Director:Ā Brian Clemens
Screenplay:Ā Brian Clemens
Producers:Ā Brian Clemens and Albert Fennell
Starring: Horst Janson, Caroline Munro, John Carson, Shane Briant, John Cater, William Hobbs, Ian Hendry, Lois Daine, Wanda Ventham,
Year:Ā 1974
Country:Ā United Kingdom
BBFC:Ā 15
Duration:Ā 91 mins
Captain Kronos could be described as a swashbuckling horror film with a splash of spaghetti western. Filmed in 1972 and released on the 7th of April 1974, itās surely everyoneās favourite vampire adventure, starring Horst Janson, Caroline Munro, John Carson, and Shane Briant. With music composed by Laurie Johnson and supervised by Philip Martell, it was written and directed by Brian Clemens, marking his only directorial effort. Clemens was an English screenwriter who worked on several British TV series, including The Avengers. The theme of avenging wrongs is prevalent in his work. It was produced by Clemens and Albert Fennell for Hammer Film Productions. Hammer Films and Studios were recently acquired by British theatre producer John Gore, and it certainly seems like he is putting his fresh vision for Hammer into practice. He intends to ācelebrate and preserve the unmatched legacy of Hammer and usher in a new era of storytelling that captivates audiences worldwide.ā
When Doctor Marcus (John Carson) asks his old war companion, Captain Kronos (Horst Janson), for help, heās only too happy to oblige. With the aid of trusty Professor Hieronymus Grost (John Cater) and the mischievous Carla (Caroline Munro), his vampire-bashing team is complete. Doctor Marcusās village has been besieged by a particular species of vampire that sucks youth from their victims, not blood. This breed of vampire might have infested my workplace; it certainly feels like it. After carrying out their test for vampires, Captain Kronos and Grost prove that there is indeed a living-dead epidemic.
When Doctor Marcus visits the family of his deceased friend, Lord Hagen Durward (William Hobbs), he is accosted by a hooded fiend and puzzlingly finds his lip bloodied. Tension builds as Kronos is attacked by a gang of ruffians paid by Lady Durwardās (Wanda Ventham) coachman. Kronos is a right-er of wrongs, not only slaying vile vampires but also measuring out justice to the Blaggard Kerro (Ian Hendry) for his despicable behaviour. As the sense of foreboding increases, Captain Kronosās team sets up a system of bells to detect vampires. The evidence of vampire activity becomes undeniable when a woman is killed by a bat, and Marcus himself discovers that he has been turned into one of the undead.
Marcus pleads to die, and in a gruesome scene, Kronos sets about dispatching his contaminated buddy. Kronos tries to impale and hang Marcus; sadly, neither method works, and Marcus remains un-alive. By accident, Kronos stabs Marcus with a steel cross, which at last kills him. Kronos and Grost find an iron cross in the cemetery, and Grost fashions it into a sword. They now have the perfect weapon to destroy this particular strain of fiend.
Kronos suspects that the Durward family is at the heart of the life-sucker plague. At last, we might find out what those creepy Durward children (Shane Briant, Lois Daine)know. The captain hatches a plan to gain access to Durward Manor, using Carla as a decoy to slink in unnoticed. In the final dramatic climax, Kronos discovers the shocking truth, and the final battle with the undead ensues.
Captain Kronos is neither comedic nor gruelling horror. In fact, with a few scenes of sex and violence cut out, Captain Kronos could be a family-friendly hero. Although unconfirmed, apparently Hammer thought Kronos could be a film franchise to boost the coffers as fans shifted away from gothic horror toward spaghetti westerns. KronosĀ dips its feet into a variety of camps, from western and horror to comic strips. It consists of interwoven bursts of life, dramatic horseback chases, and amusing dialogue. The choreography is slick, with some distinctive framed scenes, not forgetting the iconic special effects. In fact, Iām sure that some of the vampire imagery in KronosĀ was a big influence on my interest in the horror genre.
