Unburied Trailers: The Fearless Vampire Killers (1967)

With the new Tarantino movie about Charles Manson announced, we’re going to have that very disturbing part of Hollywood history back on our plates to discuss over the coming year. Our entry this time is a bummer, but still a fascinating fluke of horror movie history.

What if we told you that director Roman Polanski (made famous for his subsequent film Rosemary’s Baby) and actress Sharon Tate worked together before they were married, it was only a couple years before the tragic murders at the Polanski household, and the movie was... a screwball comedy? That’s the exact case with The Fearless Vampire Killers (or: “Pardon me, your teeth are in my neck!”), whose trailer leaves you no doubt that it’s a slapstick caper. It was aimed at lampooning the Hammer horror style vampies. The relentless cartoon sound effects are grating to listen to even in the trailer.

But wait, there’s more! You’ve probably heard this film had an animated credits opening sequence, so we have to include it here so you don’t feel gypped. Unfortunately, you’re going to feel gypped anyway; it’s not that funny, even disregarding the grim fate of the Polanski-Tate union. Still, seeing that animated drop of blood turn into a throbbing heart over Sharon Tate’s name brings a lump to the throat when you know she was going to be married within a year and murdered within two years... while eight and a half months pregnant.

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