The Fearless Vampire Killers

I haven't seen all of writer/director/actor/producer Roman Polanski's films, but the ones I have seen have kind of been hit or miss propositions for me. On the one hand I thought Rosemary's Baby (1968) to be a wonderfully creepy film, but on the other The Tenant (1976) while interesting, I thought to be slightly confusing and lacking a strong sense of direction. Chinatown (1974) is acknowledged by many to be a classic (to which I'd agree), while The Ninth Gate (1999) tended to annoy me with a pretentious ambiguity stemming from a European stylization of making a film obtuse and inaccessible to audiences...of course, these are all just my own, personal opinions, which really don't mean squat in the grand scheme of things...at the end of the day one should really draw their own conclusions based on their own, personal experiences. As far as the film The Fearless Vampire Killers or Pardon Me, But Your Teeth Are in My Neck (1967) goes, I enjoyed it as it served to reaffirmed something which I already knew...whether you like Polanski's films or not, his features are so very individualistic, rarely transgressing on each other, displaying his immeasurable talents, vision, and his ability to adapt to a wide range of material. Co-written by Gérard Brach (Repulsion) and Polanski (the latter also directed and starred), the film features performances by Jack MacGowran (Tom Jones, Doctor Zhivago), Alfie Bass (The Lavender Hill Mob), Ferdy Mayne (Where Eagles Dare, The Vampire Lovers), Iain Quarrier (Cul-de-sac), and Sharon Tate (Valley of the Dolls), who would later marry Polanski about a year prior to her murder (and that of their unborn child) at the hands of Charles Manson and his cult followers.As the film opens, it's a moonlit night, and we see a horse drawn sled traveling down a snowy road, the occupant of the sled being the driver, Professor Abronsius (MacGowran), and the Professor's assistant Alfred (Polanski), who, on the surface, appear to be a pair of buffoons, but in such a way where the same buffoonery that gets them into trouble, also get them out, illustrated throughout the story. Seems the Professor, who has long since been labeled `a nut' by his once colleagues, is traveling the Transylvanian countryside in order to further his knowledge about vampires and their ilk. After arriving at a small village and availing themselves of the services of the local inn, telltale signs abound with regards to the presence of vampire activity within the area...the interiors of the inn are decorated with strings of garlic cloves, a hunchback arrives at the inn to collect supplies, and so on...and sure enough, not soon after their arrival, the innkeeper's daughter Sarah (Tate) is abducted, her father killed (and subsequently turned) while searching for her, and the boys are off to a nearby castle in order to find her, the Professor with an eye towards proving the theories which he's read, and Alfred more so because he's become smitten with the girl. They eventually do find the castle, along with its master, in that of Count von Krolock (Mayne), along with the Count's very effeminate son Herbert (Quarrier)...quite the aristocratic pair they are...the Professor and Alfred find themselves guests of the Count and learn of a grand gala approaching, one to be held within the castle, a sort of cadaverous celebration where the boys may not only be the guests of honor, but also the main course...I've given some details about the plot, but there's really no way what I've written displays all the wonderful aspects inherent within the story and the film itself. There is just so much going on at any one point one could watch this film a number of times and still see something new each viewing. One of the aspects that impressed me the most, from the beginning and throughout the film, was the extensive amount of detail and attention to creating a complete sense of putting the viewer within the context of the story. It's like a fairy tale come to life. The period sets and pieces are exquisitely beautiful and intricate, featuring a serious eye towards detailing, as are the props, costumes, backdrops, etc. There's just such a pervasive feel to the entire film in terms of providing the appropriate gothic setting, something that used to be a common factor in both Hammer and Universal horror productions during their respective heydays...and keep in mind, this is supposed to a mixing of comedy and horror. And when I say comedy, I don't mean the laugh out kind (there is a good deal of slapstick, but that's not the specific humor I'm talking about here), but a slinky, subtle type of humor blended as well as I've ever seen in a cross genre film. A perfect example of this delicate melding comes in the sequence when Alfred, while searching the castle rooms for Sarah, accidentally walks in on the Count's dandy of a son Herbert. The comic touches in Herbert's coy advances soon erupt into an explosion of fanged violence that results in a Keystone Cops type chase through the castle. Another one of my favorite sequences is when the Count and his son are preparing to retire to their ornate coffins prior to the sun rising, aided by their hunchbacked manservant Koukol. After they get settled in (and boxed up), here comes Shagal (Bass), the once innkeeper now vampire, dragging his meager pine box into the crypts with the intent of also settling in for the day. Koukol, seeing this as an affront to his masters, proceeds to unceremoniously drag the coffin, which Shagal is now sitting in, down to the stables, as that's a seemingly more appropriate setting from someone of his class, with Shagal weakly protesting the entire way. The performances are strong all around, particularly that of Count von Krolock, played by Mayne. He embodies the aristocratic and sinister features one would expect from his character, along with including enough distinctions to separate his character from those of his cinematic ilk. Another wonderful aspect is the original music provided by regular Polanski collaborator and composer Krzysztof Komeda. It's suave, sophisticated, spooky, enchanting, oft times understated, and compliments film without actually drawing away from the visuals. All in all this is perhaps one of the best crafted films I've seen straddling two genres that normally don't play well together, and worth a look for those who can appreciate the expertise involved. In terms of contemporary artists, I might compare this to the better outings by individuals like Terry Gilliam or Tim Burton.Presented on this DVD is the original version of the film, the one seen by European audiences. Apparently, prior to the film's American release, MGM had mangled it pretty well, removing about ten minutes, adding a new opening sequence, and hacking the soundtrack to pieces, which might explain why it didn't do as well here as it did overseas. The anamorphic widescreen (2.35:1) does looks very good, but there does seem room for improvement. The Dolby Digital 2.0 mono audio comes through clean. As far as extras, there's a theatrical trailer for the film (also presented in 2.35:1 aspect ratio, along with a comical vintage featurette titled The Fearless Vampire Killers: Vampires 101 (10:18) which appears to be a lengthy promotional piece created to help advertise the film back when it was originally released.Cookieman108

