The Fearless Vampire Killers

Director: Roman Polanski Roman Polanski

Overview

"Roman Polanski's Fearless Vampire Killers is a film that really needs to be seen widescreen to be fully appreciated, which you can now do with this solid release from Warner Bros. While people can debate its curious use of slapstick until the cows come home, there is no doubt that it is a gorgeously shot flick that ranks up there alongside Hammer's most accomplished '60s horror outings. This disc comes packed with a 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen image that certainly does show off the camerawork and extravagant sets well, though, sadly, it's plagued by film elements that weren't corrected in the transfer. The mono Dolby Digital track on the other hand, might lose points for home theater inadequacy, but its mix is just fine otherwise. Extras include the theatrical trailer and a vintage clip, ""Fearless Vampire Killers: Vampires 101,"" that must have played in some theaters upon the film's release. Just like the film, it's a silly setup where a professor of some sort (Max Wall) takes you through the vampire mythos and sets the audience up for the movie. Missing is the animated prologue from the American version -- and don't look for any commentaries or galleries of any sort. Still, the disc is worthy of recommendation, if only to be able to see the film on DVD the way it was meant to be seen."

Product Details

Release Date:	10/05/2004
UPC:	0012569514621
Original Release:	1967
Rating:	NR
Source:	STUDIO DISTRIBUTION SERVS LLC
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Letterbox]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Mono]
Language:	English
Time:	1:47:00
Sales rank:	20,417

Special Features

Closed Caption;Vintage making-of featurette "The Fearless Vampire Killers: Vampires 101"; Theatrical trailer; Languages: English & Français; Subtitles: English, Français, & Español

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Roman Polanski	Alfred
Jack MacGowran	Professor Abronsius
Sharon Tate	Sarah
Alfie Bass	Shagal
Jessie Robins	Rebecca
Ferdy Mayne	Count von Krolock,Count Von Krolock
Iain Quarrier	Herbert
Fiona Lewis	Maid
Ronald Lacey	Village Idiot
Sydney Bromley	Sleigh Driver
Andreas Malandrinos	Actor,Woodcutter
Matthew Walters	Actor
Terry Downes	Koukol
Otto Diamant	Woodcutter
Krzysztof Komeda	Composer

Technical Credits

Roman Polanski

Gérard Brach

Roman Polanski	Director,Screenwriter
Gérard Brach	Screenwriter
Gene Gutowski	Producer
Martin Ransohoff	Executive Producer
George Stephenson	Sound/Sound Designer

Editorial Reviews

Despite the black humor of its ending, this mixture of spoofy horror and naughty Euro hijinks remains one of auteur Roman Polanski's least weighty directorial efforts. Full of elaborate slapstick, cheesecake semi-nudity, clever parody, and fine performances, The Fearless Vampire Killers is at least as entertaining as the Hammer horror outings it intends to, ahem, de-fang. Polanski himself proves no slouch when it comes to exaggerated, farcical acting, his Alfred a perfect compendium of gawky physical tics and bumbling-assistant clichés. Sharon Tate, meanwhile, plays it straight and saucy, investing her buxom Eastern European maiden with an enjoyably sexist mixture of glamour, sass, and stereotype. Some of the gags take too long to set up and execute, leaving no doubt as to why the film was trimmed against Polanski's will in its original release; the script takes forever to get to Count Von Krolock's castle, although once there it treats viewers to an enjoyable parade of Baroque set pieces, genre hamminess, and amusing bit parts. Iain Quarrier in particular has lots of fun as the "sensitive" young vampire Herbert, while Ferdinand Mayne displays such a perfect countenance as the number one bloodsucker that it's a shame he didn't do more straightforward horror work. (Instead, he played in several other spoofs, from 1971's Gebissen Wird Nur Nachts to 1991's My Lovely Monster.) As for Fearless Vampire Killers' place in the Polanski canon, its acute attention to horror conventions surely helped in the construction of Rosemary's Baby the following year. The only difference between parodying and reinvigorating a genre is the emphasis, and these two films, taken together, leave no doubt as to Polanski's ability to do both.