Tempi duri per i vampiri

There aren't many movies that I've laughed this hard at, all throughout. Here's what I recommend for the best experience: watch Horror of Dracula (1958) first, then this. There are so many tiny references and nuances to the parody that you won't catch otherwise. Christopher Lee is, of course, phenomenal, but I was almost equally entertained when he was off screen. And let me reassure you: at the point when it looks like he's left the story, he hasn't. And the ending is beyond beautiful.

This Italian Vampire comedy really delivers. The location is a beautiful castle turned Grand Hotel at sunny coast of Italy. Christopher Lee successfully revives his most famous role with a well timed comic twist. And there are lots of sexy 1950s girls (including the stunning Sylvia Koscina) that get bitten. Of course it does not get too sexy. It's still a 1950s movie and some comedy might feel a little bit dated. But that's also the charm of this enjoyable romp. They don't do it like that any more! It's a time capsule that deserves to be rediscovered. Although it's not (and never will become) a classic, I did not regret the spent time and money.

The English title is "Uncle was a Vampire" and it stars Christopher Lee. I know this from watching it on TV sometime in the in the 60's. Trivia note: IMDb doesn't know this. Note the lack of English translation in Lee's bio for this movie, And his name isn't top, or anywhere near the top of the cast list. The movie was made in Italy, but the humor translates quite well. The English dubbing is good and it even has a believable happy ending. Call this "black humor lite", little blood and no gore. Which will probably turn off most kids/tweens/teens weaned on "First Blood", "Twilight", etc. The biting/gore is similar to "Love at first Bite" except uncle isn't Dracula, just a Vampire. Just a Vampire!?!? The story is simple and entertaining: man inherits hotel, uncle comes to visit, uncle is a Vampire and local women fall under his spell. Yes, hilarity ensues. Christopher Lee has a funny side and his comic timing is spot on. Consider it an undiscovered gem and well worth renting/downloading for the laughs. 9 out of 10 for being a funny and romantic vampire movie. In short, a date movie that both will enjoy.

For those who care, this Italian film is dubbed into English and it's not a bad dubbing at all, though you might be surprised to hear a totally different voice coming out of Christopher Lee!

In "My Uncle Was a Vampire", Christopher Lee parodies his vampire roles with moderate success. The idea is clever, but the film, at times, is overlong and has trouble maintaining momentum.

When the film begins, the vampire, Rodrigo (Lee), is leaving his home and going to live with his Italian nephew, Baron Oswaldo (Renato Rascel). Little does he know that Oswaldo has fallen on hard times and the government is forcing him to sell his castle to pay back taxes. And, by the time Rodrigo arrives, Oswaldo is just a lowly bellboy in the new castle hotel. What follows is a strange little comedy--with Lee playing it straight and diminutive Rascel handling the humor. At one point, Oswaldo becomes sort of a part- time vampire---and a lot of other strange canon busting things occur in this one.

While I like the idea of the film (sort of like a precursor to "Love at First Bite"), the film is overly long and Rascel alone isn't funny enough to keep the film moving along at a good pace. Still, it's pleasant and diverting...and the ending is pretty cute.

Christopher Lee parodies his performance in Hammer's Dracula by playing vampire Baron Roderico da Frankurten, uncle to cash-strapped Osvaldo Lambertenghi (Renato Rascel), who has just sold his ancestral castle to be turned into a hotel. Working as a bellhop at the hotel, Osvaldo receives a letter telling him that his Uncle Roderico is about to pay him a visit; what he doesn't realise is that his uncle is a vampire!

Uncle Was A Vampire consists of a series of silly scenes linked by the flimsiest of plots: Osvaldo discovers his uncle's true nature and must protect the love of his life, pretty gardener Lellina (Kai Fischer). During the course of the film, Osvaldo is also turned into a vampire and goes on a biting spree, chomping on the necks of all the attractive women in the hotel, which makes him irresistable to his victims.

I often struggle with humour from other parts of the world, the type of comedy popular in other countries not always travelling well. Euro-comedy tends to be very broad, and that is the case with Uncle Was a Vampire, with star Rascel gesticulating wildly and pulling silly expressions throughout; while this might have had them rolling in the aisles in Rome or Milan in the late-'50s, I found it all very tedious and not at all funny. Watching a great actor like Lee in embarrassingly bad dross such as this only serves to make the experience more painful.

2.5/10, rounded up to 3 for lovely Kai Fischer, plus additional eye-candy from several other babes, including Sylva Koscina (Hercules) and Susanne Loret (Atom Age Vampire).