Hammer's Dracula series (in association with the Frankenstein series) was responsible for defining the world of Hammer horror, but for me it's been the rather off branded vampire films that have had absolutely nothing to do with the rather repetitive Dracula films that have entertained me. Films such as the Karnstein Trilogy, The Brides of Dracula and even Countess Dracula set themselves apart from the rest of Hammer's sometimes methodical vampire films, like Vampire Circus.
When the townspeople of Schtettel finally grow tired of the Count Mitterhouse sucking the life out of their children they decide to put a stop to his satanic ways and assembles a posse. Upon their arrival they discover that one of their very own citizens, Anna the wife of the town's Professor, has been sleeping with the Count and luring the children to his grasps to feast on their blood. The Count is quickly killed by impaling him with a stake to the heart, but with his last breath he places a curse on the town and vows that his death will be avenged by their bloody deaths.
Years pass by and the town of Schtettel falls under a deadly plague, fearing contamination the surrounding towns establish a blockade preventing anyone from leaving. The town's doctor offers to try and sneak past the blockade in an attempt to bring back some medicine and upon his departure arrives a strange troupe of circus performers. Unbeknown to the townspeople the circus performers are a group of revenge seeking vampires lead by the cousin of Count Mitterhouse. They've come to resurrect the Count and deliver his promised acts of revenge!
Having heard a lot of good things about Vampire Circus from other Hammer fanatics I was looking forward to finally getting around to checking it out, but rather disappointed that overall the film doesn't have much going for it. While a circus of vampires is definitely an interesting premise, ultimately the film reverts back to Hammer's typecast vampire plot of revenge by or for a certain Count. It's Hammer's Dracula storyline recycled once again with a more interesting group of villains but the same watered down plot. Nothing in the story stands out among most of Hammer's other vampire films, and it never comes close to the quality of story, acting and entertainment as any of the Karnstein films.
The cast of vampire characters are the only real aspect of the film that makes it worth watching, but even then there are so many diverse characters that they're never given much screen time to become very interesting, such as Tiger Girl who has a brief dance performance and simply disappears, why wasn't she out sucking blood or causing havoc!?! Overall, with Hammer on the cusp of it's final handful of films, Vampire Circus is more of an example of the quality of film that ultimately lead to Hammer's demise, not it's attempt at fighting to stay alive.
5/10
The "Tiger" girl and her partner were not vampires. This is stated during the movie when they are found dead and drained of blood themselves.
ReplyDelete@venoms5 - I don't remember anyone finding her dead. All I remember was the dance sequence, then I never saw either of them again.
ReplyDeleteBoth she and her partner are found dead under a wagon. You see their faces clearly. They are lying next to each other. The actors say something like, "The dancers...bled like animals to feed the vampires." Another actor mentions them being human as they thought they were vampires as well. I've seen the film a dozen times since the late 80's. It's in there.
ReplyDelete@venoms5 - I'm not denying it's there, just saying I didn't see it, probably because I started to get a little bored with the film. This information doesn't change my overall opinion of the film and I still believe some of the characters, such as Tiger Girl, were sorely under used. I've read this is one of those that sometimes takes multiple views to really enjoy, so maybe I'll give it another shot someday.
ReplyDeleteStill my main reason for bringing up the Tiger Girl is there were other characters in the film who weren't vampires yet they had a larger role in capturing people for them, the muscle man and the midget. I would have liked to have seen her have more of an extensive role, that was what I was getting at.
I see. The movie ran over schedule and budget so they had to make do with what they had. There may have been more with those two characters.
ReplyDeleteIn my view, the movie is far more ambitious than the average film from the company and the opening 12 minutes alone is a mini movie in itself. The vampires here (in the action scenes) were way more energetic than any other vampires featured in a Hammer production.
This one, along with TWINS OF EVIL and HANDS OF THE RIPPER are coming out on R1 and Blu Ray from Synapse.
@venoms5 - yea I heard this along with the other two were planning to be released on Blu-ray sometime in the future. Still no definite release date the last time I heard so I'm not going to get my hopes up too much at this time. But when it finally gets a release date I'll give it another view and see what it does for me, then maybe I'll pick it up. Definitely will get Twins of Evil, haven't seen Hands of the Ripper yet.
ReplyDelete