Director Roman Polanski's masterfully brilliant, "the Fearless Vampire Killers," (1966) is a loving tribute to earlier Hammer Studios horror films, ala', "The Horror of Dracula," it's sequels, plus a multitude of other Vampire films the studio released."The Fearless Vampire Killers" is in my opinion, the first modern day horror/comedy, or should I say, comedy/horror? Sure, you had earlier films like "Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein," "Ghost Breakers," "the Old Dark House (both versions)," even "the Munsters" & " The Adams Family" on TV. These films were geared more towards a younger audience, both in their horror & comedy, where" the Fearless Vampires Killers" is a much more adult & sophisticated in it's comedy & horror, but that is not to say it can't appeal to most age groups today in this environment."The Fearless Vampire Killers" is about the bumbling adventure of professor Abronsius (Jack MacGowran of, "The Exorcist" - "There's a alien pubic hair in my gin.") & his assistant, Alfred, played by director Roman Polanski, looking for Vampires in Transylvania. Professor Abronsius is a expert on the bat, & has wrote a paper on the existence of Vampires, but is the laughingstock of his peers, so off he & Alfred go to Transylvania to prove the existence of Vampires & exterminate their plague. These two are so hilariously inept, that they make Abbott & Costello look like Batman & Robin!The movie starts out with a sleigh ride in the snowy forested mountains of Transylvania, with wild dogs chasing them. Alfred beats them off, while professor Abronsius sleeps, or at least we think he is sleeping, but when they get to their destination, a boarding house inn, the professor is frozen solid, something that happens quite easily to him. Once thawed out at the boarding house, they find garlic hung all over, as the professor smiles & points at all the cloves hung up & asks about the garlic, but to no avail, & our story starts.(Spoilers)"The Fearless Vampire Killers" is just filled with one hilarious scene after another. Especially funny is the scene stealing, Shagal, the innkeeper, played by Alfie Bass! When Shagal isn't ogling his female maid, Magda, or sneaking in to her room only to be rejected by her & hunted down by his 400 pound wife, Rebecca, he is kicking his beautiful daughter Sarah (Sharon Tate) out of the bath tub, as she takes two or three baths a day! Sarah taking her ritual bath is attacked & kidnapped by head Vampire, Count von Krolock, played with great tongue in fang by Ferdy Mayne. She's whisked off to the Counts Castle. Shagal goes out to rescue her, but is himself turned in to a Vampire, a Jewish Vampire, which leads to one of the funniest scenes in the movie, as Shagal goes up to his maids room, Magda, to bite her & she pulls out a cross, "Oiee, oiee! You got the wrong Vampire," Shagal giggles & feigns off the cross with a gesture of his hands.All this eventual leads our dynamic duo, professor Abronsius & Alfred to the Counts castle to kill the Count & save Sarah. Here Alfred meets up with the Count's son, Herbert von Krolock, who takes a shine to Alfred. Yes, the first gay Vampire in movies! Alfred does not know if he is more horrified that the Counts son is a Vampire, or gay, that wants to put the bite on him, literally, LOL! There is a hilarious chase scene between Herbert & Alfred, that just has to be seen to believe! Later, Count von Krolock describes his son as," a sensitive youth," & as I said earlier, one hilarious scene after the other ensues! But, "The Fearless Vampire Killers" does have it's share of down right eerie scenes & a soundtrack that is truly eerie, & in turn, funny at all the right times. A soundtrack that is as original as the movie, & one that is memorable! The film would only work two thirds as well with out it.True, "The Fearless Vampire Killers" could be construed as a comedy with sprinkles of horror, but the two work so seamlessly together, that the film is a part of both genres, as a whole, & truly the first of it's kind! Many films have copied it, followed it, but few have matched it, & none have surpassed it. "The Fearless Vampire Killers" is just a master work of acting, script, plot, & direction. All the cast members are perfectly cast. It's cinematography truly amazing! This is a film that is beautiful to watch! It's sets, magnificent! It's setting, lonely, eerie, cold, & beautiful! This film begs a top notch transfer to Blu-ray!"The Fearless Vampire Killers winks at you, as it bites your neck, but you don't mind. If anything, it will be your tummy that hurts from laughter, & not your neck when you watch this film!5 Stars = Masterpiece

