Plenty to Like, Plenty to Dislike

Overrated and overhyped

The acting in this movie is really good.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

Dance of the Vampires gets well mixed reviews but for me it worked and works still well - I watched and re-watched it numerous times and still like it a lot.A real fun (sometimes) slapstick classic with a nice cinematography. Whereas I find Repulsion boring and outdated of this one I will never get tired. For certain not Polanski's best or most ambitious one, but a well done comedy it is. Like Pirates (1986) fun to watch and on top we get hot Sharon Tate. Good.

Since reading Bram Stoker's novel "Dracula," I've been viewing a bunch of Dracula movies. Although "Dance of the Vampires," renamed "The Fearless Vampire Killers" in the US, isn't a "Dracula" adaptation, it's said to parody the Dracula and vampire series of Hammer Films. Having endured some of the lackluster output from that studio to follow its more-successful original 1958 "Dracula" adaptation, I wanted to be rewarded for it by Roman Polanski's vampire comedy. In that regard, it's quite enjoyable despite a lot of the humor not working for me.As far as vampire comedies go, I find "Love at First Bite" (1979) funnier—largely because of its rapid-fire structure of jokes. Many of the one-liners are duds, but they're quickly passed over by other lines that do work. "Dance of the Vampires," on the other hand, is rather slow and silent early on, although it picks up after the vampires come into the picture. The humor is more of the physical and slapstick variety. While this leaves a lot of dead space, when a gag does pay off, it can be more gratifying.The best ones, methinks, are those that upend traditional vampire lore established by prior movies. The Van Helsing type Professor as a buffoon, for instance, or the first explicitly gay vampire in mainstream cinema that I know of—who is thwarted by a human biting him! Or the Jewish sexual predator who continues much in the same vein once he's turned into a vampire. In one of the film's best jokes, when his victim confronts him with the usual vampire repellent of a cross, he quips, "You got the wrong vampire."Like some of the Hammer films, there's sex (plenty of cleavage and bath scenes and a bit of spanking) and color. "The Fearless Vampire Killers" is even better photographed and has richer locations than Hammer's output. Of course, there's a makeshift cross in one scene, too, and the vampires are a satanic cult. The bath scenes, the human and vampire sex predators and the hunchback assistant (à la Universal's non-Dracula monster movies) reminded me of another "Dracula" adaptation, "Drakula Istanbul'da" (1953).The film's alternate title, "The Fearless Vampire Killers," can be read two ways: as referring to the human Professor and his assistant or to the vampires themselves. Reflecting this dual reading, there are two comedic chases: in the first, the humans chase a vampire and, in the second, the vampires chase the humans. Moreover, these vamps have mirrors in their mansion. Unlike the inexplicable mirror in Castle Dracula of Franco's poor 1970 adaptation, these mirrors have a reason. The vampires don't care whether the mirrors expose their true nature because they're not hiding. They're not like the suave Dracula of so many movies who sneaks into high-class English society. No, their mirrors expose the true nature of humans. This works wonderfully in the ballroom dance sequence (which is likely inspired by Hammer's "The Kiss of the Vampire" (1963)). It's far better as a gag than Mel Brooks's ballroom mirror exposure in "Dracula: Dead and Loving It" (1995), which returns mirrors to being a threat to vampires.

One of Director Roman Polanski's Most Divisive Films. There are Those That Consider it a Masterpiece and Others, Well, Not So Much.This Vampire Spoof is Beautifully Shot and Contain Sets of Enormous Elegance with Detailed and Interesting Fills. It Cannot Be Denied its Craftsmanship and Obvious Talent Behind the Camera.However, it Does Move at a Rather Languishing Pace. Some Scenes, Especially Before They Get to the Castle, Seem Padded and Forced. But Once the Castle is the Backdrop the Film Kicks Into High Gear and the Remainder is Breathtaking and Highly Amusing.The Film had a Troubled Pre-Release with Different Opinions from Producers and Polanski and was Released Cut to Shreds. It Flopped Big-Time but Has Since Gained a Reputation and Admiration for its Brilliance, Mostly for the Display and the Humor Secondary.A Must See for Polanski Fans and Horror Movie Enthusiasts, but it's an Acquired Taste and Multiple Viewings Add More Appreciation. Expectations are High Going In Considering the Director. This Was Made Prior to "Rosemary's Baby" (1968) and "Chinatown" (1974), but After "Repulsion" (1964).Note...The beautiful and radiant Sharon Tate is highlighted by many viewers as a small but welcome addition to the Film. Her marriage to Roman Polanski was to follow as was her tragic and brutal death at the hands of the Manson Family.

Roman Polanski directs and stars in this spoof of old-time vampire movies as he plays the assistant of a bat researcher (Jack McGowran) who is intent on discovering vampires in Transylvania. Polanski's character tries to protect the young daughter (Sharon Tate) of an innkeeper from the advances of the local vampire who has been terrorizing the countryside. Ironically, this is the film where Polanski met Tate, who was soon to become his wife, which indirectly led to her being a murder victim herself in the Charles Manson murders. The vampire hunters hunt down the vampire to confront him and save the townspeople, whose number of vampire casual;ties have risen dramatically over the last year. A lot of humorous moments, while also adding some real tension.