loading loading...

The Little Vampire Reviews

2000 DVD Certificate U.gif
  • Rated:
  • 60
  • from 1362 members

Tony Thompson (Jonathan Lipnicki) is a nine-year-old boy who has just moved to Scotland with his family. Tony is having trouble making friends at his new school, and he has strange dreams about vampires every night. One night a bat flies into Tony's room--a bat that then turns into Rudolph, a young vampire boy fleeing from an .. Read more

Starring Jonathan Lipnicki, Richard E. Grant, Jim Carter, Alice Krige
Director Uli Edel
Genres Family

loading loading...

  • Critics' reviews (5) of The Little Vampire

    View all
  • 3 stars out of 5

    A human boy helps a young vampire and his blood-sucking family escape the attentions of a vampire slayer in this entertaining horror fantasy adventure. Jerry Maguire's Jonathan Lipnicki as the human and bright British newcomer Rollo Weeks as his undead friend turn in good performances, while Richard E Grant and Alice Krige camp it up as the vampire parents and Jim Carter is in slightly unhinged mode as the slayer. Witty and well written, this is that rarity — a children's film that doesn't patronise its audience. You can even forgive it the contrivance of having an American hero in a film set in Scotland. Youngsters will love it, and the running gag about vampire cows should have the adults chuckling, too.

    • Radio Times
  • Bespectacled nine-year-old Californian Tony Thompson (Lipnicki) has recently moved with his parents to a remote corner... read more on Time Out

    • Time Out
  • "...THE LITTLE VAMPIRE is a treat....[The film] is literate, clever, mischievous and just plain fun..."

    • New York Times
  • Most helpful members' reviews (3) of The Little Vampire

    View all
  • 67 out of 68 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars [Highly rated reviewer]

    superb

    my children loved this film. Jonathan Lipnicki ( from stuart little 2 )plays Tony Thompson, an eight year old little boy, who is a befriender of vampires, and the Scottish setting lends itself nicely to the spookiness. 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 mum to Tony.

    A continent away from his native California, Tony is having a tough time making new friends, and is being bullied by Lord McAshton's sons, when a band of vagabond vampires enters his life through his bedroom window, in the form of the vampire son called Rudolph.

    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 Tony's consciousness, and they hold the key to the clan's current gypsy-like predicament.

    Through his clairvoyance, the discovery of a long-lost amulet is made, that the vampires have been seeking for years and years, as it has the ability to grant them their dearest wish. the mostly benevolent bloodsuckers, these vampires no longer suck human blood: They restrict their nocturnal feedings to cows, want to reclaim their rightful status, as proper cave dwellers in their homeland.

    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.

    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, than make friends with him. he is a bit of a rebel.

    whilst Rudolph's younger sister, Anna (Anna Popplewell), becomes smitten with him.

    however, the friendship continues to prosper, and Tony soon finds himself unceremoniously caught up, in the path of the local vampire hunter, along with his new found friends.

    Tony's clueless parents problems abound, and are cleverer than most. Tony's parents have no idea, that there is a colony of vampires in their midst.

    Tony's mum and dad shake off, their son's vampire-obsessed imagination, until the cape-draped heads of the clan drop by for a visit.

    they are soon roped in, in helping the vampire clan elude a bumbling vampire hunter.

    In the end, Tony is called upon to make a decision, that can change the lives of Rudolph and his family, forever.

    one of my younger daughter's favourite parts features, The flying vampire cows. the farmer who keeps going in to check on the cows, keeps finding that one at a time, that they are missing, from the field and cowshed.

    this is a lovely film, that is worth renting out.

  • 3 out of 3 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars

    Very funny kids film

    This film is a must watch, it is supposed to be a kids film but i the dad, was rolling in fits of laughter at the vampire fresian cows dive bombing dung bombs, and hanging fangs and all from the barn rafters. not a scary vamp film suitable for all ages. What a laugh.

      • Mark Gooding from Wiltshire
  • 2 out of 2 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars

    Great kids film

    My little boy watched this when he was about 4 and loved it. He watched it today aged 7 and enjoyed it just as much as the first time.

      • A customer from Herts
  • Most recent members' reviews (2) of The Little Vampire

    View all
  • 2 out of 2 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars

    Great kids film

    My little boy watched this when he was about 4 and loved it. He watched it today aged 7 and enjoyed it just as much as the first time.

      • A customer from Herts
  • Rated - 3 stars

    zzzzzz

    I fell asleep part way through but enjoyed the remainder when I woke up. My partner said it's a nice film

      • Lancelot from Cornwall
  • 67 out of 68 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars [Highly rated reviewer]

    superb

    my children loved this film. Jonathan Lipnicki ( from stuart little 2 )plays Tony Thompson, an eight year old little boy, who is a befriender of vampires, and the Scottish setting lends itself nicely to the spookiness. 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 mum to Tony.

    A continent away from his native California, Tony is having a tough time making new friends, and is being bullied by Lord McAshton's sons, when a band of vagabond vampires enters his life through his bedroom window, in the form of the vampire son called Rudolph.

    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 Tony's consciousness, and they hold the key to the clan's current gypsy-like predicament.

