VAMPIRES just never go out of fashion. They simply get a new twist every couple of years.

Now we've got under age undead in the shape of The Little Vampire and, as tasteless as the idea of a child being drained of blood and rising from the grave to become a blood-sucking freak may seem to we adults, it appears to be strangely appealing to youngsters.

I guess in pretty much the same way as it does for many adults -- let's face it Vampires have to be the undead of choice; at least they're charismatic, sexy and have a good time.

Tony Thompson (Stuart Little's Jonathan Lipnicki) is relocated to Scotland with his parents. His father, you see, designs world-class golf courses. Tony is an instant outcast in the highland community, bullied at school and generally miserable. He is visited by Rudolph (Rollo Weeks), the titular little vampire, and saves his life (er unlife?) by taking him to a barn where he can drink the blood of a cow and replenish himself. Rudolph's father Frederick (Richard E Grant) has decided that as a move towards acceptance by humans that they should only drink cows' blood. The time is drawing close for a lunar event that will help the vampires rid themselves of their curse and become mortal once again.

First though they must find a sacred amulet belonging to an ancestor. Unfortunately the resident vampire killer is hot on their trail.

I'll have to admit that it didn't always work for me. The movie seemed unbalanced, its tone lying somewhere between an episode of Goosebumps and a typical British Sunday afternoon adventure serial. It was still reasonably enjoyable and the kids absolutely loved it.

Indeed on the Monday they went to school sporting felt tip puncture marks to the throat. It looks great and it's reasonably creepy in parts without going too far for small children.

Unfortunately performances range from fairly pedestrian to local operatic standard, which undermined the movie's sincerity and rendered certain scenes inappropriately campy in style.

So, five out of ten from me and ten out of ten from the kids. I just wish they would stop hanging upside down from the bunk beds and get back to sleeping like the rest of us.