Dance of the Vampires (1967)

Country of Origin: UK
Year of Production: 1967
Running Times: 108m (Germany)/124m (USA)
Length:
Format: 35mm/Panavision
Colour Format: Metrocolor
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Sound: mono

DIRECTION

Directed by: Roman Polanski

PRODUCTION
Copyright: © MCMLXVI by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc.
Production Company: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer presents
Made by: Cadre Films / Filmways Ltd
Executive Producer: Martin Ransohoff
Produced by: Gene Gutowski
Production Manager: David W. Orton

SCRIPT
Story and Screenplay by: Gerard Brach and Roman Polanski

DIRECTION
Assistant Director: Roy Stevens
Continuity: Helen Whitson

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Douglas Slocombe
Camera Operator: Chic Waterson

EDITOR
Editor: Alistair McIntyre

MUSIC
Music Composed by: Christopher Komeda (real name: Krzysztof Komeda)

SOUND
Sound Recordist: George Stephenson
Dubbing Mixer: Len Shilton
Sound Editor: Lionel Selwyn
RCA Sound Recording

COSTUMES AND MAKE-UP
Costume Designed by: Sophie Devine
Make up by: Tom Smith
Hairdressing by: Biddy Chrystal

SPECIAL MAKE UP EFFECTS
Fangs by: Dr Ludwig Von Krankheit

VISUAL EFFECTS
Titles Designed by: André Francois

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Production Designer: Wilfred Shingleton
Art Director: Fred Carter

MISCELLANEOUS
Translation: Gillian and John Sutro
Choreography by: Tutte Lemkow

LOCATIONS
Locations: Made at M.G.M. British Studios and Associated British Picture Studios, Boreham Wood, England, UK

CAST

Starring
Jack MacGowran (Professor Abronius)
Sharon Tate (Sarah, their (the Shagals') daughter)
Alfie Bass (Shagal, an innkeeper)

Co-Starring
Ferdy Mayne (Count Von Krolock)
Terry Downes (Koukol, the hunchback)

With
Fiona Lewis (maid)
Iain Quarrier (Herbert, his (Von Krolovk's) son)
Jessie Robbins (Rebecca, his (Shagal's) wife)


Roman Polanski (Alfred, his (Polonius') assistant)
Ronald Lacey (village idiot)
Sydney Bromley (sleigh driver)
Andrea Malandrinos, Otto Diamant, Matthew Walters (woodcutters)

PLOT SUMMARY

Professor Abronsius and his sidekick, Alfred, roam Transylvania in search of vampires. When Alfred falls in love with Sarah, an inn-keeper's daughter, they find themselves drawn into conmflict with Count Krolock who throws a ball for a very select group at his castle...

Despite excellent design and technical input from a superbly talented production team, Dance of the Vampires is a disappointment, failing as both a horror film and a comedy. Polanski had already proved himself a remarkable creator of screen horror with his masterly study of repression and madness, Repulsion (1965) and would do so again in 1968 with the seminal Rosemary's Baby. Sadly, Dance of the Vampires was less suited to his sensibilities and the result is a frequently tedious spoof with little of the magic or wit that some of the more sympathetic critics have frequently alluded to.

UK
Video Distributor: MGM
DVD Distributors: Warner Bros. (65146)

USA
Video Distributor: MGM
Laserdisc Distributor: MGM Home Video (ML102874)

Finland
Rating: K-16

France
Rating: -12

Ireland
Rating: 12

Norway
Rating: 16 (in 1968); 15

UK
Rating: 12

USA
Rating: unrated

West Germany
Rating: 12 (w)

1967
March
23: UK - rated A by the BBFC (for theatrical release)

December
1: West Germany - theatrical release
26: Sweden - theatrical release

1968
March
29: Finland - theatrical release

June
13: Norway - theatrical release

1975
January
27: UK - television broadcast (on ITV (region not known) as part of The X Film strand)

1977
May
16: UK - television broadcast (on ITV (region not known) as part of the Appintment With Fear strand)

1982
December
27: UK - television broadcast (on BBC2)

1986
April
23: UK - rated 15 by the BBFC (for video release)

September
27: UK - television broadcast (on BBC2)

1988
June
11: UK - television broadcast (on Channel 4)

1993
March
Day Unknown: USA - laserdisc release (MGM Home Video (ML102874))

1995
November
9: UK - rated 12 by the BBFC (for video release)

1997
September
12: Switzerland - theatrical re-release

1999
December
18: UK - television broadcast (on Channel 4)

2001
March
28: UK - television broadcast (on Channel 4)

Who says Vampires are no laughing matter?

Fearless Vampire Killers, The - US title
Fearless Vampire Killers, The: Or, Pardon Me But Your Teeth Are In My Neck - US title
Vampire Ball - working title
Vampire Killers, The - working title

FOOTAGE INCLUDED IN
Fearless Vampire Killers: Vampires 101 (1967)
Lionpower From MGM (1967)

PERIODICALS

Cahiers du Cinéma April / May 1968 p.119 (France)
review

Daily Cinema 22 November 1967 p.7 (UK)
review

Film Daily vol.131 no.90 (14 November 1967) pp.1, 3 (UK)
note

Film Daily 21 November 1967 p.6 (UK)
review

Films and Filming January 1969 p.40 (UK)
credits, review

Films and Filming December 1983 p.43 (UK)
review

Hollywood no.6 (April 1996) p.72 (Croatia)
review (by Jasna Nanut)

Hollywood Reporter vol.198 no.21 (14 November 1967) p.3 (USA)
credits, review

Kinematograph Weekly 7 December 1968 p.19 (UK)
credits, review

The Listener 25 September 1986 p.28 (UK)
review

The Listener 9 June 1988 pp.41-42 (UK)
review

Monthly Film Bulletin January 1969 p.4 (UK)
credits, synopsis, review

Variety 15 November 1967 p.6 (USA)
credits, review

Video Watchdog Special Edition 1 p.13 (USA)
review

NEWSPAPERS

Diário de Notícias 13 February 1999 p.54 (Portugal)
review

Expresso, Antena 13 February 1999 (Portugal)
review (by Manuel Cintra Ferreira)

BOOKS

Hoffman's Guide to SF, Horror and Fantasy Movies 1991 - 1992 p.133 (Netherlands)
credits, review

The Illustrated Vampire Movie Guide p.46 (UK)
credits

OTHER SOURCES

screen
credits

vampires, balls, homosexuality, vampire slayers, incest, inns, snow, baths, blood, bats, castles, freaks, garlic

Last Updated: 3 January, 2010