MovieChat Forums > Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter (1974) Discussion > I'm gonna comment on a User comments.

I'm gonna comment on a User comments.


I wish people would do some Vampire research before reviewing a Vampire film.

Hammer was trying to change their failing and falling image in the 1970s and directed their cinematic resources towards other non-traditional horror themes. They came out with the Karnstein Trilogy of vampire films with lesbian overtones. They had Darcula meet kung fu in The Legend of the Seven Golden Vampires. Hammer showed more and more cleavage(and in many instances dispensed with the clothes altogether). They had Dr. Jekyll have a sister Hyde. And in 1973, Hammer tried to start a swashbuckling super hero vampire hunter with the film Captain Kronos, Vampire Hunter. The concept was that Kronos recently of fighting in the war, having lost his sister and mother to vampirism, set off into various European locales with his friend/hunchback/professor in search of evil to stamp out. The movie is at some points obvious parody and at others a homage of sorts to earlier Hammer pieces. The film is quite enjoyable for what it is. It does have many flaws, however, most dealing with a total lack of respect for traditional vampire lore. Day and night seem not to matter to the vampire, nor does the vampire drink for thirst but rather for eternal beauty. Okay. Credit certainly is due to the innovative and creative Brian Clemens who wrote and directed the film. The acting is acceptable. Horst Janson is okay as Kronos but really has little personal flair. Most of the film has him with his shirt off(pity more like this was not directed toward co-star Caroline Munro). Munro is okay in her role too. Really most of the acting is pretty bland with a couple good performances given by John Cater as the professor and John Carson as Dr. Marcus. The highlight of the film easily is the tavern scene when Kronos meets up with a trio of thugs led by Ian Hendry. Hendry has fun with his cameo. All in all Captain Kronos is an exciting and interesting picture to see. The sets and costumes are up to the usual high Hammer standards. The musical score is wonderful as well.
The line in Bold is EXACTLY faithful to traditional Vampire lore, Sunlight killing them is a Hollywood invention.

"When the chips are down... these Civilized people... will Eat each Other"

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Sunlight killing vampires is not a Hollywood invention. It's a German invention first used in Murnau's 1922 Nosferatu. Used again for the second time in 1958's Horror of Dracula (a Britsh film).

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Oh, that's interesting.

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I agree. It’s time to do some research.

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I think it's silly that people get upset about the vampire rules in this film cause these are in no way traditional vampires, but rather necromancers who have mastered the occult arts. It's a whole 'nother kind of supernatural that happens to bear vampiric themes.

"I said no camels, that's five camels, can't you count?"

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Yeah they weren't really vampires as such.
But it doesn't really matter, nice to see things done differently, although it wasn't a great film, the action was poor and the story just plods along i can see why it was never turned into a series.

Still worth a watch.

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I did a bit of research too and found that vampires dont exist and thus your entire whinge is *beep* pointless.

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Plus, vampire lore is very much deconstructed in Captain Kronos.

NOW TARZAN MAKE WAR!

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Yes, and it seems no two vampires are the same. It seems to me each vampire movie has different "rules" about what their vampires can and can't do. Since the writer creates these characters it's really up to him what they can and can't do.

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It´s irritating, indeed.

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