Two self-proclaimed vampire hunters investigate a series of attacks on young women in this unusual Hammer horror film with lots of swashbuckling and no Peter Cushing or Christopher Lee. The plot is a bit more complex than just that as the attacks have not lead to the young women dying (or being turned into vampires) but rather have resulted in them being drained of their youth. The makeup effects are incredible and lead to some truly jolting moments as the victims look around to reveal their wrinkled faces. The alternative spin on vampire mythology does not just end there; the film's vampires are creatures who just want to stay young, dead toads are used to catch vampires, their mere presence wilts flowers and in one of the best scenes, the hunters unsuccessfully experiment with killing one of their friends who has turned into a vampire. Horst Janson is a tad bland in the lead role, and other than Ian Hendry (who is barely on screen) and Caroline Munro, this is not an especially well acted affair, nor does it have the deep characters that may have rendered it a more memorable Hammer production. The film is always interesting though while it lasts with its unconventional take on vampirism, Laurie Johnson's music comes with an appropriate sense of grandeur and there are several quite exciting sequences thanks to well choreographed swordplay.

Brian Clemens directed this unusual vampire swashbuckling adventure that stars Horst Janson as Captain Kronos, the vampire hunter of the title, who is now in a small village plagued by mysterious deaths of young women who were found drained of youth, rather than blood, though they die soon after. Turns out an aristocratic family is responsible, and Kronos vows to kill them all, and cleanse the land of this evil. Intended as the first in a series of Kronos films, this proved to be a box office failure, reflecting the declining fortunes of Hammer studios. The film itself is interesting to a point, and costar Caroline Munro is most appealing, but sadly this film comes up short.

"Captain Kronos - Vampire Hunter" is far and away one of the most interesting productions to ever come from Hammer Films. It's the result of a collaboration between Brian Clemens and Albert Fennell, two veterans of 'The Avengers' who'd previously made the eerie terror-in-the-daylight thriller "And Soon the Darkness". The twists it puts into vampire lore, as well as the genre crossing (the film is a combination of period horror and swashbuckler), make all the difference. The title character, played by German actor Horst Janson (who's dubbed by Julian Holloway), is a debonair vampire hunter & killer who travels with his loyal companion, Professor Grost (John Cater). They're summoned by a doctor named Marcus (John Carson), who's found that the beautiful young women in his area have been turned into old crones - they've been drained of their youth, as opposed to being drained of blood, by the local vampire. Writer / director / co-producer Clemens injects some amusing touches into his screenplay, not the least of which is the method of burying dead toads near trees to determine the path their nemesis is taking (when passing near the graves, the vampire's presence will bring the toads back to life). Caroline Munro, in all of her sexy glory, adds to the appeal as Carla, whom Kronos and Grost rescue from a pillory. The acting is sound all the way down the line, including Shane Briant and Lois Daine as the proper, well-to-do Durward siblings, and Ian Hendry as trouble making tavern customer Kerro. The atmosphere is strong, the period feel impressive, the thunderous music by Laurie Johnson a rousing accompaniment, and overall this sizes up as a great deal of fun. While the mystery is not a particularly hard one to solve, Clemens and Fennell are still to be commended for their presentation. They make this a grand entertainment. It really is a shame that the film wasn't more successful as the idea of creating a franchise character a la Van Helsing out of Kronos could have been a delight, as he went about seeking out and vanquishing evil. There's enough action here, a nicely suspenseful sequence before the big finale, and an appreciable glimpse of Munro's exquisite body, to make this well worth watching for fans of period adventures. Eight out of 10.

Sometimes a good movie fails for no very good reason. By 1974, the whole glorious cycle of Hammer Horrors, the long weekend four-horrors-beginning-at-midnight cycle was losing its audience, turning to slicker and more expensive Hollywood productions.Captain Kronos, infused with the campy pop-culture verve and schlock aesthetic of the late sixties/early seventies British sensibility, was, with it's comic-book feel, also ahead of its time, a completely new and inventive take on the whole vampire ethos. The hero was also a little wooden for the cigar-smoking, womanising rogue vampire hunter that he played. And the movie is, compared to other late Hammer ventures, a little lacking in babes and nudity. Nevertheless it deserves to stand with them as one of the very best Hammer productions. An interesting story that never stops moving, a fine ensemble cast, beautiful and lush photography, characters that are lively and full of interest, Kronos was a creative, unexpected and confident take on the vampire genre and one that was enjoyed by almost everyone that got the chance to see it. Not as transgressive as Vampire Circus, it nevertheless breaks the box in terms of the expected. A fine vampire movie and one of the best B movie vampire productions ever, Kronos never disappoints.