‘Vampire Dog’ is sweet tale

Celebrate this spooktacular season by popping in a DVD of “Vampire Dog,” and you may find it’s just the ticket to getting your whole family howling with laughter. There’s nothing scary about the pooch in question, Fang (given a hilarious, sarcastic voice by “Saturday Night Live” alum Norm MacDonald). Instead, Fang delivers one-liners and sage advice to his owner, a tween named Ace (Collin MacKechnie), who needs all the help he can get as the awkward new kid at the Lugosi Public School, where the monsters are the “cool” students, who tease, bully, and put down the academic achievers.

Don’t worry, parents — despite the moniker of “vampire,” Fang is not a blood-thirsty hound, but rather a red-gelatin-dessert-craving canine, who happens to have an allergic reaction to direct sunlight. Although the sweet-toothed pooch catches the eye of mad scientist Dr. Warhol (Amy Matysio), there’s a happy ending for the boy and his dog. The tale, directed by visual effects expert Geoff Anderson, is followed by comic bloopers and outtakes.

“Vampire Dog” DVD, $14.98, www.amazon.com.