History Film / TheFearlessVampireKillers

-->''"Oy vey, have you got the wrong vampire!"''

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/FVK_9497.jpg]]
-->''Oy vey, have you got the wrong vampire.''

'''''The Fearless Vampire Killers, [[EitherOrTitle or: Pardon Me, But Your Teeth Are in My Neck]]''''' (universally known in countries outside America as ''Dance of the Vampires'') is a 1967 horror comedy film from director Creator/RomanPolanski (who also starred and cowrote the screenplay), which gives a good-natured ribbing to vampire movies, particularly those in the Film/HammerHorror tradition. It is today perhaps best known as the inspiration for ''Theatre/TanzDerVampire'', a ScreenToStageAdaptation that is extremely popular in Europe, as well as for being the film which introduced Polanski to his future wife, Sharon Tate, and in turn, being a FunnyAneurysmMoment.

* AndThenJohnWasAZombie: [[spoiler: Sarah transforms into a vampire at the end.]]

* TheBadGuyWins: Unintentionally,[[spoiler: Krolock only meant to have Sarah join his legion of undead within the castle, meaning she would just be another victim. He succeeds on that front but ultimately lost Sarah when Alfred and Abronsius escape. However that only means the curse of vampirism has spread beyond his castle which wasn't his intention.]]

* FailureHero: Both Abronsius and Alfred show to be terribly incompetent and useless hunters, so that [[spoiler: not they only fail in killing any of the vampires, but end up helping in spread the vampirism to the rest of the world by bringing a vampirized Sarah with them]].

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: [[spoiler:The fearless vampire killers unwittingly bring a vampire back to civilization, where it can spread the curse and continue the supernatural evil of vampirism.]]

* TwistEnding: [[spoiler:Sarah has already become a vampire, and turns Alfred as Professor Abronsius unknowingly takes them to Vienna.]] Doubles as a DownerEnding [[InferredHolocaust and a]] CruelTwistEnding.

'''''The Fearless Vampire Killers, [[EitherOrTitle or: Pardon Me, But Your Teeth Are in My Neck]]''''' (universally known in countries outside America as ''Dance of the Vampires'') is a 1967 horror comedy film from director Creator/RomanPolanski (who also starred and cowrote the screenplay), which gives a good-natured ribbing to vampire movies, particularly those in the HammerHorror tradition. It is today perhaps best known as the inspiration for ''Theatre/TanzDerVampire'', a ScreenToStageAdaptation that is extremely popular in Europe, as well as for being the film which introduced Polanski to his future wife, Sharon Tate, and in turn, being a FunnyAneurysmMoment.

''The Fearless Vampire Killers, [[EitherOrTitle or: Pardon Me, But Your Teeth Are in My Neck]]'' (universally known in countries outside America as ''Dance of the Vampires'') is a 1967 horror comedy film from director Creator/RomanPolanski (who also starred and cowrote the screenplay), which gives a good-natured ribbing to vampire movies, particularly those in the HammerHorror tradition. It is today perhaps best known as the inspiration for ''Theatre/TanzDerVampire'', a ScreenToStageAdaptation that is extremely popular in Europe, as well as for being the film which introduced Polanski to his future wife, Sharon Tate, and in turn, being a FunnyAneurysmMoment.

* AffablyEvil: Count von Krolock
* AndThenJohnWasAZombie: [[spoiler: Sarah transforms into a vampire at the end]].

* DistressedDamsel: Sarah, though she never seems aware of the danger she is in or shows any desire to be rescued.
* FailureHero: Both Abronsius and Alfred show to be terribly incompetent and useless hunters, so that [[spoiler: not they only fail in killing any of the vampires, but end up helping in spread the vampirism to the rest of the world by bringing a vampirized Sarah with them.]]
* FanService: Sharon Tate in a bathtub. Yikes.

* LogoJoke: Leo the [[MetroGoldwynMayer MGM]] lion morphs into an animated [[LooksLikeOrlok Orlokian vampire]], whose fangs drip blood that trickles down past the scrolling credits.

