Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter (1974)

Wonderful Movie

Very disappointing...

This movie is the proof that the world is becoming a sick and dumb place

Redundant and unnecessary.

Captain Kronos is a little different for Hammer, but a worthy addition to their canon of films. Fitting into Hammer easily with the same feel and Gothic style, but different in its approach with some original and new ideas for its time. Just like the title indicates our hero is Captain Kronos and his occupation is to hunt vampires. He is an expert swordsman formerly of the King's Imperial Guard, self employed with his hunchback assistant Grost. They investigate a village that has their young women drained of their youth by a vampire. Speaking of women, our hero Kronos has a great one, picking up gypsy girl(Caroline Monroe) who is gorgeous, talented and worked on many classic horror flicks, most notably the ultra brutal 1980 classic Maniac. The rules for killing vampires are different and varied in this film and according to expert Grost there are many different kinds of vampires as well. Our hero Kronos , played by Horst Janson is kind of a half vampire who survived getting bit by one and continues to hunt them. Captain Kronos Vampire Hunter is way ahead of its time as a hybrid of horror and action, throwing in elements from western and samurai films. The action is not nearly as abundant as in a film like Blade, but I'm pretty sure Kronos influenced it. Captain Kronos Vampire Hunter is one of my favorites of the later Hammer films, as well as being one of the most well made also. If you are a fan of both action and horror, Kronos comes highly recommended.

A master swordsman and former soldier (Horst Janson) and his hunchbacked assistant hunt vampires.I was sold on this film as soon as a character said, "What could be more improbable than God? And yet, I believe in him." It was such a great reversal of atheist thought (that God is just as believable as unicorns) by saying if there is God, why not vampires and other ghouls? Clever! I also liked when Kronos called the various people "rat face" "fatty" and "big mouth". That was pretty funny, both for his choice of words and the way he delivered those words.

Sometimes a good movie fails for no very good reason. By 1974, the whole glorious cycle of Hammer Horrors, the long weekend four-horrors-beginning-at-midnight cycle was losing its audience, turning to slicker and more expensive Hollywood productions.Captain Kronos, infused with the campy pop-culture verve and schlock aesthetic of the late sixties/early seventies British sensibility, was, with it's comic-book feel, also ahead of its time, a completely new and inventive take on the whole vampire ethos. The hero was also a little wooden for the cigar-smoking, womanising rogue vampire hunter that he played. And the movie is, compared to other late Hammer ventures, a little lacking in babes and nudity. Nevertheless it deserves to stand with them as one of the very best Hammer productions. An interesting story that never stops moving, a fine ensemble cast, beautiful and lush photography, characters that are lively and full of interest, Kronos was a creative, unexpected and confident take on the vampire genre and one that was enjoyed by almost everyone that got the chance to see it. Not as transgressive as Vampire Circus, it nevertheless breaks the box in terms of the expected. A fine vampire movie and one of the best B movie vampire productions ever, Kronos never disappoints.

I've only seen a couple of Hammer horror films, but I'm impressed. They seem to be subtly effective if you're looking for a few thrills and chills, not overdoing the gore, being mild on the language but yet having a definite edge to them. "Captain Kronos" isn't super but it's enjoyable. The direction is excellent, the DVD transfer looked nice, and - like a good mystery - there's a good twist at the end regarding the murderer, er.....vampire. For us guys, there are also a lot of pretty women in here, too. The acting isn't the best but who cares? It's entertaining, and not made to be taken seriously.I enjoyed the team of "Captain Kronos and Professor Hieronymous-Grost," and I'm surprised there wasn't a sequel. These two guys make a good team: Horst Janson as the younger, dashing swordsman, and John Cater as the older assistant. The latter provides a little comic relief, too. Their relationship reminded me a bit of Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce at "Holmes and Watson." The good captain is not your normal vampire hunter. He's just as anxious to get it on with the ladies, and he has a sexy one for a partner in Caroline Munro as "Carla." Kronos also smokes "herbal" cigars! The brief touches of comedy, western, swashbuckling, horror, mystery, romance, sex, supernatural, and who-knows-what else all make it an inventive and fun hour-and-a-half. Hey, it even gives God several good plugs! This horror movie is different, all right.