This limited collector’s edition comprises:
- Five discs in a stylish digipak: two UHDs and three Blu-rays, with the content duplicated across both formats
- Three iterations of Captain Kronos: the widescreen 1.66:1 UK Theatrical Version, the fullscreen 1.37:1 As-Filmed Version, and the widescreen 1.85:1 US Theatrical Version
- Brand-new Dolby Atmos and 5.1 mixes for each version, alongside the original mono film soundtrack
- English, French, Italian, Spanish, German, and Japanese subtitles on each version of the film
- Packaged in a high-end, premium textured slipcase with debossed red foil titling
- Rigid inner box featuring new artwork by cult-favorite artist Graham Humphreys
- Double-sided poster of the original UK and US one-sheets
- Eight art cards featuring facsimiles of the original US cinema lobby cards
- 136-page booklet featuring interviews, articles, and reproductions of original paperwork
- 100-page comic featuring a reprint of the Kronosstrips from the legendary 1970s magazine The House of Hammer
The discs feature:
- The House of Clemens: a brand-new 59-minute documentary looking at Brian Clemens and his body of work, with contributions from his family, friends, and colleagues
- New 2024 introduction by Caroline Munro on the 1.66:1 UK Theatrical Version
- New 2024 commentary featuring Caroline Munro and Sam & George Clemens on the 1.66:1 UK Theatrical Version
- New 2024 introduction by Sam & George Clemens on the 1.37:1 As-Filmed Version
- Archive 2011 commentary featuring Brian Clemens, Caroline Munro, Shane Briant, John Carson, and Marcus Hearn on the 1.37:1 As-Filmed Version
- Archive 2011 commentary featuring Brian Clemens, Director of Photography Ian Wilson, and Marcus Hearn on the 1.37:1 As-Filmed Version
- Archive 2013 introduction by Brian Clemens on the 1.85:1 US Theatrical Version
- Archive 2020 commentary featuring film historian Bruce G. Hallenbeck on the 1.85:1 US Theatrical Version
- Archive 2003 commentary featuring Brian Clemens, Caroline Munro, and Jonathan Sothcott on the 1.85:1 US Theatrical Version
- Original UK Theatrical Trailer
- Original Foreign Theatrical Trailer
- Original US Theatrical Trailer
- Original UK Censor Card
- Original US Radio Spots
- Original Textless Titles and Backgrounds
- Kronos Returns: archive featurette on the 2008 reunion of cast and crew
- Brian Clemens 1991 interview from the Festival of Fantastic Films archive
- Brian Clemens 2000 interview from the Festival of Fantastic Films archive
- Horst Janson 2010 interview from the Festival of Fantastic Films archive
- Lois Daine 2017 interview from the James McCabe archive
- Anything Goes: Hammer Horror in the 1970s– 2020 featurette featuring Kim Newman and Stephen Jones
- Extensive stills gallery, including many rare behind-the-scenes pictures and featuring music from Laurie Johnson’s outstanding score
The booklet features:
- New article on the making of Captain Kronosby actor and author Bruce G. Hallenbeck
- Archive interviews with Horst Janson, Caroline Munro, Laurie Johnson, John Cater, Lisa Collings, and William Hobbs, courtesy of Little Shoppe of Horrorsmagazine
- New article examining why Kronosnever became a franchise by film historian Laura Mayne
- New article on Laurie Johnson by Movie Music International’s John Mansell
- Archive Brian Clemens interview from a 1974 edition of Monster Times
- Archive review of Captain Kronosfrom 1974 by Video Watchdog‘s Tim Lucas
- New article examining the film’s UK cinema distribution by Steve Rogers
- Reproduction pressbook, call sheet, and US PR material
Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter (4K UHD Blu-ray)Ā is out on January 27, 2025, in the UK, released by Hammer. Itās quite a surprise that KronosĀ was chosen so early for the big makeover. This release is a big success in terms of the quality improvements. Played side by side, the new restoration outstrips previous versions for sound and picture. The new 4K refurb is awesome, with an abundance of detail. The colours certainly have more āumph,ā with a greater colour range and added contrast. The cherry on top is the price, which is substantially lower than most dared to guess.
Iāve been very lucky to review the discs for this high-caliber presentation. Sadly, however, my review pack did not contain the finished box set. Iāve thoroughly enjoyed reviewing the discs, and from what Iāve seen, the completed box set is stunning. From the leather-effect outer box to the quality of print and professional-grade paper, itās crammed full of information and artworkāthereās even new Graham Humphreys work. The detailed booklet, reproduction lobby cards, and original artwork poster are the icing on the cake. The sheer volume of content is overwhelming. I canāt imagine a release with more extras than this. Fans will be overjoyed with this sensational release. Hammer has done a cracking job, and Iām looking forward to more.
In memory of Horst Janson who sadly passed on the 28th January 2025
Enjoy this stunning box set, specially āforged for your black heart.ā
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