    Through his clairvoyance, the discovery of a long-lost amulet is made, that the vampires have been seeking for years and years, as it has the ability to grant them their dearest wish. the mostly benevolent bloodsuckers, these vampires no longer suck human blood: They restrict their nocturnal feedings to cows, want to reclaim their rightful status, as proper cave dwellers in their homeland.

    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.

    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, than make friends with him. he is a bit of a rebel.

    whilst Rudolph's younger sister, Anna (Anna Popplewell), becomes smitten with him.

    however, the friendship continues to prosper, and Tony soon finds himself unceremoniously caught up, in the path of the local vampire hunter, along with his new found friends.

    Tony's clueless parents problems abound, and are cleverer than most. Tony's parents have no idea, that there is a colony of vampires in their midst.

    Tony's mum and dad shake off, their son's vampire-obsessed imagination, until the cape-draped heads of the clan drop by for a visit.

    they are soon roped in, in helping the vampire clan elude a bumbling vampire hunter.

    In the end, Tony is called upon to make a decision, that can change the lives of Rudolph and his family, forever.

    one of my younger daughter's favourite parts features, The flying vampire cows. the farmer who keeps going in to check on the cows, keeps finding that one at a time, that they are missing, from the field and cowshed.

    this is a lovely film, that is worth renting out.

  • 3 out of 3 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars

    Very funny kids film

    This film is a must watch, it is supposed to be a kids film but i the dad, was rolling in fits of laughter at the vampire fresian cows dive bombing dung bombs, and hanging fangs and all from the barn rafters. not a scary vamp film suitable for all ages. What a laugh.

      • Mark Gooding from Wiltshire
  • 2 out of 2 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars

    Great kids film

    My little boy watched this when he was about 4 and loved it. He watched it today aged 7 and enjoyed it just as much as the first time.

      • A customer from Herts
  • 2 out of 2 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 1 star

    Liked the books......don't bother

    There we have it ....a Story from Germany....a producer from Germany.....set in Scotland......and still they manage to twist the story in order to need an all-american (why don't we go play some golf son???) annoying ( I didn't know you could draw so good) family to screw it up.

      • A customer from scotland
  • Rated - 4 stars

    Very enjoyable

    I didn't watch the film - it was for my children, who absolutely loved it. My youngest cried when I told her I had sent it back.

      • A customer from Olney, England
  • 1 out of 2 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars

    Great for mum's too

    just watched really enjoyed it my kids are different ages and they all sat and watched it even me!! we will definately watch again before it goes back!!

      • d buxton from West Yorkshire, England
  • Rated - 1 star

    Not that interesting

    Daughter was bored (and so was I) so didn't watch to the end.

      • Hyps from Brockley
  • Rated - 5 stars

    great film

    most spectacular special affects in this film,it was great to watch

      • A customer from cannock
  • Rated - 5 stars [Highly rated reviewer]

    the little vampire

    very funny a good rip off of horror films

      • ricky
  • Rated - 4 stars

    A vampire story for the young!

    I read the reviews and some are positive some not so.

    My children 10 and 8 thoroughly enjoyed this film and I did too.

    A sweet little American boy bewildered in his new Scottish home and alienated at his new school as the outsider, then befriends a boy vampire and his family. An adventure is had and the outcome pleasant. I don't want to give anything away. The charcters are just right and the vampire family wardrobe the thing any romantic goth would be proud of.

    My children told me to make sure I leave a review for this because they belive other children of a similar age will enjoy it too.

      • A customer from Stockport
  • Critics' reviews (5)

  • 3 stars out of 5

    A human boy helps a young vampire and his blood-sucking family escape the attentions of a vampire slayer in this entertaining horror fantasy adventure. Jerry Maguire's Jonathan Lipnicki as the human and bright British newcomer Rollo Weeks as his undead friend turn in good performances, while Richard E Grant and Alice Krige camp it up as the vampire parents and Jim Carter is in slightly unhinged mode as the slayer. Witty and well written, this is that rarity — a children's film that doesn't patronise its audience. You can even forgive it the contrivance of having an American hero in a film set in Scotland. Youngsters will love it, and the running gag about vampire cows should have the adults chuckling, too.

    • Radio Times
  • Bespectacled nine-year-old Californian Tony Thompson (Lipnicki) has recently moved with his parents to a remote corner... read more on Time Out

    • Time Out
  • "...THE LITTLE VAMPIRE is a treat....[The film] is literate, clever, mischievous and just plain fun..."

    • New York Times
  • "...Warmly allusive....The performances are uniformly well executed..."

    • Sight and Sound
  • Kids' film given to preaching the virtues of tolerance to misfits.

    • Halliwell's Film Guide

Buy from the LOVEFiLM shop


    • The Little Vampire
      Tony Thompson (Jonathan Lipnicki) is a nine-year-old boy who has just moved to Scotland with his family. Tony is having trouble making friends at his new school, and he has strange dreams about vampires every night. One night a bat flies into Tony's room--a bat that then turns into Rudolph, a young ...

Rating breakdown

1,362 Member ratings
  • 100
136
  • 90
77
  • 80
185
  • 70
225
  • 60
311
  • 50
150
  • 40
109
  • 30
61
  • 20
75
  • 10
33

Celebrity collection

Related News & Features

Related user collection

Vampire Movies (34)

Average rating: 2.96   59.2% from 14 members

by: Lyndsay from Tamworth