Customer Reviews

Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

It's hard to make vampire movies fresh - that said - any vampire movie that plays with the traditional myths and still manages to carry a somewhat interesting plot deserves some props. Kronos is one of those movies. The film also demonstrates once again how well Hammer studios uses trick shots, lighting and natural scenery to establish the sense of foreboding doom and peril.

If you're interested in starting a collection of vampire movies, and you already have Dracula, Horror of Dracula, The Fearless Vampire Killers, The Hunger, Near Dark, and the Frank Langella version of Dracula with Laurence Olivier...you might as well go ahead and buy this one too.

Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter (1974) aka Kronos is one of the better films to come from Hammer Studios in the 70's. It's basically a horror movie with a heaping helping of adventure thrown in and just a whole lot of fun.

Written and directed by Brian Clemens, the film stars German actor Horst Janson as Captain Kronos, a master of the sword and ex-solider, a freelance vampire killer, accompanied by the hunchbacked Professor Hieronymos Grost (John Cater), an authority on vampirism and good friend to Kronos. The film also stars the lovely and infinitely easy on the eyes Caroline Munro who appeared in others films like Dracula A.D. 1972 (1972), The Golden Voyage of Sinbad (1974), and The Spy Who Loved Me (1977).

The film wastes no time on the horror aspect as we witness a young, comely woman in the woods attacked by a mysterious, cloaked stranger. The once young woman is now old and withered, due to having her youth literally drained from her person. A couple more attacks occur within the small English village, and this prompts Dr. Marcus (John Carson), the local physician, to contact his old friend, Captain Kronos. On the way to the village, Kronos and Grost meet Carla (Monroe), an errant peasant girl, whom they allow to tag along, probably because she's so hot.

On arriving in the small village, Grost utilizes a unique vampire detection device to try and track the vile creature terrorizing the village, while Kronos has mad monkey love with Carla and rests for the upcoming battle. Meanwhile, the village loses a couple more young women, decreasing the overall population greatly as I didn't see a whole lot of townsfolk to begin with...The hunt is on as Kronos and Grost search for clues as to the identity and location of the vampire. Dr. Marcus may already have the answer to the mystery, but is not forthcoming due to personal reasons. Also, forces have begun to conspire against Kronos and his group, and our hero seems to be threatened from a number of sides. What drives the man to do what he does? His motivations are spelled out later in the film, and while pretty simple, they satisfy nicely. Will Captain Kronos discover the identity of the evil that plagues the village before he succumbs to it himself? What secret does Dr. Marcus harbor? Do we get to see Caroline Munro in the raw? Watch the movie and find out...

I really enjoyed a number of elements within this film. The notion that there are actually different types of vampires, and different methods of dispatch for each was a nice touch. Also, Janson really provided a wonderful performance as the sort of swashbuckling hero, one with no fear, and an eagerness to perform his self define task of ridding the lands of the scourge of vampirism. I also liked that his friend and maybe even mentor, the hunchbacked Professor Grost was actually presented as a highly intelligent individual, capable of assisting his friend in their exploits with the undead. The swordplay within the movie was a whole lot of fun, but I was a bit perplexed with scenes where Kronos would jam his swords into the ground, or use them to dig in the dirt. I know little of swords, but I would have thought a master swordsman would take more care with his weapons, not using them in such fashion for fear of dulling or nicking the blades. Oh well, a minor nuance that struck me as strange. The whole mystery element as to who is the vampire is played for all it's worth, and there are obtuse clues sprinkled throughout the story that may help the viewer uncover this on their own.

The print provided by Paramount looks excellent and there is a commentary track available including genre historian Jonathan Sothcott, filmmaker Brian Clemens and actress Caroline Munro. Kronos is swashbuckling action, Hammer style, and well worth looking into whether you're a fan of horror, action, or both.

Cookieman108

Captain Kronos, TO THE RESCUE! A killer vampire hunter, hot & sexy English STUD and an expert swordsman to boot, who, with the physical & sexual assistance of the gorgeous gypsy shorty Carla and his hunchbacked homeboy, Professor Grost, scour the whole of England in search of a vampire that is draining the life out of all the pretty country girls, leaving them dead & horribly aged in the process. I bought this movie on sale and was quite pleased with my purchase. TOO BAD that there wasn't a Captain Kronos Trilogy out there. I would buy 'em ALL!

Admirably scored by Laurie Johnson and an interesting adaptation of the usual Vampire story.You would expect this to be terrible because of the lack of Hammer regulars like Lee or Cushing but I must admit that this movie holds it's own with a set of no-names, probably due to a well written script and decent direction. The characters remind you of Clint Eastwood "Man with No Name" pictures with bad guys who light matches on the backs of hunchbacks, etc. Here we have the usual set of nasty barroom boys who try to start fights with every newcomer and they meet their match after...what else?... insulting a hunchback and losing 3 to 1 odds against Captain Kronos and his swordplay. Similar to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, this movie could have been a prototype for the future "Scooby crew". Unusual and somewhat entertaining. Certainly for any Vampire fan.

