Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter
December 2003 Reviewed by: Josh Barber Format: DVD	(all ratings out of 5): Overall Enjoyment Picture Quality Packaged Extras Sound Quality

Though a new boom in horror movies didn't come along until the 1980s, there were plenty of offerings through the '60s and '70s to keep the genre alive and kicking; or "undead" and kicking, at any rate. Hammer Films was the premiere purveyor of spooky scares.

Formed in the 1930s to produce exclusive films for a distribution company, Hammer got its start with B-grade crime dramas. After securing the rights to make films based on BBC radio serials, Hammer found success with horror tales. The first major breakthrough was The Curse of Frankenstein. Hammer Films became renowned for budget-conscious films that still managed to have high-quality acting and directing.

Changes in editorial direction began to break down Hammer's tightly controlled successes, and the studio released its last theatrical horror feature in the mid '70s. Before the end, though, Hammer tried to inject new life -- no pun intended -- into its vampire tales by using new casts, new characters, and more than a few plot twists. One of these experiments has just been unearthed and released on DVD, the cult favorite, Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter.

All is not well in the sun-dappled woods -- a creature of unknown origin is prowling the countryside, attacking the comeliest of maidens for its sustenance. Dr. Marcus, the local leech-bearer, calls for the help of his old army compatriot Captain Kronos, now an acclaimed vampire hunter. Kronos arrives with his companions, the hunchbacked Professor Grost and the wild gypsy girl Carla, intending to put the undead killer back into the ground.

Surprisingly, Kronos is quite an entertaining movie. Many Hammer films come across as schlock today, and Kronos is no exception -- however, there are enough clever changes to make the tale interesting. The vampire, for instance, does not feed on blood. Instead, it drains the very life force of its victims, turning young girls into withered crones. The vampire's traditional weaknesses, such as the cross or the stake, are re-examined as well.

Writer/director Brian Clemens, best known for TV's The Avengers, does not give us a straight horror flick. Instead, he infuses the hoary tale of vampire and slayer with elements of swashbuckling adventure. Why show the hero and his sidekicks creeping about a musty tomb in search of their prey when it can be so much more exciting to give the audience a lightning-fast sword fight in a well-lit tavern or hall? Comedy and suspense have equal play here, and the imagery is inventive. Clemens leads the vampire into new territory, making Kronos a standout in a sea of lesser vampiric cinema.

The print of the film from which this disc was made was not pristine, but it has aged better than many movies from the same period. Colors are vibrant and crisp, and the sound is plain yet not disappointing.

Horst Janson is a bit stiff in his portrayal of Kronos, but gives the character a sort of smartass charm. John Cater, as Prof. Heironymous Grost, fills the "Van Helsing" role as a font of knowledge both academic and folksy. That Cater plays Grost not as "a man with a hump," but just as a man, is a rarity for the film’s era and quite welcome. John Carson's Marcus is determined but afraid, and Caroline Munro makes the spirited Carla come to life. Unfortunately, Lois Dane and the cardboard Shane Briant are uninspiring as the mysterious Durward siblings, but overall the cast is surprisingly taut and in tune.

The disc's only extra is a commentary from horror historian Jonathan Sothcott, director Clemens, and actress Munro. Found, oddly enough, under the Set Up menu, the commentary has some quiet bits and a lot of "this was shot here, this was shot there, this was shot here" commentary, but the track does offer quite a bit of good insight about the film and the creative process.

For such an obscure film, Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter has had quite an influence on modern vampire tales. Slayers from Buffy to Blade can trace a lineage to the ideas set forth here. Clemens (and obviously Hammer Films) had hoped that Kronos would live to become a franchise piece. While no direct sequel was ever made, Kronos lives on in the exploits of those who have drawn on his myth.

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