Vampire Circus

threepenny5.0

Here they are: the glam, choker necklaced, Rodger Daltrey'd, Satanic Majesties Requested, vampire clan; and if you're wondering where your wife is, she's in the castle next door getting a good fanging, along with your little girl, since clearly consent is not exactly a concept they understand.And over here are the villagers, pale, spineless, plague-addled idiots who, even when they finally get the energy to form a lynch mob aren't really clear on how to finish the job. It's been my very broad observation of Hammer films that if Peter Cushing isn't the hero (or anti-hero), they can't muster up any sort of hero at all. Such is the case here.The Vampire Circus injects a lot of fun and energy into the village - who wouldn't love a super-creepy clown-faced evil dwarf (Skip Martin) who feeds you to the animals, a couple of acrobats who turn into bats as part of their aerial routine, A were-panther, and a naked dancer painted with tiger stripes that provides the show-stopper. The villagers get a little concerned that their children keep getting murdered, but damn it, it's such an entertaining circus! This is the world before television, you had to weigh actually getting some entertainment for once in your small miserable life vs. the chance to lose said life forever. In other words, every performance was standing room only. If you ever tried live-streaming local theater during lockdown, you can relate.Gypsy ringmaster Adrienne Corri leads a cast of Vaders (David Prowse), Time Lords (Lalla Ward), and Hammer regulars (Thorley Walters). Neither the pedo-Vampires nor the pathetic-Villagers are worth saving, just grab a big bag of popcorn and enjoy the carnage and a climax worthy of Shakespeare (in body count, if not in poetry).

carrieandtracy

I promised the boy a scary movie while the girl was away at a birthday party. I had planned on Gremlins, believing him old enough to handle it, but a last second internet check reminded me of some uncomfortable material regarding Santa, so I pivoted to Vampire Circus. Some good vampire scares. More nudity than you normally see in a Hammer film, if that’s your hang-up, but the boy wasn’t troubled by the titties and he gives Vampire Circus a thousand stars.I worked with Anthony Higgins (credited here as “Anthony Corlan”) some years ago. Great guy, scary vampire.(Physical media note: New 4K from Imprint is supposed to be great but I don’t have it yet. The Synapse blu-ray isn’t bad.)

Rafael "Mister Movie" Jovine3.5

RESEÑA EN ESPAÑOLSPOOKTOBER VI: THE HAMMER OF HORRORArguably one of the most mature and darkest Hammer films ever made. These vampires aren’t fooling around—there are scenes where they toy with their victims like a cat with a mouse, playing before delivering the final blow. Needless to say, the campiness that has characterized many of Hammer’s films is completely absent here. It can be depraved, somewhat nihilistic, and its body count is probably among the highest, if not the absolute highest, in the company’s history.The performances are all excellent; the villains are wickedly compelling, and the victims vividly convey the despair and dread they endure. The cinematography is striking, often amplifying the film’s gloom-and-doom atmosphere. Many Hammer films feature a glossy or colorful palette with theatrical production design (which I usually enjoy), but this film opts for a more “cinematic” look, for lack of a better term.All in all, the film didn’t fully engage me until the second half, when the buildup pays off with some truly great moments, placing it among Hammer’s best efforts—especially in their vampire catalogue. If you’re a fan of the genre, I’d say it’s definitely worth checking out.SPOOKTOBER VI: THE HAMMER OF HORRORTODAY SCHEDULEHands of the RipperVampire CircusDracula AD 1972