Also known as 'Dance of the Vampires,' this comedy horror is essential viewing if you're a fan of vampires and atmosphere. The movie, like many vampire films, is set in the dark heart of Transylvania where we meet Professor Abronsius and his sidekick Alfred who are stalking the night in the hunt for the bloodthirsty undead. Alfred, played by Polanski, is a rather bumbling apprentice, who, whilst staying at an old inn falls for a young lady named Sarah (played by Sharon Tate - who was married to Polanski) but the biggest concern for the Professor - apart from his own old age and aversion to the weather, is the bizarre behaviour of the locals who are keen to perform weird rituals to ward off the rumoured local evil spirits.
When Sarah is kidnapped by the local Count, Alfred and the Professor follow a trail through the snow-laden landscape in search of the culprit, which leads them to a dusty old castle where they, through invitation by the Count, stay the night, resulting a comedy of errors rather than terrors in this joyous romp that I first saw as a child and distinctly recall Alfred and the Professor sledging through the snow in coffins!
Jack McGowan is fantastic as the Professor and 'The Fearless....' goes down as one of my favourite vampire films of all time just due to the feel-good factor alone rather than the blood and gore which may feature in lesser quality films.
I Just Watched It For The Umpteenth Time. I First Watched It In The Early 70’s, I Believe.
ReplyDeleteI Adore This Motion Picture.