Captain Kronos (Horst Janson)is a retired officer from the Imperial Army. He is handsome, debonair and has an eye for the ladies but his full-time job sees him seeking out and destroying Vampires with the assistance of his sidekick Professor Hieronymos Grost(John Cater)(now where have I heard that name before).Grost is a hunchback and an expert on the different types of Vampire and how to seek and destroy each different kind, for we learn there are many types. On the way to assist a former army buddy of his Dr Marcus(John Carson),Kronos frees the lovely Carla (Caroline Munro)from bondage and she joins our heroes on their quest to rid the world of evil. On arriving at the home of Dr Marcus, his old friend tells him of the blight that has been affecting the area namely Young girls are being found dead with blood on their lips but more importantly they have aged rapidly. Grost is immediately able to tell which kind of Vampires they are dealing with they are the kind that needs blood of youth to stay young themselves,so Grost sets out a plan to find them. Some thugs are hired by an unknown man in a local Inn to get rid of Kronos and his associates but they are no match for our swashbuckling hero and are soon dispatched without Kronos learning who the thugs employers were. There are unfortunately no witnesses who can describe or point a finger at the guilty parties but Kronos believes that the Durwood Family(real name Karnstein) is somehow involved and so sets about luring them into his trap.
Review:Captain Kronos:Vampire Hunter is a very unusual entry in the Hammer Canon
. Director/Scriptwriter Brian Clemens film is full of interesting and original ideas which he brings to screen with an assured confidence. The Hooded figure that lurks in the leafy glades and stalks the local wenches is done very well and the identity is never given away until the end.The shadow of a crucifix that comes to life in a church is also a high point. The film is also quite funny with some very good witty dialogue that helps the film move along at a fair old pace. Kronos is a also not scarce on action and contains a good few Excellent action set pieces. Captain Kronos:Vampire Hunter was initially planned to be Hammer's next big franchise but sadly poor box office put an end to that which is a huge shame as it is truly a classic of 70s Horror and a film that all Hammer enthusiasts should see.
