the little vampire (2000)

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com:
The Little Vampire is excellently acted and great to look at. Stuart Little's Jonathan Lipnicki carries, on his pint-sized shoulders, his every scene as 8-year-old Tony, befriender of vampires, and the Scottish setting lends itself nicely to spookiness. But where this video earns most points is in the plot department. A continent away from his native California, Tony's having a tough time making new friends when a band of vagabond vampires enters his life through his bedroom window. The encounter seems pure coincidence at first, but then the scary truth surfaces: Tony, though he's not a vampire himself, has "sympathy for our kind," as the dad of the bat-linked brood puts it. Visions of vampire happenings from generations past invade the third-grader's consciousness, and they hold the key to the clan's current gypsy-like predicament. Through his clairvoyance and, by extension, the discovery of a long-lost amulet, the mostly benevolent bloodsuckers are able to reclaim their rightful status as proper cave dwellers in their homeland. Clueless-parent predicaments abound and are cleverer than most--Tony's mom and dad smirk at their son's vampire-obsessed imagination until the cape-draped heads of the clan drop by for a visit--and the gang's adventures eluding a bumbling vampire hunter are genuinely chuckleworthy. At-home Twizzler munchers ages 8 and older won't soon tire of this charmer of a Transylvanian transplant. --Tammy La Gorce

Product Description:
Jonathan Lipnicki (Jerry Maguire, Stuart Little) stars as 9-year-old Tony who befriends a young vampire named Rudolph who asks Tony to help him find an ancient amulet that will grant Rudolph and his family their ultimate wish ... to be human again.

another comments:
#1 A kid's movie that mom and dad will enjoy...,
Witty, well-acted kids flick that parents will enjoy as well.

A very winning cast, great location, superb kids' story to work with, good production make for some campy scariness for kids with entertainment for mom and dad as well. Charming little movie that appeals to the kid in all of us.The predicament of the cows really did make me laugh out loud.

The acting by one and all was excellent, especially Richard E. Grant as the head of the vampire family. He brought a non-threatening, yet nerve wracking (well, for kids, anyway) presence to the movie. His charming powers over Mrs. Thompson were hysterical, and the entire cast did very well with this movie.

One for the kids that mom and dad will enjoy sitting through, which is a rarity anymore, except for the likes of Shrek.

Oh, and I can't omit Rollo Weeks, as The Little Vampire himself. He was so charming, so perfectly nailed the role of Rudolph. As well as the role for arguably the cutest kid in movies, Jonathan Lipnicki, as Tony Thompson. The crush Anna had on him was acted out adorably by Anna Popplewell, as well. There was just great acting all around in The Little Vampire.

A job well done by all involved. Entertaining, campy, scary enough for the little ones without freaking them out even slightly, and still entertaining for the adults.

#2 Blood-sucking family fun,
"The Little Vampire," directed by Uli Edel, is an appealing fantasy/comedy for a family audience. The story involves Tony Thompson (played by Jonathan Lipnicki), an American boy whose family has relocated to Great Britain. There Tony befriends Rudolph (Rollo Weeks) a vampire boy whose family is being ruthlessly pursued by a vampire hunter who aims to destroy them.

This film portrays vampires as a persecuted minority who really mean no harm to humans (they'll drink cow blood if they need to). The film contains some fun sight gags (many involving vampire cows) and one-liners. There are also some genuinely magical sequences (most notably, some flying scenes).

Lipnicki carries his lead role well. And the wonderful Alice Krige (who also played the Borg Queen in "Star Trek: First Contact") is a delight as Rudolph's sexy vampire mom. But the standout performance is delivered by young Rollo Weeks as the vampire boy. Weeks brings both an ethereal charisma and a childlike ebullience to his character. The vampire performances are enhanced by good makeup and costuming.

There are a few slightly scary scenes, but nothing that bothered my 5-year old nephew too much. The accent in this film is on humor, fantasy, family, and friendship. I noticed some holes in the film's explanation of vampirism. But if you don't get too critical about the details, you should find "The Little Vampire" to be a delight for all ages.

#3 FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY...,
I happened to catch this film on a cable television channel recently and, as I have always enjoyed vampire tales, thought that I would give it a go, although my expectations were not high. Was I ever surprised! Boasting a superior cast, a genuinely interesting plot with some quite funny moments, I was riveted to the screen for the duration of the film.

The plot is simple. The Thompsons, an American family of three, are newly transplanted from California to Scotland for business reasons. Bob Thompson (Tommy Hinkley) is designing a golf course for one of the local gentry, Lord McAshton (John Wood). Bob's wife, Dottie (Pamela Gidley), is a stay at home mom to their adorable eight year old son, Tony (Jonathan Lipnicki). It seems that ever since they moved to Scotland and began living in their new home, a spooky old castle, Tony has been having nightmares, and has become obsessed with vampires, who seem to occupy his sleeping, as well as waking, hours. Moreover, Tony is having a hard time adjusting to his new school, as Lord McAshton's sons bully him unmercifully. Tony is not a happy camper.

One night, in flight from a local vampire hunter named Rookery (Jim Carter), an eternally nine year old vampire named Rudolph (Rollo Weeks) strays into Tony's bedroom. Suddenly, an unlikely friendship blossoms, and Tony's life begins changing for the better. Rudolph and Tony are very much in sync and attuned to each other's needs. While Tony envies Rudolph's ability to fly, Rudolph wishes that he could see blue sky and morning birds instead of being destined to roam the earth only by night.

Entwined in the plot is a mysterious missing amulet that the vampires are seeking, as it has the ability to grant them their dearest wish. Moreover, just as Tony has parents, so does Rudolph. His mother, the ravishing Freda Sackville-Bagg (Alice Krige) and his father, the imposing Frederick Sackvile-Bagg (Richard E. Grant), are initially distrusting of their son's friendship with a human. Rudolph's punky looking older brother would just as soon make a meal of Tony, while Rudolph's younger sister, Anna (Anna Popplewell), becomes smitten with him. Still, the friendship continues to flower, and Tony soon finds himself unceremoniously caught up in the path of the local vampire hunter, along with his new found friends. Meanwhile, Tony's parents have no idea that there is a colony of vampires in their midst.

Tony, however, appears to have the capability to help unlock the key to the vampires' current state of affairs through his ability to envision the past. In their efforts to put right what went wrong, Tony and Rudolph search for the amulet that contains the magical Stone of Attamon and have a number of adventures, most of which are funny and will bring a burble of laughter to the viewer's lips. In the end, Tony is called upon to make a decision that can change the lives of Rudolph and his family, forever.

The film, which is based upon a popular series of children's books by Angela Sommer-Bodenburg, boasts a well-written screenplay, as well as deft direction. The cast is first rate, and the roles are all well-acted. The adorable Jonathan Lipnicki is irresistible in the role of Tony. Who could not love this kid? Young girls, however, will have their hearts go aflutter over Rollo Weeks.

Adults and children alike will enjoy this delightful film. Adults will especially enjoy some of the parodies contained within the film. Look for Rookery's parody of Jack Nicholson's role in "The Shining", as well as Anna's parody of the Lauren Bacall role in "To Have and Have Not". Those viewers who have seen these films will appreciate how these parodies have been seamlessly woven into the fabric of this film. This is a very enjoyable film that will provide fun for the whole family, as there is something for everyone to enjoy.