve years old, and made me fall head over heels in love with the horror-genre. Today, it may look outdated (wich of course is the truth), but in my opinion it still is the best vampire movie ever created. If you should take the effort of watching this entire picture, you will come to the conclusion that Polanski has made a masterpiece. Special notes should be taken for the musical score. Such a cliché, but unmissable for this picture. This is a classic horror movie with a perfect, ambient atmosphere that suites the movie perfectly! Today, the teenagers are growing up with vampire movies like blade and underworld. But these are not to be called horror movies. There is little or no atmosphere, just pocket fillers for the movie makers. For classic and Gothic atmosphere, you cannot do any better then "The fearless vampire killers" For those of you who have become curious: enjoy!!