Alright, normally I love a good B-movie but this dosen't even rate that high. Captain Kronos is a lame attempt at a vampire tale. It ignores most of the traditional rules which you will either love or hate and is pitifully acted. The first 1/3 of the movie is all set up and exposition with no pay off at the end. Most of the movie consists of Kronos flashing a colgate smile and giving lines to his new found girlfriend that even Austin Powers would find chessy.The rest of it are scenes of young girls who suddenly have a black robbed figure appear out of no where while on a frollick some where or another and have their youth drained away. The climax if you can call it that is as about as scary as robin hood men in tights without the humor.
If you read these other reviews and are tempted remmeber this 99% who write them are die hard fans who will love it no matter what because it's a hammer film. The other one % just got screwed.

Having already swam in rather innovative waters with DR. JEKYLL AND SISTER HYDE, the team of Brian Clemens and producer Albert Fennell (of TV's The Avengers fame) were again recruited by Hammer Films for a rather progressive undertaking. Clemens' creation of the character Captain Kronos was hoping to revitalize the company's vampire genre and at the same time generate a new series of films (rumors of a TV series also surfaced). But nothing could prevent the decline of Hammer, and CAPTAIN KRONOS: VAMPIRE HUNTER was box office doom due to poor distribution in the U.K. and lack of attention on its U.S. double-billing with FRANKENSTEIN AND THE MONSTER FROM HELL. It didn't help that the film sat on the shelf for a full two years after it was made.

Captain Kronos (played smoothly by German actor Horst Janson) is a 19th century war hero traveling across Europe with his brainy hunchback sidekick Professor Grost (John Cater from the "Dr. Phibes" films). Self-proclaimed vampire hunters, the duo befriend the wayward gypsy girl Carla (the stunning Caroline Munro) as they travel to the town of Kronos' old army pal Dr. Marcus (John Carson). The recent deaths of young girls--bitten on the lips by a hooded stranger and dying suddenly as aged women--are the reason for the visit, as Kronos confronts evil with sword in hand and Grost uses his vast knowledge of the subject to find answers. All evidence leans towards the Durwards, an aristocratic family amid a peasant village. The arrogant children (Shane Briant and Lois Daine) and their ambiguous mother (Wanda Ventham) prove mysterious indeed, but Kronos and his companions have their homework cut out for them before they discovery the true vampiric culprit(s).

Filmed mostly outdoors (the perpetually scenic Black Park location) with the usual budget constraints, CAPTAIN KRONOS: VAMPIRE HUNTER is by far Hammer's most unconventional and original vampire film. Directing for the first and only time to date, Brian Clemens' adds new twists and folklore to the proceedings, and the concept of a suave, swashbuckling vampire hunter allows for themes reminiscent of Westerns and even Japanese Samurai cinema. Don't let the R-rating (probably only given it to balance its gory co-feature) and the early 70s production date fool you: KRONOS ignores the bare bosoms and excessive bloodshed in favor of comic-style story telling, quirky dialog and eccentric characters. A very good cast nourishes these traits, and there's a memorable "guest star" shot by the late Ian Hendry as the lecherous Kerro. Although Captain Kronos never returned to the big or small screens, he did make a few illustrated appearances in the House of Hammer magazine in the late 70s.

A title that has been on demand (even by non Hammer diehards) for some time, Paramount has released CAPTAIN KRONOS on DVD in an anamorphically enhanced widescreen transfer, preserving the film's original 1.85:1 aspect ratio. Newly struck from the original materials, image detail is fairly sharp, with colors (although drab in some scenes) usually coming across as bright and vibrant. Black levels are deep and well defined, and fleshtones appear natural. Nothing drastic in the form of excessive grain or blemishes: this is an excellent, fresh-looking transfer of a 30-year-old film. The English mono audio is sufficient. Dialogue is clear and Laurie Johnson's vigorous score sounds full. Optional English subtitles are also included.

Although there's no trailer or other standard supplements, Paramount has thankfully included a commentary with director/co-producer/writer Clemens and star Munro, moderated by journalist Jonathan Sothcott. Recorded in England, the commentary benefits from Clemens' obvious enthusiasm for the project and the lead character he created (he still holds the rights to it). Clemens (who still owns the original Kronos "K" finger ring) is obviously proud of his accomplishment here, as he relays the kind of film he wanted to make as opposed to the usual Hammer outing, how he came to cast Horst Janson, the locations and sets, etc. The always charming Munro fondly recalls her first leading lady role, and obvious holds great affection for the film as well. Sothcott chimes in with good questions that will satiate Hammer fans, and the running conversation makes for a worthy look back at one of the company's later day glories.

