Kali the Little Vampire

Gr 4–10—When Kali was a young vampire, he longed to play with humans his age. As a vampire, however, he always lived a painful life in hiding. Then one fateful day, everything changed when Kali saved a young boy from getting hit by a speeding train. Narrated by Christopher Plummer, this story is simple and enjoyable. The ending drives home the point that being true to one's self is the key to making a difference, even if it means being excluded. The background orchestra music is slow and eerie at times, befitting of the story, and Christopher Plummer does a great job of portraying an older man looking back at his childhood. The animation is done in black and white with some intermixed sepia tones that help make certain details stand out such as the moon and the children's faces. However, it is still difficult to follow at times. One of the movie's gems is the bonus interview with animation director Regina Pessoa who talks about her choice of themes, the use of a vampire, and their importance to the story's moral. There's also a clip about the making of Kali. Narration is available in English or French. The film can be used in language arts and guidance classes, and the bonus features make it ideal for film animation classes or a beginning/intermediate French or ELL lesson.—Kira Moody, Whitmore Public Library, Salt Lake City, UT