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Movies / On DVD / The Little Vampire
The Little Vampire

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The Little Vampire (1999)

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Reviews Counted:64

Fresh:34

Rotten:30

Average Rating:5.5/10

Consensus: The Little Vampire can't seem to find the right pitch, with its muddled, jumpy script and badly executed mix of cuteness and fright.

Rated: PG [See Full Rating] some mild peril

Runtime: 1 hr 34 mins

Genre: Comedies

Theatrical Release:Oct 27, 2000 Wide

Box Office: $13,432,508

Synopsis: Every night, since his family moved from San Diego to Scotland, little Tony Thompson dreams the same dream. A full moon hangs in the distance, bathing a lush green cliff with beams of magical... Every night, since his family moved from San Diego to Scotland, little Tony Thompson dreams the same dream. A full moon hangs in the distance, bathing a lush green cliff with beams of magical light. An enclave of vampires gather, waiting for the arrival of a comet. As the comet hurls across the sky, to align with the Moon, the head vampire raises his hand. Clutching an ancient golden amulet, he begins an incantation. Suddenly, a vampire hunter, hell-bent on capturing and destroying the creatures, rushes forward, knocking the jeweled piece from his grasp into sea below. The head vampire leaps over the cliff to retrieve the amulet, only to fall down, down, down into little Tony's bed.

Life couldn't be tougher for the nine year old - a new country, a new school and, now, he can't sleep. What's worse then being the new kid on the block? His classmates constantly tease him. Nigel and Flint, nephews of his father's boss, Lord McAshton, routinely beat him up. His teacher thinks he's strange, obsessed with vampires. And, he can't seem to make any friends. With no one to play with, what's a kid to do? You guessed it. Emulate the only beings that visit him every night - vampires.

While his parents are at an evening reception introducing the new golf course his father is designing for Lord McAshton, Tony plays in his room, sporting fangs and a cape. He has a strange encounter as a bat flies in the window and transforms into a nine year old Vampire. Rudolph, who has mistaken Tony for one of his kind, is in a weakened state. Lack of food and being chased by the villainous vampire hunter, Rookery, has taken its toll on the littlest of vampires.

Taking pity on the hungry young vamp, Tony helps Rudolph find nourishment by leading him to a cow. We learn that vampires don’t feed on humans anymore because bite marks on somebody’s throat could expose his family’s existence, bringing them certain death. In exchange for saving his life, Rudolph treats Tony to a flying lesson. Rudolph skillfully guides his new friend back to the safety of his room and ends up spending the night in Tony’s toy chest that serves as sanctuary against the powerful rays of the sun and the terrifying Rookery. Finally, Tony has a real friend. One that he can count on.

The next evening, Rudolph takes Tony on another night flight to his home, a cemetery a short distance away. Rudolph tells Tony that his nightly dream is true. Every 300 years a comet aligns with the moon. If the vampires can assemble, hold the jeweled amulet to the sky, and repeat the magic spell, legend states that they will find peace and become humans again. But their eternal wish seems for naught. They possess only a portion of the amulet and the comet is due to align with the moon the next night!

With the power of true love and friendship as his only weapons, Tony races against time to defeat the vampire slayer and to help the little vampire become human again! [More]

Starring: Jonathan Lipnicki, Richard E. Grant, Alice Krige, Anna Popplewell

Starring: Jonathan Lipnicki, Richard E. Grant, Alice Krige, Anna Popplewell, Rollo Weeks, Jim Carter, John Wood, Pamela Gidley, Tommy Hinkley

Director: Uli Edel

Director: Uli Edel
Screenwriter: Nicholas Waller, Karey Kirkpatrick, Larry Wilson
Producer: Richard Claus
Studio: New Line Cinema

[See More Credits]

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Release:

Mar 6, 2001

No Details Exist
 
 

Reviews for The Little Vampire

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Reviews
Tomatometer Critic Review Category
tomato

Lisa Alspector

Vampire cows provide comic relief and many of the scares in this respectfully dark yet optimistic story about a lonely child who befriends a vampire.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Oct., 21 2009 01:46 PM

Chicago Reader

splat
C+

Frank Swietek

The Little Vampire is hardly a children's classic, and it will doubtlessly be more at home after it hits the video shelves.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jul., 24 2006 03:17 AM

One Guy's Opinion

tomato

Derek Adams

Much of the film's success is down to the costume design, the novel SFX and the mildly foreboding atmosphere of the mist enshrouded Scottish countryside.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jun., 24 2006 04:02 AM

Time Out

tomato
B

Philip Martin

It's an occupational hazard that you actually have to try to think about movies like this, which just get weirder and weirder the more you consider them.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jan., 27 2005 12:42 PM

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

splat
3/5

John R. McEwen

Lipnicki has learned how to make cute faces, but his delivery is formulaic and without emotion.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Feb., 08 2003 08:10 AM

Film Quips Online

tomato

Christopher Hawkes

Evocative of Tim Burton's work, the Scottish locations appear as a kind of ghoulish theme park full of ancient stately homes and mouldering, curse-ridden crypts.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Dec., 03 2002 08:12 AM

Sight and Sound

tomato
4/5

Sam Chambers

Excellent stuff -- it won’t just be kids that love this film!

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Oct., 30 2002 08:12 AM

ViewLondon

tomato

Tom Meek

A sprightly romp, funny, full of life lessons, and scary.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Mar., 24 2002 08:07 AM

Boston Phoenix

tomato
4/5

Rich Cline

A surprisingly enjoyable kid's movie.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Dec., 10 2001 06:27 PM

Shadows on the Wall

splat
70/100

Brian Webster

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jul., 19 2001 10:40 AM

Apollo Guide

splat
1/5

Marjorie Baumgarten

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jun., 11 2001 10:06 AM

Anchorage Press

tomato
C+

Robert Roten

The characters are engaging and so is the story.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jan., 01 2001 12:00 AM

Laramie Movie Scope

splat

This chomper is too kid-comedy-ish to cater to adults and a tad too scary for the little ones.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jan., 01 2000 12:00 AM

E! Online

splat

Brian McTavish

Not to put a stake through the heart of The Little Vampire, but if little Lipnicki had more acting talent to go with his adorability, it might be a better movie.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jan., 01 2000 12:00 AM

Kansas City Star

tomato

Bruce Westbrook

A fun and warm children's fantasy.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jan., 01 2000 12:00 AM

Houston Chronicle

tomato

Chris Hewitt (St. Paul)

A mite short on laughs, but it's handsomely made, and it's brightened by what is, by the usually lowball standard of kids' movies, an extremely classy cast.

comment Comment | Jan., 01 2000 12:00 AM

St. Paul Pioneer Press

tomato

Chris Wiegand

Successfully subverts traditional representations of the undead.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jan., 01 2000 12:00 AM

Boxoffice Magazine

tomato

Dave White

Not a bad kiddie movie.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jan., 01 2000 12:00 AM

IFilm

splat

David Elliott

The movie badly needs either more vampire action or more golf. Maybe it needs golfing vampires.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jan., 01 2000 12:00 AM

San Diego Union-Tribune

splat

Derek Elley

Mildly entertaining but dramatically messy.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jan., 01 2000 12:00 AM

Variety

 
 
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