Film Excess' 7th birthday movie masterpiece: The Fearless Vampire Killers/Dance of the Vampires (1967) - Witness Polanski's incredible, underrated Gothic horror comedy

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A strange, partly humorous and partly menacing poster for Roman Polanski's The Fearless Vampire Killers

A disgraced professor from Königsberg and his young assistant have traveled to Transylvania to find and prove the existence of vampires.

The Fearless Vampire Killers is written and directed by French-Polish master filmmaker Roman Polanski (Knife in the Water/Nóz w Wodzie (1962)), with Gérard Brach (The Bear/L'Ours (1988)) contributing story elements. It is Polanski's 4th feature.
Polanski's vampire movie is in every way an overwhelming experience: Enormously wittily written both in terms of characters, dialog and plot and with production design and costumes, hair and makeup of very high quality, the film is also memorable for specific scenes: The castle and its mirror effect, for others the male-on-male rape attempt; both are quite simply unnerving and frightening scenes.
At other times the film is incredibly funny: Polanski himself is convincing and impressively hilarious as the fearsome assistant Alfred, who falls for smashing Sharon Tate (Eye of the Devil (1967)). Other actors are also noteworthy: Jack MacGowran (How I Won the War (1967)) as the Einstein-like professor, and Ferdy Mayne (Conan the Destroyer (1984)) and Iain Quarrier (Wonderwall (1968)) as the ominous count and his son are both tremendous.
The title is ambiguous, and perhaps the film as such was too refined and in a way high-brow for its audience or at least many of the distributors regrettably seemed to think so at the time.
The humor in The Fearless Vampire Killers has a Mel Brooksian side to it, though it is less coarse and vulgar than most of his films, and in my book it beats his famed Gothic horror spoof mega-hit Young Frankenstein (1974). Watching The Fearless Vampire Killers today also can't but make one wonder where Polanski might have gone, if it hadn't been for Charles Manson and his 'family's cowardly murder of Polanski's then wife Tate in 1969.

Related posts:

Roman Polanski:  2011 in films - according to Film Excess
Carnage (2011) - Polanski castigates modern parents in great play adaptation
2010 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess  The Ghost Writer/The Ghost (2010) - A master at work 
Chinatown (1974) - Polanski's masterpiece 

Top 10: Best UK movies reviewed by Film Excess to date
Cul-de-Sac (1966) - Edge-of-the-world island tale meanders at times, but is ultimately a winner  
Two Men and a Wardrobe/Dwaj Ludzie z Szafą (1958, short) - Polanski's remarkable, surreal short 
Previous Film Excess birthday movie masterpieces: Film Excess' 6th birthday movie masterpiece: The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara (2003, documentary) - Morris attains a stunning depth and historic wingspan in chilling, inspiring and mind-boggling must-see
Film Excess' 5th birthday movie masterpiece: Hunger/Sult/Svält (1966) - Oscarsson leaves you breathless in Carlsen's impressionist masterpiece
Film Excess' 4th birthday movie masterpiece: From Here to Eternity (1953) - Zinnemann, Taradash and Jones' Hawaii-set classic
Film Excess' 3rd birthday movie masterpiece: Anatomy of a Murder (1959) - The courtroom movie to rule them all
Film Excess' 2nd birthday movie masterpiece: The King's Speech (2010) - Hooper's soaring, royal masterpiece about overcoming human frailty
Film Excess' 1st birthday movie masterpiece: Broadway Danny Rose (1984) or, Keep Your Heart 

Watch  the correct version's cool opening of the film here

Cost: Estimated 2 mil. $
Box office: Unknown
= Uncertain
[The Fearless Vampire Killers premiered 13 November (New York) and runs 108 minutes. Polanski gave Tate the part after he had successfully scared her to a scream with a terrifying mask. Shooting took place in England and Italy. The film was mutilated in the US, where the title was changed to Dance of the Vampires and between 12 and 20 minutes was cut out, and an animated opening sequence was made to underscore that the film was marketed as a farce. Facts concerning the film's theatrical performance are regrettably not to be found. Polanski returned with Rosemary's Baby (1968). MacGowran returned in 3 TV and a short credit prior to his theatrical return in Wonderwall (1968); Tate in Valley of the Dolls (1967); and Alfie Bass (Come Play with Me (1977)) in Up the Junction (1968). The Fearless Vampire Killers is fresh at 69 % with a 6.2/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of The Fearless Vampire Killers?

