The Fearless Vampire Killers (1967)
A doddering vampire hunter (Jack MacGowran) and his useless assistant (Roman Polanski) travel to remote Transylvanian village where they find signs of vampirism. Polanski becomes enchanted by the local tavern keeper's daughter, Sarah (Sharon Tate - who wouldn't?), who is then abducted by Ferdie Mayne's Count von Krolock. Determined to save her the idiotic duo set off for the Count's castle.
Jesus wept, this is one bad, bad film from director Roman Polanski. It's too stupid to be a horror and not funny enough to be a comedy in fact i never laughed once and yet being Polanski it certainly has it's plus points.
The sets and locations are wonderful, all snowy and fairy tale like and remind me of Bava's The Wurdulak segment of Black Sabbath in fact the first half hour seems all too similar to have just been luck. The second half of the film again reminds me of other better movies especially Hammer's Kiss of the Vampire with the undead ball at the end which is a delight.
And for all it's sumptuous Gothic trappings, MacGowran is so annoyingly silly, his and other characters buffoonery ruin what could have been a masterpiece.
I should like this. I return to it every few years to give it another chance but it never gets any better.
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