たぶんこのレビュー、他のソフトと結合されてしまう可能性があるので最初に記載しておきますが、『ポランスキーの吸血鬼』のスペイン版ブルーレイ「El Baile de Los Vampiros」で、ASIN: B01LHC2LN8 に投稿したレビューです。映画の内容に関しては、国内版ＤＶＤにコッテリ書いているので多くは語りませんが（笑）、もともと吸血鬼というのはスラヴ世界に伝承されてきたもので､｢西｣よりも｢東｣ヨーロッパにゆかりのある妖異です。ポーランド人であるポランスキーは、自分の中に眠る東欧人の血を、アメリカ映画の中に巧く忍び込ませ、凡百の吸血鬼映画にはない土着的で官能的、そして衰亡的な匂いが漂う極上のブラック・コメディ怪奇映画に仕上げました。吸血鬼が世界に拡散していってしまうというオチは、ノーマッド的人種であるポランスキーによる、アメリカ帝国WASP社会（ひいてはハリウッド・メジャー）へのちょっとした皮肉の一撃が込められているのでは、と解釈しています。実はこの映画は、ＭＧＭによって編集し直され、本来ポランスキーが望んでいた完成形とは違うものになってしまったため、監督自身は不満を持っているそうなのですが、名監督による名演出は、どんな無粋な輩がハサミを入れようとも、駄作には成り得ないという事を証明している作品でもある、と密かに思っています。で、多くの方が気になるスペックですが、ディスクは日本製ＢＤプレイヤーでも再生可能（筆者はシャープのAQUOSで視聴）。画質はＤＶＤよりもシャープで高画質です。シャロン・テイトの入浴シーンで、「あ、シャロンってちょっとそばかすがあったのね」と初めて気づきました。ただ、ブルーレイ用のフルレストア作業はしていないようで、色彩は最近多いピッカピカ画質ではなく、ＤＶＤと同等と思われる、ちょっと渋い色彩です。画面の明るさもＤＶＤと同等（若干暗めの印象）と思われますが、観ていて特にストレスは感じません。筆者、この映画のＤＶＤを２枚も持っているクセに、ソフトの山の中に埋もれてしまってどこに行ったか判らない（涙）ので詳細な比較はできませんが、ＤＶＤ用のプリントからハイビジョン・マスターを制作していると思われます。いずれは本格的な正規リマスターソフトが制作されると思いますが、「オレはこの映画のフリークだぜ！シャロン様をちょっとでも高画質で拝みたいぜ！」という方なら買っても損はないソフトだと思います。音声は、英語とスペイン語。初期設定はスペイン語になっています。字幕は、英語とスペイン語とポルトガル語。字幕OFFもできます。特典は、予告編３種類①普通の予告編②全編アニメーションのやつ。あれ？これ初めて観る気がする・・・気のせいかな（笑）。③長めの予告編（ハカセみたいな人が出て来て、色々解説するやつ）以上！

Debe haber sido de las primeras películas que vi de vampiros en el cine. Es una comedia muy bien realizada!

La película en excelente calidad, es una lastima que no sea clara las características de los subtítulos, no viene en español, tampoco tienen forma de preguntar .

Polanski e la sua visione del male necessario, in forma di commedia imperdibile. Non ci sono sottotitoli italiani, ma quelli inglesi consentono di seguire agevolmente il film in lingua originale anche per chi non è madrelingua.

La caja llegó vacía, sin disco