Film Excess' 6th birthday movie masterpiece: The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara (2003, documentary) - Morris attains a stunning depth and historic wingspan in chilling, inspiring and mind-boggling must-see

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+ Best Biopic of the Year + Best War Movie of the Year

With praise literally set between the lines, and the classily dressed Robert S. McNamara up against these, not unlike the background for a criminal in a lineup, this poster for Errol Morris' The Fog of War is cleverly devised

Robert S. McNamara worked with statistics during WWII, modernized the Ford auto company and was the US's secretary of defense for seven years, from 1961-68, while 25,000 US soldiers were killed in the Vietnam War. What lessons did he take from this incredible life?

The Fog of War is a masterwork in documentary from one of the discipline's masters, New-Yorker Errol Morris (Gates of Heaven (1978)), whose 8th feature it is. With one central interview with McNamara, in which the man is framed and the camera sometimes subtly tilted in such a way as to remind us audiences of the dizzying aspects of his statements, and to nudge us into staying critical towards the charismatic and eloquent subject, Morris here attains an expertly insightful portrait of not only US foreign and war politics during the Cold War, and a very powerful man who was pivotal to these, but also of his country on the whole through large parts of the 20th century.
It is both provocative and humanistically inspiring that the film is structured as 11 lessons that we can take (or deny) from the experience of the highly intelligent and complex McNamara. Whatever one may feel about the man and his actions, his cool assessments carry weight and validity. The film showcases a frightfully accomplished political communicator, who opposed the escalation of the Vietnam War internally as part of the political leadership under presidents J.F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson, and who states frankly that it is only due to the (for the US) humiliating outcome of the war that he hasn't been prosecuted for war crimes. Morris orders his material so that we may ponder over the vast loss of lives and resources while keeping a critical edge towards McNamara. During the credits we are also afforded clips where his responses to Morris' questions are simply denials to answer those that he felt came to close to his personal life, or the ones that he knew would incur too much controversy, (according to his taste.) This is also valuable clips, as they remind us that McNamara is a very conscious of his words and performance as an actor of his own and his country's history for the documentary.
The Fog of War is staged with a staggering mass of archival source material; it is an invaluable source for the understanding of Robert S. McNamara and the century in which he lived.

 

Related posts:

 

2003 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II] 

2003 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]

 
Previous Film Excess birthday movie masterpieces: Film Excess' 5th birthday movie masterpiece: Hunger/Sult/Svält (1966) - Oscarsson leaves you breathless in Carlsen's impressionist masterpiece
Film Excess' 4th birthday movie masterpiece: From Here to Eternity (1953) - Zinnemann, Taradash and Jones' Hawaii-set classic
Film Excess' 3rd birthday movie masterpiece: Anatomy of a Murder (1959) - The courtroom movie to rule them all
Film Excess' 2nd birthday movie masterpiece: The King's Speech (2010) - Hooper's soaring, royal masterpiece about overcoming human frailty
Film Excess' 1st birthday movie masterpiece: Broadway Danny Rose (1984) or, Keep Your Heart

Watch a 2-minute clip from the film here

Cost: Reportedly 2 mil. $
Box office: 5 mil. $
= Even (returned 2.5 times its cost)
[The Fog of War premiered 21 May (Cannes Film Festival, France, out of competition) and runs 107 minutes. Shooting took place in Massachusetts, Los Angeles and San Francisco, California, Washington DC, Shanghai, China, Tokyo, Japan and Berlin, Germany. The film opened #46 to a 41k $ first weekend in 3 theaters in North America, where it peaked at #19 and in 261 theaters, grossing 4.1 mil. $ (82 % of the total gross). The biggest markets in the 840k $ total foreign gross are not known. The film won the Best Documentary Oscar as well as an Independent Spirit award, 2 National Board of Review awards and other honors. Roger Ebert gave the film a 4/4 star review, equal in rating to this one. Morris returned with Abu Ghraib-torture-themed documentary Standard Operating Procedure (2008). The Fog of War is certified fresh at 96 % with an 8.32/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of The Fog of War?

Film Excess' 5th birthday movie masterpiece: Hunger/Sult/Svält (1966) - Oscarsson leaves you breathless in Carlsen's impressionist masterpiece

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Per Oscarsson lifts his hat for us on this ominously discolored poster for Henning Carlsen's Hunger

A man by the name of Pontus is an aspiring writer, who is becoming increasingly desperate with hunger in Kristiania [now known as Norway's capital Oslo] in 1890. His Achilles heel, however, is also his own over-developed pride, which makes him give away the few kroner he acquires now and then to others in need.

