IT CAME FROM THE BOTTOM SHELF!

The winter months have descended upon us, and the holidays are nipping at our heels.  For the movie lover, nothing puts one in the seasonal mood like an annual rewatch of beloved holiday favorites, such as A Christmas Story, It’s a Wonderful Life, and The Fearless Vampire Killers.  Wait.  You’re telling me that The Fearless Vampire Killers isn’t part of your regular yuletide movie rotation?  If that’s the case, it’s a bleeding shame, because few films put me in the holiday mood like Roman Polanski’s 1967 horror spoof.  Allow me to introduce you to a new holiday tradition.  You’re in for a treat.

The Elephant in the Room: Before I launch into my review of The Fearless Vampire Killers, I feel I have to address the whole “Roman Polanski” of it all.  If you feel that you must boycott all films created by Polanski and other disreputable human beings, that is your prerogative.  I totally understand your stance.  At the same time, please refrain from deriding fellow movie lovers that choose to enjoy the art despite the artist.  And if you’ll allow me to provide one counterargument, you may want to consider that film is a collaborative art form.  It takes dozens (and sometimes hundreds) of professionals to produce a motion picture, including writers, cast, crew, etc.  If you choose to boycott a movie because of a single person’s involvement, you also shun the work of everyone else that contributed to the project.  In the case of The Fearless Vampire Killers, it contains exemplary, career-best work from members of the cast, the art director, composer, and costume designer.  If you dismiss the film due to Polanski’s involvement, you are dismissing their work as well.

With that out of the way, let me proceed with a brief plot synopsis.  The story is set deep within the heart of a wintery Transylvania sometime in the mid-1800s.  Having been exiled from the University of Konigsberg for his unconventional beliefs, Professor Abronsius (Jack MacGowran) and his pupil, Alfred (Roman Polanski), arrive in the snow-covered locale on a quest to prove the existence of vampires.  Upon arrival at a local inn run by Yoine Shagal (Alfie Bass), Abronsius immediately recognizes precautions against the undead, including garlic hung throughout the building.  However, Alfred is much more interested in the innkeeper’s daughter, Sarah (a luminous Sharon Tate).  When Sarah is abducted from her bath by the evil bloodsucker, Count von Krolock (Ferdy Mayne), Abronsius and Alfred pursue the vampire to his castle in an attempt to both rescue Sarah and capture Abronsius’ proof of vampirism.

While the plot synopsis may not sound particularly Christmassy, The Fearless Vampire Killers features some of the most beautiful snow scenes ever committed to film.  I can never view the wintery landscapes lensed by cinematographer Douglas Slocombe without being reminded somewhat of Rankin-Bass holiday TV specials.  Plus, the colorful, eccentric costumes, the Eastern-European setting with castles and cottages, and the climax set during a dress ball makes the movie feel much more like a fairy tale than a horror film.

Jack MacGowran gives one of the all-time great physical comedy performances as the lanky, eccentric professor, who becomes frozen stiff on more than one occasion.  While Polanski was not a trained actor, I can see why he cast himself in the role of Alfred, because his short stature is a perfect visual contrast with MacGowran, creating a mismatched, Mutt and Jeff pairing.  Additional comic support is provided by Alfie Bass and Ferdy Mayne, the latter of which is also effective when asked upon to be threateningly scary.  Finally, it must be mentioned that Sharon Tate, while not given a lot of dialogue, is radiant and beguiling every time she is on screen.  I can’t imagine another actress being nearly as effective in the part.

While The Fearless Vampire Killers is first-and-foremost a comedy, rather than a horror movie, one shouldn’t expect many “laugh out loud” moments.  The film is more subtle than that.  It has a light tone, aided greatly by a beautiful score by Krzysztof Komeda, which is punctuated at times by touches of dark, sardonic humor (and occasional bloodshed).  There are also a few moments of ethnic and gay humor that are no longer politically correct, but there nothing that I would consider really offensive.

All in all, The Fearless Vampire Killers is an imaginative fairy tale with a few horrific elements, brought wonderfully to life by a cast and crew at the top of their game.  If you are looking for something a little different for your seasonal viewing this year, let me recommend this snowy gem.

UK/C-107m./Dir: Roman Polanski/Wr: Gerard Brach & Roman Polanski/Cast: Jack Mac Gowran, Roman Polanski, Sharon Tate, Alfie Bass, Ferdy Mayne, Jessie Robins, Iain Quarrier, Terry Downes, Fiona Lewis

For Fans of: In many ways, The Fearless Vampire Killers provides the perfect bridge from Halloween to the winter holidays.  If you like The Nightmare Before Christmas, you might try pairing it with Polanski’s film for a Hallo-yuletide double feature.

Video: The Fearless Vampire Killers has had a checkered history in both theatrical and home video releases.  Originally, Polanski completed the film under the title of Dance of the Vampires, but when it was released in the U.S., the brass at MGM decided to cut the film by twelve minutes, add a kooky animated prologue, and changed the title to The Fearless Vampire Killers, or Pardon Me, But Your Teeth Are in My Neck.  The subtractions and additions did not improve the film, and unfortunately, until the 1980s, it was the only way to see the it.  Happily, Polanski’s original cut was eventually restored (albeit retaining the title of The Fearless Vampire Killers).  His cut has been released on VHS, laserdisc, and DVD, but the picture and sound quality were never optimal.

The new Blu-ray release from the Warner Archive Collection makes all previous video releases obsolete.  They have given the film a new 2K scan from the film’s interpositive and have cleaned up dirt and scratches, and the result is a big advance over prior video releases.  The picture is sharp, retaining film grain, with a brighter, more colorful, and more accurate appearance than ever before.  The film likely looks better than it did in theatrical screenings.  In addition, the lossless soundtrack beautifully supports the score and makes the (sometimes muttered) dialogue easier to follow.

The extras will be familiar to anyone that has picked up prior video releases, as there is nothing new.  However, having a clean, colorful scan of the film itself is worth the price tag alone.  The special features are as follows:

• Vintage Making of Featurette – “The Fearless Vampire Killers: Vampires 101
• Alternate Animated Title Sequence
• Theatrical Trailer (HD)
• Optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature

You can purchase the disc directly from the Warner Archive or from other online retailers (Amazon link below).

Streaming: At the time this review was written, Fearless Vampire Killers was not streaming on any of the subscription services, but it is available for purchase or rental in digital form from Amazon and other outlets.

More to Explore: Jack MacGowran had a smaller (but scene-stealing) role in Roman Polanski’s previous film, the deliciously dark comedy Cul-de-sac (1966).

Trivia: Tanz der Vampire (Dance of the Vampires), a German-language theatrical musical based on Polanski’s film, premiered in Vienna, Austria in 1997.  There have been several successful re-stagings, including a production in Germany in 2000, directed by Polanski himself.  Not unlike how Polanski’s film was treated in its original American release, the stage show was heavily reworked and rewritten for the U.S. production, and the altered version was a flop.

For More Info:  The Fearless Vampire Killers is one of several films covered in Comedy-Horror Films: A Chronological History, 1914-2008 by Bruce G. Hallenbeck.