Le bal des vampires

Dance of the Vampires isn't a very typical offering from Roman Polanski. This is his first colour feature film and up until this point his films were decidedly left-field and arty. This one is a considerably more commercial offering. It's effectively a parody of the British Hammer horror films that had been very popular up to this point. So its cultural references were fairly mainstream in the 60's. Set in the 19th century, it's about a professor and his assistant who travel to Eastern Europe seeking vampires. Before long they find themselves at the castle of the mysterious Count von Krolock.

The problem I have with this film is fairly straightforward – I don't find it very funny. The humour is very broad and present throughout. It ranges from the clever (a Jewish vampire who is unafraid of a crucifix) to the low-brow (lots of slapstick). It's occasionally amusing but rarely properly funny. So this is a bit of a problem in a film that is first and foremost a comedy. On the plus side it does look pretty, with nice snowbound landscapes and a Gothic castle to look at. The vampire's ball is also very good. But, for me, the single best aspect of Dance of the Vampires is easily Sharon Tate. She is achingly beautiful and provides a very welcome sensuality to proceedings. Her horrible murder two years later at the hands of the Manson Family clearly robbed the film world of someone quite considerable.

"The Fearless Vampire Killers" (aka "Dance of the Vampires") is a silly but enjoyable parody of vampire films, especially the contemporaneous Hammer series, with which it shares visual style. Director Polanski co-stars as Alfred, the bumbling assistant to dotty vampire-hunter Professor Abronsius (Jack MacGowran), as they infiltrate the decaying castle of dreaded Count von Krolock to rescue a beautiful village girl (played by Sharon Tate) with whom Alfred has become smitten (fiction presaging fact, as Tate later married Polanski). The comedy is generally broad and physical (including some sped up sequences), humorously contrasting with Polanski's and MacGowran's dead-pan delivery of a script that could be straight out of a 'real' horror film. The direction and cinematography is top-notch, especially the classic ball-room scene (itself parodied in 2014's "What We Do in the Shadows" mockumentary). I recently rewatched "The Fearless Vampire Killers" on TCM and, having seen the film as a kid, was surprised when it did not open with a cartoon. The reason for this is discussed elsewhere (e.g. Wikipedia; you can see the incredibly dated animated opening on You-tube). All in all, a goofy but fun film from a talented director that relentlessly spoofs a sometimes pretentious horror genre.

This film by Roman Polanski is a comedy, but it is not a broad comedy, like Mel Brooks' "Young Frankenstein". The characters don't speak in funny voices or camp it up. The action is played fairly straight and the comedy arises from its physical elements and the antics of the two main characters: Professor Abronsius (Jack MacGowran) and his assistant Alfred (Roman Polanski).

Abronsius is an expert on vampires, though he is roundly derided by his colleagues for his theories. He and Alfred arrive at a Transylvania inn, hoping to locate the castle of Count von Krolock (Ferdy Mayne). The locals try to hide the truth from the duo, but the Count reveals his presence and the two are taken to his sanctum.

Watch for Sharon Tate as Sarah Shagal.

It is Polanski, himself, who proves to be the best part of this film, playing an innocent, fearful assistant who falls for the comely Sarah.

The production values are very high. And they more than compensate for the sections of the film that move rather slowly. Polanski's skills as a director are undeniable. He would follow this film with "Rosemary's Baby".

When I think about R.Polanski the first thing coming to my mind is - "the master of fear and horror", and I knew it that "Fearless vampire Killers" is rare example of comedy by this great director. Yeah, I was worried before seeing this movie, not as much about "geting it", but more so about simple thing - could this movie be entertaining for "21st Century Boy".

First thing that striked me was beautiful music by Komeda. I was in total awe. The music was scary, but at the same time so light and funny - just like for a good fair story. And then the beautiful winter scenery that was so fake - almost cartooning. Few minutes into the movie, and I could say "that's what I call movie poetry".

The story is so simple. The old bat researcher, professor Abronsius and his assistant, Alfred, go to a remote Transylvanian village looking for vampires. They stay in house where no one speaks about vampires, but the garlic is hanging everywhere. Simplistic story is so right for this movie, because acting, scenery, music, cinematography are all in top shape here. For composition I think this is one of the best movie done by Polanski, next to "Tenant" for sure.

And this movie is also a rare occasion to see Polanski in comedic role. He and Brach make unforgettable duo. I was totally entertain when in came to comedy in this movie, but the thing that surprise me the most was the action factor. There is one scene that is great example of that - when Polanski character is looking through keyhole and is so scared of what he see that his face is screaming "terror". It's sure funny, but in a way mad-scary too. And when I think about this movie - this scene sums it up for me.

Its very funny, but little outdated movie. For me one a few really cinematic fairy tales, that keeps magic all the way to the end. Its up there with Repulsion, Tenant, and Tess when in comes to greatest work of this director.

And just think about brilliant ending, so funny, so mad. It's a shame Polanski hasn't made another comedy. Don't get me started with Pirates - the most unfunny movie in history. But "Fearless Vampire Killers " is movie magic - pure and simple.

The title "fearless vampire killers" it's not so good as "Dance of the Vampires",outside U.S. this is the original title

I always will remember this film as "Dance of the Vampires" ALSO,CONGRATULATIONS to Mr Polanski for the Palme D' Or, he deserves it(without him just cinema "boring")

I enjoyed poetic scenes such as like moment in Sarah's bath comparing the textures of first soap bubbles, then falling snowflakes, and finally crimson blood. when Alfred(Polanski) carries his master across the castle battlements remind me of Polanski early short films. Krystov Komeda's music has been acclaimed as "the most innovative and haunting score ever devised for a horror movie" by the heavyweight Aurum Film Encyclopedia. Krystof Komeda's wondrous music, with its weird choral effects and little melodies Komeda's score communicates the Kafka-like isolation of the setting and the characters

Polanski chose some of the finest English cinema craft artists to work on the film: cameraman Douglas Slocombe, production designer Wilfrid Shingleton Polanski engaged noted choreographer Tutte Lemkow, who played the actual Fiddler in FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, for the film's climactic Danse Macabre minuet.

Sharon Tate as Sarah was delightful(we should remember her in a good way,as a decent actress and person,her scene with Polanski is really cool ,especially "the bite scene") Jack MacGowran as Professor Abronsius is just great Polanski's films often deal in contrasts of master and servant, the empowered and the powerless. The supposedly benign Abronsius bullies Alfred for his own purposes, just as the vampires consider all of humankind a resource to be harvested.

The character called Shagal got the best lines in the movie,when A woman thrusts a crucifix in his face, only for Shagal - a Jewish rather than a Christian vampire - to go "Oy-yoy! You got the wrong vampire" and bite her anyway Count Von Krolock (Ferdy Mayne, who plays the Count)he looks really as a Nosferatu or a man that needs Transfusion!.

Also funny is Herbert, the openly gay vampire who is interested in Alfred rather than Sara, the sexual deviations implicit in early Hammer films like The Brides of Dracula (1960) and Kiss of the Vampire (1964) are brought out. Hammer would increasingly exploit this in their lesbian