The Bloodiest Show on Earth: Making Vampire Circus (2010) (V)

Director:

Daniel Griffith

Genre:

Documentary | Short

Plot:

Step right up for this ghastly peak 'behind the curtain' at one of Hammer Films bloodiest creations. |

Plot Keywords:

Vampire | Hammer

Cast

Joe Dante	...	Himself
Tim Lucas	...	Himself
Ted Newsom	...	Himself
Philip Nutman	...	Himself
David Prowse	...	Himself

Directed by
Daniel Griffith

Produced by
Daniel Griffith	....	producer

Cinematography by
Daniel Griffith

Film Editing by
Daniel Griffith

Production Companies

• Ballyhoo Motion Pictures

Distributors

• Synapse Films (2010) (USA) (DVD)

Runtime:

USA:34 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Company:

Ballyhoo Motion Pictures

Movie Connections:

References A Clockwork Orange (1971)

An excellent and informative retrospective documentary

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

This brisk, but solid and engrossing retrospective documentary covers a lot of ground about the offbeat early 70's Hammer horror shocker "Vampire Circus." The folks interviewed are director Joe Dante, noted critic Tim Lucas, actor/bodybuilder David Prowse, Hammer historian Ted Newsom, and journalist Philip Nutman. Among the subjects discussed are the quality of Hammer fare diminishing in the early 70s, the involvement of several TV folks in the making of "Vampire Circus," the lengthy 12 minute pre-credits sequence, elements of Bergman and Fellini in the picture, the movie's very pronounced creepy and explicit sexuality with disturbing overtones of pedophilia, the fact that the film was heavily cut and barely released in theater in America, the picture was shot in six weeks, but still fell slightly behind schedule, the poster art by illustrator Vic Fair, the killing of children on screen, the use of real bats, and the movie eventually acquiring substantial cult status in the wake of its initial release. Prowse has a fun story to relate about how he walked into the Hammer offices and informed them that he would make a perfect monster in one of their productions. Essential viewing for fans of the film.