That’s the sad truth concerning CAPTAIN KRONOS: VAMPIRE HUNTER. Intended to revive Hammer’s flagging fortunes and start a new series of films, neither happened and what is left is a fascinating curio and the unfulfilled promise of what might have been. Brian Clemens, the man behind DR JEKYLL & SISTER HYDE as well as THE AVENGERS, came up with the idea of a knight errant who travels the European countryside with his faithful hunchback squire ridding the land of vampires. The catch here, as the squire informs us, is that “there are as many different species of vampires as there are birds of prey” and as many different ways to get rid of them. What works for one would be ineffective against another. Had a series of films (or a TV show) come to fruition, then a different type of vampire with a different way of being destroyed would be featured the next time around.
The vampires in this movie drain their victims of youth not blood and stakes are useless against them. This allows Clemens to have a final duel to the death involving a swordfight in the tradition of Robin Hood or Captain Blood (had this been made in the 1930s, Errol Flynn would have played the part). German actor Horst Janson as the titular character fills the bill well enough while John Cater (the commissioner in the DR PHIBES films) as Grost his assistant is absolutely perfect. Caroline Munro is a delight as the village girl making the most of her onscreen time and doing the best job I’ve ever seen in not blinking her eyes during the film’s finale. Hammer veteran John Carson plays a key role as Dr. Marcus and Brit horror regular Ian Hendry is great fun as a tavern bully. This is another example of how everything came together to make a satisfying whole. What a shame it was never given a chance to develop further.
The Capsule Critic 