With so much hype now surrounding this as one of Hammer's best efforts from the 1970's I was expecting something special. And I got it! Although obviously done on an even smaller budget than most Hammer films, the limited production value didn't detract from a first rate story and script. Producers Brian Clemens and Albert Fennell have managed to establish their own style at a time when Hammer was more concerned with T&A than plot. CK neatly avoids this syndrome. The movie focuses firmly on the story and wonderful action sequences. After the film ended I felt a little sad, for two reasons: 1). That more Captain Kronos films or even a television series didn't materialise and 2). That Brian Clemens and Albert Fennell didn't produce more films for Hammer, because arguably their "Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde" and "Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter" were two of the finest productions to come out of England's House of Horror. Munro/Clemens/Sothcott provide an entertaining and informative commentary. Interesting fact: Clemens originally wanted Kronos to sleep in a Golden Coffin , but budget restraints curtailed this groovy idea. I've a nagging notion, that we may have eventually found out that Kronos was indeed a type of vampire himself. Paramount provides a solid anamorphic transfer, with few blemishes ot dirt. They really should be praised for putting so much effort into what is still an obscure film from England.

First of all this is one of the better of Hammer's later films and features good performances by the dashing Horst Jansen and the radiant Caroline Munro. As the film itself has already been reviewed extensively this review will focus on the quality of the DVD release.
First of all "Captain Kronos" has been given a very nice, but not exceptional transfer. The contrast and picture are fine and the colors are decent for a 1972 production. The sound mix is largely confined to the center channel, but dialogue is clear and easily understandable. The picture has been letterboxed at 1:85:1 and is anamorphically enhanced for widescreen tv's (This may explain why the reviewer from Richmond, Va was getting a full-screen picture, assuming he is using an Apex DVD player, the early models can't handle anamorphic enhancements and will blow up a 1:85:1 DVD formatted for 16:9 to fill the screen.) Paramount notes this item, the 16:9 enhancement, under "special features". I don't consider that, nor the dolby encoded soundtrack, nor the English subtitles (the film has not been closed captioned) as "special features" or extras. These are now standard features on DVD releases. The only extra is a running commentary by the Director Brian Clemens, actress Caroline Munro and a film historian. I guess for Paramount that makes this a "special editon", however the films trailer (which should also be a standard feature on a 2003 DVD release) is missing. In fairness, it should be noted that the trailer may no longer exist. However, a short featurette on the making of the film, some TV spots, even just a few pages of text with bios on the cast and crew would have rounded out this release better. Overall the Film gets an A-, Video quality gets a B+, Audio quality gets a B, Extras, or the lack thereof, gets a C.

I first ran across this film in the mid-80's when I was rediscovering Hammer films. It is probably the most unique of the gothic horror films that Hammer is known for, being both a swashbuckler and a vampire flick. The film was great, nice crisp colors, and great sound. This should make it a 5-star review, right? NO!

The top banner of the keepcase says "Widescreen Collection". I was prepared to watch one of my favorite Hammer films in letterbox glory. It only plays as a fullscreen (1.33:1 aspect ratio). I will be returning mine to Wal-mart for a refund.

One of Hammer's last great horror films (the confused To The Devil, A Daughter has its moments but it was compromised from the very beginning), Captain Kronos is receiving the deluxe treatment compared to some of the other Paramount releases on DVD. The transfer is good although there are some issues related to edge enchancement that haven't been resolved here during the transfer. The colors are pretty vivid overall and, while the print isn't pristine, it looks worlds better than many of the other releases from the same time frame.

The sound is standard mono. There isn't any attempt to remix the sound for 5.1 Dolby but it does sound better than the VHS version I had (although it does sound a bit flat and, pardon the pun, lifeless in a couple of spots).

In the hands of veteran director Brian Clemens, Kronos couldn't possibly have gone wrong. One of the major issues that dogged Hammer towards the end of its short reign was the inability to attract top outside talent. There were exceptions to be sure, but Hammer survived at the end by producing meagerly budgeted films lacking in the talent necessary to pull it off. Happily, Kronos was an exception to this rule.

Clemens, a veteran of The Avengers (among many others)directs with a stylish flourish that provides much needed energy throughout most of the film. The result is a film that, despite its shortcomings (budget being the chief complaint), still manages to dazzle. It's a pity that there was no way to introduce Peter Cushing's Van Helsing into this mix as a way to pass the baton to others as it would have been a nice touch.

The Vampires here don't drink blood but, instead, drain the life force of youth from their victims. A fascintating premise and update of the traditional vampire legend. Kronos jumps to the rescue attempting to stop this plague of vampires from continuing to take more victims. Clemens' retake on this old legend helps to prevent Kronos from becoming predictable. It's clear that Clemens (and Hammer) had hopes that the film would inspire a series of films. Sadly, this wasn't to be.

The DVD has a commentary by Hammer historian Jonathan Sothcott with interesting observations provided by director Brian Clemens and actress Caroline Munro. This is an example of how Warner Brothers, Columbia and, yes, even Paramount should have treated their other Hammer releases.