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: [[spoiler:The fearless vampire killers unwittingly bring a vampire back to civilization, where it can spread the curse and continue the supernatural evil of vamprisim]].
* NonindicativeName: While Abronsius is indeed fearless, Alfred is scared as hell, and both aren't effective in killing vampires.

* TheVonTropeFamily: von Krolock

** Likewise Shagal who, even though he knows a bit more about vampires, tries to venture off and save his daughter by himself. Krolock quickly captures him and makes him a vampire.

* TwistEnding: [[spoiler:Sarah has already become a vampire, and turns Alfred as Professor Abronsius unknowingly takes them to Vienna.]] Doubles as a DownerEnding and a CruelTwistEdning.

* TheBadGuyWins

* BreakingAndBloodsucking: Krolock captures Sarah this way by coming in through the window of the bathroom she's in. As she's taking a bath and naked, she can't run leaving her in a perfect position for Krolock to bite her.

* MatzoFever: Alfred, for the beautiful red-headed Jewess Sarah. Ironically this was inverted in real life. Polanski and Tate were a couple, but Polanski was the Jew.

''The Fearless Vampire Killers, [[EitherOrTitle or: Pardon Me, But Your Teeth Are in My Neck]]'' (universally known in countries outside America as ''Dance of the Vampires'') is a 1967 horror comedy film from director Creator/RomanPolanski (who also starred and cowrote the screenplay), which gives a good-natured ribbing to vampire movies, particularly those in the HammerHorror tradition. It is today perhaps best known as the inspiration for ''TanzDerVampire'', a ScreenToStageAdaptation that is extremely popular in Europe, as well as for being the film which introduced Polanski to his future wife, Sharon Tate, and in turn, being a FunnyAneurysmMoment.

* FailureHero: Both Anbronsius and Alfred show to be terribly incompetent and useless hunters, so that [[spoiler: not they only fail in killing any of the vampires, but end up helping in spread the vampirism to the rest of the world by bringing a vampirized Sarah with them.]]
* FantasticReligiousWeirdness: The opening quote is said by a Jewish vampire to show that a cross will not work on him.

* ScreenToStageAdaptation: Became the popular European musical ''TanzDerVampire'' (and, allegedly, the much less popular American version, ''Dance of the Vampires'').

* AndThenJohnWasAZombie: [[spoiler: Sarah is revealed to be a vampire at the end]].

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: [[spoiler:The fearless vampire killers unwittingly bring a vampire back to civilization, where it can spread the curse]].

* TwistEnding: [[spoiler:Sarah has already become a vampire, and turns Alfred as Professor Abronsius unknowingly takes them to Vienna.]] Doubles as a DownerEnding (and maybe InferredHolocaust).

''The Fearless Vampire Killers, [[EitherOrTitle or: Pardon Me, But Your Teeth Are in My Neck]]'' (universally known in countries outside America as ''Dance of the Vampires'') is a 1967 horror comedy film from director Creator/RomanPolanski (who also starred and cowrote the screenplay), which gives a good-natured ribbing to vampire movies, particularly those in the HammerHorror tradition. It is today perhaps best known as the inspiration for ''TanzDerVampire'', a ScreenToStageAdaptation that is extremely popular in Europe, as well as for being the film which introduced Polanski to his future wife, Sharon Tate.

* MatzoFever: Alfred, for the beautiful red-headed Jewess Sarah. Ironically this was inverted in real life. Polanski and Tate were a couple, but Polanksi was the Jew.

''The Fearless Vampire Killers, [[EitherOrTitle or: Pardon Me, But Your Teeth Are in My Neck]]'' (universally known in countries outside America as ''Dance of the Vampires'') is a 1967 horror comedy film from director RomanPolanski (who also starred and cowrote the screenplay), which gives a good-natured ribbing to vampire movies, particularly those in the HammerHorror tradition. It is today perhaps best known as the inspiration for ''TanzDerVampire'', a ScreenToStageAdaptation that is extremely popular in Europe, as well as for being the film which introduced Polanski to his future wife, Sharon Tate.

