The missing film on the list that started everything
The Fearless Vampire Killers
It was originally on the list and I know very well that I have gotten to know this movie from it. Nowadays, I am surprised to find a vampire movie (and this one to boot!) on my “list that started everything”. It just doesn’t really fit the style, I suppose?
But really, I think I don’t actually “get” this film. It’s not really funny and not really scary, but this something in between is somehow extremely irritating. There is a very subtle amusement I derive from watching this film, and I am absolutely impressed by its high production values, great acting and amazingly nice music. I like the fairytale style of the story and was very pleased with the actual dance of the vampires – what a nice stage with lovely costumes. But apart from that, seeing this film reminds me a lot of my first confrontations with Shiina Ringo’s music – I was unable to put my thumb onto what it really is, and that makes me feel odd.
By the way, Polanski is so cute? You’d expect a rapist to look entirely different huh?
All in all, with this being the very first Polanski I have ever seen, I would say that I am more surprised by the film than anything else. In general I’d say I am incapable of truly disliking it, but I am also unable to appreciate its humor and how it’s supposed to be an homage to old vampire films like “Nosferatu” or “Vampyr” – which, incidentally, I have actually seen.
