Even though Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter was filmed in 1972, it did not hit American theaters until 1974. It was part of a double bill with Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell.
A village suffers a series of deaths of women who are seemingly drained of their youth. They appear to be old and withered right after they are attacked by an unknown force.
Dr. Marcus (John Carson) sends a message to Captain Kronos, a vampire hunter, to come to his village and help out with what he believes are vampire attacks. Kronos travels with his friend Grost, a hunchback.
This movie was made toward the end of Hammer Horror’s run. The vampire formula had become tired and repetitive. Hammer executives were looking for something different to improve their vampire movies. Hammer decided to go with a vampire movie where the focus was on a Vampire Hunter, not the vampire. This formula was well ahead of its time. Audiences at the time did not embrace Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter. But interest grew with the transfer to DVD and Blu-ray. If you’re looking for an eccentric vampire movie, I recommend Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter. Do you have a favorite vampire movie? GRADE: B+
Never much cared for Captain Kronos. My favorite vampire movies-Near Fark, Let the Right One In and Werner Herzog’s Nosferatu
Steve, I’m fond of Herzog’s NOSFERATU, too.
It’s tough following Steve here since we’re frequently in complete agreement. I’d pick the same three, with LET THE RIGHT ONE IN as my absolute favorite. There was a pretty good American remake of this a couple of years later called LET ME IN, directed by Matt Reeves. I’m a huge fan of horror movies in general and vampire movies in particular. So it’s strange that I’ve never seen CAPTAIN KRONOS, perhaps because I’ve never run into anyone who had any great enthusiasm for it. I’ll have to remedy that.
Michael, I’ll have to track down a copy of Matt Reeve’s LET ME IN.
Only Lovers Left Alive, Let the Right One In, Shaun of the Dead.
Surely SHAUN OF THE DEAD is about zombies.
Patti, very nice choices!
LET THE RIGHT ONE IN for me too. I was also very taken with NEAR DARK when I first saw it, though when I tried to watch it again years later, it didn’t hold up as well for me as I’d remembered. Third would be FROM DUSK TILL DAWN. Salma Hayek was hot!
Of course, if Bill Crider was here he’s probably put in a mention for Nic Cage in the execrable VAMPIRE’S KISS.
I never saw CAPTAIN KRONOS.
Jeff, Bill Crider tried to motivate me to watch VAMPIRE’S KISS, but I resisted. Yes, Salma Hayek was hot in FROM DUSK TO DAWN.
VAMPIRE’S KISS was worth sitting through just for the scene where Cage couldn’t see himself in the mirror. That was a great scene, I just loved the way it was done. Is it really worth it to watch the whole movie for just those few seconds? I wouldn’t really recommend it to people, but for me, yes, it was worth it. I love those few seconds that much.
Jeff, Bill Crider loved VAMPIRE’S KISS and urged me to watch it. But the almost universal negative movie reviews kept me away. Now, with your description of the mirror scene, I’m intrigued. Next time I run across a copy of VAMPIRE’S KISS, I’ll pick it up and watch it.
I’ve only seen bits of this over the years but have always meant to check it out. My mom always had The Today Show on weekday mornings before we left for school and I remember Gene Shalit giving this a good review. You’re right about seventies era Hammer, I find most of them unwatchable but I will get to this someday. As far as vampire films go, nothing contemporary does anything for me. Todd Browning’s “Dracula” is stagey but always great fun and nothing has ever come close to Christopher Lee in “The Horror of Dracula” (Hammer’s “Brides of Dracula” is likewise terrific, with Peter Cushing in great form, though the lead vampire is a bit of a dud). I’d also recommend the low budget, curiously existential “Vampire’s Ghost,” scripted by the great Leigh Brackett. Dan Curtis’s television adaptation of “Dracula” (penned by Richard Matheson and starring Jack Palance) has its moments and was very influential on many subsequent Dracula adaptations. Really enjoying the Halloween theme this week, George.
Byron, there will be more vampires tomorrow! CAPTAIN KRONOS influenced the focus on the vampire hunter instead of the vampire in movies like Van Helsing with Hugh Jackman and Kate Beckinsale.
VAMPYRE
and RETURN OF THE VAMPIRE, Lugosi’s near-Dracula experience.
Dan, two excellent vampire films!
Patti mentioned ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE, which Ann and I both loved. Tilda Swinton is always amazing, and it was our introduction to Tom Hiddleston. For years I would say, “I’m not really a Jim Jarmusch fan, but I liked GHOST DOG,” and “I’m not really a Jim Jarmusch fan, but I liked DEAD MAN.” After ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE, I watched his earlier MYSTERY TRAIN, and I realized that I am a Jim Jarmusch fan.
Jeff, I’ll watch anything with Tilda Swinton in it!
Just before the pandemic, the local art cinema started a monthly series of surprise films, where we paid our money and went in with no idea what we were going to get. One of the two that we saw was THE SOUVENIR, which stars Tilda’s daughter Honor Swinton Byrne. Tilda, unrecognizable in older-woman makeup, plays her mother. We liked it, though it’s not something I would feel comfortable recommending to people — I’m pretty sure most people would not like it. Honor’s character is trying to get started in the film business, hindered by her drug-addict boyfriend. This was loved in film festivals, not so much in the real world.
I wonder if things like this series will start up again. Certainly there are still too many people leery of going to the theater to try it yet. I’d like to go see DUNE, but I don’t think Ann’s ready.
Jeff, I went to see DUNE solo. Diane was willing to go to our AMC Theater to see NO TIME TO DIE–she’s a big Bond fan–but she took a pass on VENOM 2 and DUNE.
I’m not really a fan of horror films – but for Hammer productions I made an exception!
In the 1960s one of the smaller cinemas showed them every evening – at a reduced price late in the evening for us students.
And sometimes we even managed to take bottles of beer inside which was officially forbidden.
My favourites however were the Dracula films
Wolf, Hammer films have become cult classics!
I don’t like/watch/read vampire or zombie junk. Besides, I have leaves to rake. Damn wind. Cheery Tuesday to all!
Rick, your dislike of vampire/zombie junk matches my distaste for raking leaves. We would pay to have someone deal with the falling leaves, but no one seems to want to work.
George, you are to be congratulated for not having one of those loathsome leaf blowers. Like nearly everything else in the Atlanta area, my condo building is absolutely surrounded by trees, and twice every week we’re attacked by a battalion of those horrid things from our landscaping company.
I lost interest in horror movies so long ago I can’t remember how old I was!
I saw the movie FRANKENSTEIN as kid–maybe 8 years old–and was freaked out for weeks. Later, I found I could take or leave horror movies.
Michael, many studies have shown the sound of leaf blowers can affect hearing…in a Bad Way. Those landscaping guys who are welding those loathsome leaf blowers should have protective ear plugs or earmuffs in addition to goggles and heavy work gloves.