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Specifications:

- DVD-Video

- Single-sided

- Dual layer

- Region 1

- Run time: approx. 94 minutes

- Subtitles: English

- Menus: Animated
- Scene selection: Static

- Package: Keep case

- 20 chapters

Video Features:

- Aspect ratio: 1.85:1 widescreen, or

- Full screen

- Selectable by menu

Audio Features:

- English: Dolby Digital 5.1

- English: Dolby Surround

Bonus Materials:

- Three interactive kid-friendly games

   - Graveyard Golf

   - Find the Amulet

   - Mix & Match

- Hilarious vampire and monster jokes

- Easy-to-make recipes for spooky
     snacks (5)

- Cast & crew

- Theatrical trailer

DVD-ROM* features:

- Script-to-screen feature

- Cool flying vampire cow 
     screensaver

- Web link** to the original web site

 
Release Dates:

Theatrical Release:          2000

DVD Release:              02/27/01

Review Date:               03/16/01

List price:                     $ 24.98

On-line price:               $ 19.49

Pre-order price was:    $ 19.49

*DVD-ROM features require DVD-ROM drive on your PC with certain minimum system requirements

**web links require internet access

Starring: Jonathan Lipnicki, Richard E. Grant, Jim Carter,
     Alice Krige, Pamela Gidley, Tommy Hinkley, Anna
     Popplewell, Dean Cook, Rollo Weeks, John Wood

Director: Uli Edel

MPAA Rating: PG

Genre: Family - Comedy - Supernatural

Studio: New Line Home Video

Movie: B-        Video: B+        Audio: B+        Extras: B+

Summary: Tony Thompson is an eight-year-old American boy having difficulty 
   adjusting to school life in Scotland.  His dreams of vampires become reality 
   when a little vampire named Rudolph mistakes Tony for a fellow vampire.  
   Because of Tony's kind heart, he comes to the aid of the vampires and 
   experiences adventures beyond his wildest dream.  This is a fun family movie
   for kids ages eight and older, but the acting performance is rather inconsistent.

The Story

Adjusting to life in Scotland and enduring constant teasing at school, Tony Thompson (Jonathan Lipnicki) tries hard to adapt while his father Bob (Tommy Hinkley) is designing a golf course for Lord McAshton (John Wood).  His recurring dreams about vampires further alienates him from his classmates and teacher.  His dreams of vampires become reality when Tony is mistaken for a vampire.  The little vampire Rudolph (Rollo Weeks) lands in Tony's bedroom to befriend Tony.  Their friendship grows and Tony helps the vampire family retrieve the amulet to reverse the curse place upon Rudolph's family.

For generations, Rookery (Jim Carter) and his ancestors have been vampire catchers.  Now with all his so-called "advance" gadgets, Rookery is out to drive vampires to extinction.  However, he does not know that he is facing a very imaginative boy and a very witty vampire family.  Popular culture depicts vampires as blood-sucking creatures, turning their victims into the undead.  "The Little Vampire", however, portrays vampires as noble aristocrats who are cursed with unfortunate their blood sucking feeding habits and a nocturnal lifestyle of sleeping upside-down.

For a family oriented title, "The Little Vampire" threads on thin ice with its choice of supernatural vampire characters.  In other words, I'm not sure if vampires is an appropriate subject a family oriented movie title.  The plot is quite slow at times, while the acting performances are inconsistent.  Particularly bad was Tommy Hinkley's performance as Bob Thompson.  Jonathan Lipnicki did all right.  This movie is more appropriate for older children (eight and up), but fails to engage their adult parents.

The Extras

 
New Line Home Video usually packs their DVD titles with plenty of bonus features, even for standard editions, and "The Little Vampire" is no different.  It includes three interactive kid-friendly games ("Graveyard Golf", "Find the Amulet" maze game, and "Mix & Match" body parts), hilarious vampire and monster jokes, five easy-to-make recipes for spooky snacks, cast and crew filmographies, an original theatrical trailer, and DVD-ROM features such as a script-to-screen feature, a flying vampire cow screensaver, and a theatrical web link.  The cool script-to-screen feature allows you to view the movie alongside a text window that shows the original theatrical screenplay.

Video & Audio

The image quality of this anamorphic widescreen DVD is very good.  The colors are accurate and saturated, with good shadow detail.  The Dolby Digital 5.1-channel surround sound is effective throughout the movie, while the dialogue is clear.

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