Dance of the Vampires

Originally the film started shooting in new-fangled then format spherical wide screen. However, one of the first stages of production from this idea refused, deciding to make a movie in standard widescreen format. This has led to the need to redo some of the already captured images, adapting them to the selected format.

Producer Martin Ransohoff found the actress Sharon Tate on-set family Comedy series "the Hillbillies of Beverly hills" (1962-1971) and he insisted that Roman Polanski made the film it was her and not Jill St. John, which the Director has approved for the role of Sarah.

So he met Director Roman Polanski and actress Sharon Tate, who 20 January 1968 became husband and wife and remained with them until the tragic death of Sharon Tate, savagely murdered by a satanic gang of the notorious Charles Manson on August 9, 1969.

Originally Roman Polanski wanted to shoot the entire film on location on site or in the surroundings of one of the Swiss of the castle, which the Director saw while on vacation in Switzerland, and which made a strong impression on him. However, the Director failed to get permission to shoot in this place. Instead of Alpine nature has been found in Italy, and the pavilion of the shooting took place in London.

Arriving at the location in Italy, Roman Polanski ordered the local artisans a huge number of coffins needed for the film. This led to some funny situations with tourists who, seeing stacks of freshly coffins, very scared, because I thought that hit the area of a deadly epidemic. The owners of hotels and restaurants had to install special signs and post special announcements, explain the situation and assures the guests that there is no epidemic there.

The spectacular scene at the vampire ball when the music stops and in the huge mirror shows a reflection of only three people, despite the fact that a gym full of vampires was filmed without the use of any visual effects or trick photography: behind the mirror frame, which was inserted ordinary transparent glass, was built decoration mirror of the hall, which was placed three understudy in the costumes and makeup of the main characters.

The original film was released in the U.S. in the production version under the title "the Fearless vampire killers, or Pardon me, but your teeth are in my neck" (The Fearless Vampire Killers or: Pardon Me, But Your Teeth Are in My Neck). The film was cut by 20 minutes, rewired and dubbed — including hastily converted music. This was done at the urging of producer Martin Ransohoff without the approval of Roman Polanski, who as a result refused to recognize the American version of his film.

In the beginning of the movie in the Intro of the film company "Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer" classic lion turns into a vampire.

Among the family portraits in the castle of count von krolock, you can see the portrait of the ugly old woman, inspired by a drawing by Leonardo da Vinci, which was thought to depict the legendary Moulitas Margaret, Countess of Tyrol (1318 — 1369), who is considered the ugliest woman in history. The most famous portrait — caricature of Dutch painter Quentin masseysa "the Ugly Duchess".

The portrait hanging on the wall in the bedroom of Alfred in the castle of count von krolock, is a portrait of the notorious English king Richard III (1452 — 1485).

The frescoes in the ceremonial hall of the castle of count von krolock, based on the famous painting by Flemish painter Peter Bruegel the elder "Triumph of death" (1561), inspired by the epidemic of plague.

The idea of a "fairy Comedy of vampires" came to Polanski in the ski resort

The film was shot in the Dolomites in the heart of Ortisei

When creating the role of the mad Professor resembling Einstein's, Polanski and gérard Brush from the start hoped that it will play Macgowran.

"Tanz der vampire" — the first film of Polanski's that ran in American theaters.