* ExecutiveMeddling: The American version, in addition to being retitled by the producer, [[{{Macekre}} was also absolutely butchered.]] Twenty minutes of footage was cut, all of the actors were redubbed with American accents, and a cartoon short was added to the beginning. Polanski disowned this version, and it has never been released on DVD.

* DisneyVillainDeath: For [[spoiler:Koukol]].

* [[OurVampiresAreDifferent Our Vampires are exactly the same]]: Vampires sleep in coffins, only go out at night, and do not appear in mirrors. They can be warded off with garlic and religious symbols (apparently only the religious symbols they believe in). Theoretically, at least, they can be killed with a stake through the heart, but the protagonists never get a chance to test that idea.

* [[spoiler: [[AndThenJohnWasAZombie And Then Sarah Was a Vampire]]: The film's ending.]]

* OurVampiresAreDifferent: Vampires sleep in coffins, only go out at night, and do not appear in mirrors. They can be warded off with garlic and religious symbols (apparently only the religious symbols they believe in). Theoretically, at least, they can be killed with a stake through the heart, but the protagonists never get a chance to test that idea.

* ExecutiveMeddling: The American version, in addition to being retitled by the producer, was also absolutely butchered. Twenty minutes of footage was cut, all of the actors were redubbed with American accents, and a cartoon short was added to the beginning. Polanski disowned this version, and it has never been released on DVD.

The eminent ([[SmallNameBigEgo n his own mind, at least]]) vampire expert Professor Abronsius (Jack [=MacGowran=]) and his bumbling assistant Alfred (Polanski) arrive in a small Transylvanian village to track down and kill a nest of vampires that they believe are lurking nearby. Stopping to rest at a local inn, they become convinced that they are on the right track, both by the presence of garlic adorning every available surface, and by the reluctance of the innkeeper Shagal (Alfie Bass) to discuss the location of the local castle.

The eminent (in his own mind, at least) vampire expert Professor Abronsius (Jack [=MacGowran=]) and his bumbling assistant Alfred (Polanski) arrive in a small Transylvanian village to track down and kill a nest of vampires that they believe are lurking nearby. Stopping to rest at a local inn, they become convinced that they are on the right track, both by the presence of garlic adorning every available surface, and by the reluctance of the innkeeper Shagal (Alfie Bass) to discuss the location of the local castle.

''The Fearless Vampire Killers, [[EitherOrTitle or: Pardon Me, But Your Teeth Are in My Neck]]'' (universally known in countries outside America as ''Dance of the Vampires'') is a 1967 comedy/horror film from director RomanPolanski (who also starred and cowrote the screenplay), which gives a good-natured ribbing to vampire movies, particularly those in the HammerHorror tradition. It is today perhaps best known as the inspiration for ''TanzDerVampire'', a ScreenToStageAdaptation that is extremely popular in Europe, as well as for being the film which introduced Polanski to his future wife, Sharon Tate.

''The Fearless Vampire Killers, [[EitherOrTitle or: Pardon Me, But Your Teeth Are in My Neck]]'' (universally known in countries outside America as ''Dance of the Vampires'') is a 1967 satire from director RomanPolanski (who also starred and cowrote the screenplay), which gives a good-natured ribbing to vampire movies, particularly those in the HammerHorror tradition. It is today perhaps best known as the inspiration for ''TanzDerVampire'', a ScreenToStageAdaptation that is extremely popular in Europe, as well as for being the film which introduced Polanski to his future wife, Sharon Tate.

''The Fearless Vampire Killers, or: Pardon Me, But Your Teeth Are in My Neck'' (universally known in countries outside America as ''Dance of the Vampires'') is a 1967 satire from director RomanPolanski (who also starred and cowrote the screenplay), which gives a good-natured ribbing to vampire movies, particularly those in the HammerHorror tradition. It is today perhaps best known as the inspiration for ''TanzDerVampire'', a ScreenToStageAdaptation that is extremely popular in Europe, as well as for being the film which introduced Polanski to his future wife, Sharon Tate.