By Brian Saur
Vampires have been in movies from nearly the very beginning of the medium, so it stands to reason that at some point they would be the be used for parody. I like vampire horror films quite a bit, but I also have a fondness for vampire comedies as well. I've put together a short list of some that have amused me over the years and may be worth a watch during the spooky season...
SATURDAY THE 14TH (1981)
This one is more of a catch-all horror spoof that includes more than vampires, but it's one of the earlier examples I could think of so I had to include it. Kind of the cinematic equivalent of dad jokes, but still has some humorous moments and I enjoy seeing real life couple Richard Benjamin and Paul Prentiss on screen together. In addition to that, there's also Jeffrey Tambor and Severn Darden (who I love and first remember seeing in REAL GENIUS in a short part as a teacher).
ONCE BITTEN (1985)
This was a big favorite for me as a kid. I don't think I even really knew who Jim Carrey was when I first saw it, but it all clicked into place when I started watching IN LIVING COLOR and saw how crazy funny he could be. In this film he's a bit restrained in terms of the typical zaniness and that audiences would become more accustomed to in his ACE VENTURA years and beyond, but he's still has some fun moments of physical comedy in this that stand out. I very much dig Lauren Hutton and Cleavon Little as a pair in this and wish they'd done more movies together.
TRANSYLVANIA 6-500 (1985)
This is another "VHS Favorite" (like ONCE BITTEN) for me and one that I still love basically unreservedly. It very much feels like New World Pictures was going for some kind of new Abbott and Costello type pairing with Jeff Goldblum and Ed Begley Jr. here, and though they aren't QUITE as iconic, they are very funny together and I would have loved to have seen a series of movies with the two of them (wouldn't have to be horror comedies, either).
In this film, they play a couple of reporters sent by a tabloid-y rag to Transylvania to check on the reality of the spookiness there. Along the way they meet a vampire Geena Davis (who I had a gigantic crush on back when I first saw this), a very slapsticky Michael Richards, Carol Kane, and Joe Bologna, too.
VAMP (1986)
Wow, I'm starting to notice a pattern here. These vampire comedies appear to commonly have pairs of actors that never worked together again. With VAMP, we get the unlikely duo of Chris Makepeace (MEATBALLS, MY BODYGUARD) and Robert Rusler (you'd remember him as Robert Downey Jr.'s buddy in WEIRD SCIENCE, but he was also in the amazingly underrated skateboard flick THRASHIN', which I adore). These two play fraternity pledges who end up in a hair-raising situation after prowling around after hours at a seedy strip club. Vampire Grace Jones is quite memorable in this film, I must say, and on top of that, the cast of characters brings in other ‘80s favorites like Dedee Pfeiffer, Gedde Watanabe, and Billy Drago.
MY BEST FRIEND IS A VAMPIRE (1988)
A lot of people remember ONCE BITTEN, but less folks seem to have seen this one despite it starring a young Robert Sean Leonard (DEAD POET'S SOCIETY). It is kinda similar to ONCE BITTEN in terms of plot stuff, but does take a few different turns once it gets going. I think of it as a great companion piece to the Carrey film and one for those who think they've seen all the ‘80s comedy gems.
BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER (1992)
This film has now become completely overshadowed by the massive success and cult fandom for the television series that followed a few years after in it's wake. We now kind of have to say, "BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER: THE MOVIE" so people understand what we mean. Either that or "No, the Kristy Swanson one," as a qualifier.
Anyway, this movie is good on its own and was written by Joss Whedon, plus I've always enjoyed the chemistry between Swanson and Luke Perry and the fact that the ensemble cast here is insane: Donald Sutherland, Paul Rubens, Rutger Hauer, Hilary Swank, David Arquette, Stephen Root, Sasha Jensen, Natasha Gregson Wagner, Candy Clark (as Buffy's Mom). It still plays great for me and makes me laugh out loud. It is silly and dark and I love it.
DRACULA: DEAD AND LOVING IT (1995)
Though many may consider this among Mel Brooks' "lesser" efforts (and I can't completely disagree), it still has its moments and a strong group of comedic talent (Leslie Nielsen, Peter MacNicol, Steven Webber, Harvey Korman, and of course Brooks himself) to carry off the gags. I like to believe that it hits more than it misses, but your mileage may vary. Chase it with YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN if you need more funny afterwards.
VAMPS (2012)
This one is pretty fun. It was directed by the great Amy Heckerling (FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH, CLUELESS) and stars Alicia Silverstone and Kristen Ritter (Jessica Jones herself). They play two smart-alecky lady vampires navigating the dating scene in New York and dealing with possibly finding truly love - which is annoying when you're immortal. Also, the supporting cast slaps and includes Sigourney Weaver, Wallace Shawn, Malcolm McDowell, Richard Lewis, Marilu Henner, Dan Stevens, and Zak Orth.
VAMPIRE ACADEMY (2014)
From the writer of HEATHERS (Dan Waters) and the director of MEAN GIRLS (his brother Mark Waters) comes this story of Rose Hathaway (Zoey Deutch), a Dhampir (half-human and half-vampire). She attends St. Vladimir's Academy boarding school in Montana and has a vampiress best friend and they are very snappy together. This film is underseen in my opinion and apparently flopped upon its release, which is always unfortunate. If you are a fan of Dan Waters' always sharp and clever dialogue (and I know I am), then you should really give this one a look as it entertains and amuses in that way that something like HEATHERS might were it set at a school filled with vampires and vampire politics.
WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS (2015)
This film has certainly garnered a cult following since its release with a reputation for being something like THIS IS SPINAL TAP, but with vampires. It's also gotten some attention as the movie which originated the FX TV Show of the same name. The show has seemingly eclipsed the movie now (or maybe that's just my sense of things), but please don't doubt the fierce "farcity" that co-directors, co-writers, and co-stars Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi bring to this fresh take on vampirism and the inherent comedy that lay within it's tropes. This film is absolutely one of the great comedies of the past ten years. An absolute must if you haven't popped the lid on this coffin yet.
Brian Saur is a podcaster and blogger from Los Angeles that specializes in cult and classic films. He is co-host of the Pure Cinema Podcast and also produces and hosts another show called Just the Discs, which focuses on Blu-rays. He has run the Rupert Pupkin Speaks website since its inception in 2009 and continues to highlight obscure cinematic gems there on a regular basis. Follow him on Twitter (@bobfreelander, @justthediscspod, @purecinemapod), Facebook, or Instagram for more film recommendations.