Hunger is an adaptation of Norwegian master writer Knut Hamsun's (Pan (1894)) semi-autobiographical, same-titled 1890 novel, written by Peter Seeberg (Hjulet (1967), based on his novel) and Danish master co-writer-director Henning Carlsen (A Happy Divorce/Un Divorce Heureux/En Lykkelig Skilsmisse (1975)). It is a complex and serious film that can be seen again and again. It is equally amazing every time.
Pontus is a miserable wretch, and you can't help but feel for him in the guise of Per Oscarsson (Polisen som Vägrade Ta Semester (1984), miniseries): At turns highly sensitive and going mad, he tries to uphold his dignity but the painful starvation drives out his polemical side and hallucinations. Oscarsson's performance here will leave you breathless; it stands tall as one of the all-time greatest actor's performances in cinema. You are not likely to ever see anyone portray the effects of hunger with more potency than he achieves here.
Hunger is shot stunningly in B/W by Carlsen himself, and its atmosphere and beautiful lighting are beyond reproach. Hunger is a striking, deeply affecting impressionist major work of art as well as a high-point in Scandinavian film, a masterpiece of the highest integrity.

Related posts:


Henning Carlsen: Memories of My Melancholy Whores/Memoria de Mis Putas Tristes (2011) - Carlsen signs out with a dubious adaptation

Previous Film Excess birthday movie masterpieces: Film Excess' 4th birthday movie masterpiece: From Here to Eternity (1953) - Zinnemann, Taradash and Jones' Hawaii-set classic
Film Excess' 3rd birthday movie masterpiece: Anatomy of a Murder (1959) - The courtroom movie to rule them all
Film Excess' 2nd birthday movie masterpiece: The King's Speech (2010) - Hooper's soaring, royal masterpiece about overcoming human frailty

Film Excess' 1st birthday movie masterpiece: Broadway Danny Rose (1984) or, Keep Your Heart

Watch the hypnotic opening scene of the film here

Cost: Unknown
Box office: Unknown
= Uncertain
[Hunger premiered 11 May (Cannes Film Festival, in competition) and runs 111 minutes. It was the first co-production between Denmark, Sweden and Norway. Shooting took place in Oslo, Norway. Oscarsson starved himself and walked a very long distance to the shooting in order to get into character. Many of the streets shown in the film do no longer exist. The film reportedly sold a measly 3,951 tickets in Carlsen's native Denmark. It was released in the three producing countries, Finland, USA and Australia initially, but its box office performances are unlisted. Oscarsson won the Best Actor award in Cannes, and the film was Denmark's bid for the Best Foreign Film category at the Oscars, but it was not nominated. The film additionally won a National Board of Review award, a Guldbagge (Sweden's Oscar) for Oscarsson and two Bodil awards (Danish film critics' awards). Carlsen returned with People Meet and Sweet Music Fills the Heart/Människor Möts och Ljuv Musik Uppstår i Hjärtat (1967). Oscarsson returned as a guest in The D.T.'s/Myten (1966) and with real parts in Patrasket (1966, TV movie) and ABC Stage 67 (1966, TV-series) and theatrically in Here Is Your Life/Här Har Du Ditt Liv (1966). 2,359 IMDb users have given Hunger a 7.9/10 average rating.]

What do you think of Hunger?

Film Excess' 4th birthday movie masterpiece: From Here to Eternity (1953) - Zinnemann, Taradash and Jones' Hawaii-set classic

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An expertly balanced, dramatic poster for Fred Zinnemann's From Here to Eternity

Oahu, Hawaii, 1941: A sergeant, who is tough but good at heart, falls for his captain's miserable wife, and they begin a secret romance. Meanwhile a newly arrived private gets put down forcefully, because he refuses to use his boxing skills in a match against anymore.

From Here to Eternity is a marvelously charming film, which simply has it all; it is one of those kind of films that just isn't done anymore. Furthermore, it must be among the best instances of love captured on film as well as one of the sexiest films of all time.
Burt Lancaster (The Leopard/Il Gattopardo (1963)) is young, strong and cuttingly handsome as the romantic sergeant; Deborah Kerr (The Journey (1959)) is beautiful as his torn love. Montgomery Clift (Freud (1962)) is phenomenal as the stubborn and loyal foot soldier; and Frank Sinatra (Tony Rome (1967)) is both funny and touching as the group's Italian-American drunkard. Donna Reed (The Far Horizons (1955), Clift's love interest, is beautiful and lovely, and Ernest Borgnine (Murder, She Wrote (1987), TV-series) is tremendous as the sadistic staff sergeant 'Fatso'.
The film blooms with Hawaiian flavor and runs on conflicts that to some degree come across as relatively small peace-time problems on a paradisaical, Pacific island, - although it is also clear why they are nevertheless considerable for the characters involved in them. SPOILER But all of that changes with the Pearl Harbor attack by the Japanese towards the film's end, which is staged impressively. 
SPOILER The very end is heartbreaking, adding additional weight to an already beautifully acted, directed and photographed (by Burnett Guffey (Some Kind of A Nut (1969)) and Floyd Crosby (Beach Blanket Bingo (1965))), absolutely unique pearl in cinema history. It was written by Daniel Taradash (Hawaii (1966)), based on the same-titled 1951 novel by James Jones (The Thin Red Line (1962)), and directed by Austrian-Hungarian master filmmaker Fred Zinnemann (Oklahoma! (1955)).

