Lipnicki and Weeks share a great rapport and imbue all their scenes with playful energy that elevates the material to heights of imagination rarely achieved in films of this genre.
The Little Vampire (1999)
Tomatometer
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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.
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!
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
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Reviews for The Little Vampire
A delightful fantasy kids will love, and one that won't make their parents sorry they came along for the ride.
Yes, the movie will hold the tots' attention. But should that be ample reason to subject your children to such a shoddy product? I don't think so.
The basic idea which drives this jolly film, along with Lipnicki's charm, is sometimes almost enough.
An odd little ghoul too cleaned up to survive, a bloodless vampire movie that's mostly lifeless as well.
Even the good moments get sucked into the bizarre black holes of the story.
Several children in the audience at the screening I attended were visibly upset.
If you're expecting Haagen Dazs, prepare for ice milk instead. It's not a horrible film, but it's not a good one, either.
Suffers from a somewhat scattershot plot and a markedly uneven tone that may render it too frightening for the pre-kindergarten set yet too bland for older audiences.
A quick, sloppy production of a throwaway script...it suffers from a pungent collective apathy that wafts off the screen from the cast and crew.
The costumes are neat, the photography is great -- all the pieces are on hand, but they don't fit.
It's stylish ... modestly surprising and cute. And when's the last time you could say that about a vampire movie?
There are some decent lessons about power and when to use it and when to give it up, about accepting rather than attacking those who are different and about dealing with fear.
t's hard to know quite how enthusiastic to be about a family film that's occasionally pitched at the wrong crowd, but at least isn't stupid or actively offensive most of the time.
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 77% 77% | The Hangover |
| 88% 88% | Inglourious Basterds |
| 66% 66% | Public Enemies |
| 24% 24% | G-Force |
| 44% 44% | Night at the Museum: B… |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 82% 82% | Paranormal Activity |
| 57% 57% | 9 |
| 44% 44% | Jennifer's Body |
| 58% 58% | A Perfect Getaway |
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