Warner France has revealed that it is planning to bring to Blu-ray Roman Polanski's
The Fearless Vampire Killers (1967), starring Jack MacGowran, Roman Polanski, Alfie Bass, and Luchino Visconti's
Death in Venice (1971), starring Dirk Bogarde, Romolo Valli, and Mark Burns. The two releases are expected to arrive on the French market later this year.
The Fearless Vampire Killers
It's the living end, a fancy-dress ball for blood fiends in Count Von Krolock's Transylvanian castle. Surely no mortal would be foolish enough to infiltrate this hemogobbling horror of a soiree. But partygoers notice something in the ballroom mirrors: the reflections of human - vampire killers - dancing among them. Director/co-writer Roman Polanski (
The Pianist, Rosemary's Baby, Chinatown) spoofs vampire movies with this droll balancing act of shocks and laughs. He also portrays Alfred, mousy apprentice to a doddering researcher of vampirism (Jack MacGowran)...and the love struck defender of gorgeous Sarah (Sharon Tate) when the count (Ferdy Mayne) tries to make her the ghoul of his dreams. It's all fang-tastic fun!
Death in Venice
Luchino Visconti directs this acclaimed version of Thomas Mann's novel. Gustav van Aschenbach (Dirk Bogarde) is an aging German composer who is visiting Venice. Having given up on his existence, he is stirred from his torpor by a young boy named Tadzio (Bjorn Andresen) who seems to represent his ideal of physical beauty and purity. The character of von Aschenbach was modelled on Gustav Mahler, whose music is heard throughout the film.