Related reviews:

Film Excess' 1st birthday movie masterpiece: Broadway Danny Rose (1984) or, Keep Your Heart
Film Excess' 2nd birthday movie masterpiece: The King's Speech (2010) - Hooper's soaring, royal masterpiece about overcoming human frailty
Film Excess' 3rd birthday movie masterpiece: Anatomy of a Murder (1959) - The courtroom movie to rule them all

Watch a teaser trailer for the film here

Cost: 2.5 mil. $
Box office: 30.5 mil. $
= Mega-hit
[From Here to Eternity premiered 5 August (New York) and runs 118 minutes. Shooting took  place from March - May 1953 on Oahu; on Waikiki Beach, the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, Halona Cove (for the iconic beach love scene), Diamond Head and the Schofield Barracks, among other places. It was rumored for years that Sinatra got his part as result of mob ties, a legend that gained momentum from the plot string in The Godfather (1972) that culminates with the severed horse's head found in a film producer's bed, said to be inspired by this, although the rumors have been denied by many, including Zinnemann. Kerr and Lancaster reportedly had an affair during filming. The film had to relinquish many things from the novel due to the strict censorship at the time, as well as to get the army's cooperation: Plot points related to homosexuality, venereal disease, prostitution and the army's discipline and image were honed away or changed for the film. It debuted to rave reviews and changed Sinatra into a respected actor as well as singer. It was one of the highest-grossing films of the year and of the decade overall, but the US Army and Navy were ultimately unhappy with it. In France, nearly 6.5 mil. people paid admission to it. It was nominated for 13 Oscars, winning for Best Picture, Supporting Actor (Sinatra), Supporting Actress (Reed), Director, Screenplay, Cinematography, Sound and Editing. It lost two Best Actor nominations (Clift and Lancaster) to William Holden for Stalag 17, Best Actress (Kerr) to Audrey Hepburn for Roman Holiday, Costumes to Roman Holiday and Score to Bronislau Kaper for Lili. The film also won 2 Golden Globes, a National Board of Review award, a special award at Cannes and a BAFTA nomination. From Here to Eternity is certified fresh at 92 % with an 8.2 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of From Here to Eternity?

Film Excess' 3rd birthday movie masterpiece: Anatomy of a Murder (1959) - The courtroom movie to rule them all

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The elegant, iconic poster for Otto Preminger's Anatomy of a Murder

A laid back but good-hearted attorney decides to assume the defense responsibility in a difficult murder trial, in which a distinguished soldier has killed a man who has allegedly raped his wife.

Anatomy of a Murder is a sober, stringent and compelling portrait of a murder trial. It is very realistic because of its masterful and careful staging and its basis on Michigan Supreme Court Justice John D. Voelker's (Anatomy of a Fisherman (1964)) same-titled 1958 best-selling novel, written under the penname of Robert Traver, which portrays a 1952 murder trial that Voelker acted as defense in.
The film is lined with a splendid row of performances: James Stewart (The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)) exudes uprightness, - although the morality of his defense of the soldier is up for debate, - Ben Gazzara (Buffalo '66 (1998)) as the indicted soldier, Lee Remick (Touch Me Not (1974)) as his oversexed wife and George C. Scott (Hardcore (1979)) as the insidious prosecutor are all perfect. Joseph N. Welch, a real-life lawyer, who was key to the fall of Senator Joseph McCarthy in the Army-McCarthy hearings, plays the judge, and he is priceless in the part.
Anatomy of a Murder also has an outstanding score by Duke Ellington (Change of Mind (1969))). It is written by Wendell Mayes (Von Ryan's Express (1965)) and directed and produced by Austrian-Hungarian master filmmaker Otto Preminger (Exodus (1960)). It is a true classic and an outstanding film.

Related reviews:

Film Excess' 1st birthday movie masterpiece: Broadway Danny Rose (1984) or, Keep Your Heart  
Film Excess' 2nd birthday movie masterpiece: The King's Speech (2010) - Hooper's soaring, royal masterpiece about overcoming human frailty

Ben Gazzara and James Stewart in Otto Preminger's Anatomy of a Murder

Watch a promo trailer with footage from the film's premiere here

Cost: Unknown
Box office: 11 mil. $
= Uncertainty (but likely a big to huge hit)
[Anatomy of a Murder was released July 1 and runs 160 minutes. It was shot on location in Michigan, near to where the actual trial had taken place, and incorporating members of the original jury as well as local residents. The film was revolutionary for its time as a mainstream American film in its frank verbalization of rape and sex, which also wore down on the institution of the MPPDA, which ended its decades long reign in the US in 1960. It was released unrated and the mayor of Chicago was so outraged that he banned it in the city, though a court later reversed the decision at Preminger's initiative. The film grossed 5.5 mil. $ domestically in its first year of release. Though its budget is not known, it is likely that it had a cost of perhaps 2 mil. $ and should therefore be counted as a big to huge hit. It was critically praised at its release and is highly esteemed within the legal system. The film was nominated for 7 Oscars: Best Picture, Actor, two Supporting Actor nominations and Editing (losing all to Ben-Hur), Adapted Screenplay (losing to Room at the Top) and B/W Cinematography (losing to The Diary of Anne Frank). It was also nominated for 4 Golden Globes and 3 BAFTAs. Anatomy of a Murder is certified fresh at 100 % with a 8.6 critical average on Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Anatomy of a Murder?
Do you agree that it is the best courtroom film of all time?

Film Excess' 2nd birthday movie masterpiece: The King's Speech (2010) - Hooper's soaring, royal masterpiece about overcoming human frailty

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1 Film Excess win:

Best Film 

7 Film Excess nominations:

Best Film (won) 
Best Screenplay: David Seidler (lost to Christopher Nolan for Inception)
Best Lead Actor: Colin Firth (lost to Stephen Dorff for Somewhere)
Best Supporting Actor: Geoffrey Rush (lost to John C. Reilly for The Extra Man) 
Best Supporting Actress: Helena Bonham Carter, also for Alice in Wonderland (lost to Dianne Wiest for Rabbit Hole) 
Best Director: Tom Hooper (lost to Sofia Coppola for Somewhere) 
Best Editing (lost to Somewhere)

+ Best Movie of the Year
+ Best English Movie of the Year
+ Best Historical Movie of the Year

The elegant, simple poster for Tom Hooper's The King's Speech

The Duke of York has had problems of stuttering for as long as he can remember, when George V, his father, dies and his older brother ruins his own future as king, so that the duke, unexpectedly, must stand tall on his own and become king of the vast, British world empire, which is on the verge of World War II.

King's Speech is a grand film with a relatively small plot; one man has to learn how to give a successful speech. It is written by Oscar-winning David Seidler (The King and I (1999)) and directed by Tom Hooper (The Damned United (2009)).
The film lives through its sublime actors' performances: Oscar-winning Colin Firth (Mamma Mia! (2008)), Geoffrey Rush (The Life and Death of Peter Sellers (2004)) and Helena Bonham Carter (The Heart of Me (2002)) are all excellent. From Hooper's direction to Oscar-nominated composer Alexander Desplat's (Argo (2012)) score, King's Speech is peopled by outstanding talents doing first rate work all the way around.
This film is both funny and full of human warmth. A story of human defiance in a historic setting. About stepping out of the shadows of fear and becoming one's own master. - Hooray for The King's Speech, truly a must-see!
Hooper is currently in post production with his next film, the long-awaited transsexual drama The Danish Girl (2015) with Eddie Redmayne in the title role.

Related posts:

Top 10: Best UK movies reviewed by Film Excess to date 

2010 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III]
2010 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]
2010 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]
2010 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess

Watch the trailer for The King's Speech here - a film that truly, magnificently, works

Cost: 15 mil. $
Box office: 414.2 mil. $
= Mega-hit
[The King's Speech has become the most successful British independent film ever made; (although it is actually a UK/US/Australian co-production, it is designated as a mostly British film.) It was especially big in the UK and Australia, (in the UK alone, it grossed 44.4 mil. £!) It grossed 138.7 mil. $ in North America (33 % of the total gross), where it also won 4 out of 12 Oscar nominations: Best Original Screenplay, Director, Actor and Best Film.]

What do you think of The King's Speech?