CAPTAIN KRONOS, VAMPIRE HUNTER (AKA Kronos)
Director - Brian Clemens, Screenplay - Brian Clemens, Producer - Brian
Clemens and Albert Fennell, Cinematography - Ian Wilson, Music - Laurie
Johnson, Production design - Robert Jones, Makeup - Jimmy Evans.
Hammer. 1973.
Cast: Horst Janson (Captain Kronos), John Carson (Dr. Marcus), Shane
Briant (Paul Durward), Caroline Munro (Carla), John Cater (Prof.
Hieronymos Grost), Lois Daine (Sara Durward), William Hobbs (Lord
Hagen Durward), Brian Tully (George Sorell), Robert James (Pointer),
Perry Soblosky (Barlow), Paul Greenwood (Giles), Lisa Collings (Vanda
Sorell), John Hollis (Barman), Ian Hendry (Kerro), Wanda Ventham (Lady
Durward)
Captain Kronos, a nineteenth century swachbuckler, specializes in
destroying vampires. He is aided by his hunch-backed friend, Professor
Grost, and a gypsy girl named Carla. Kronos had gone off to fight a war
and left his mother and younger sister alone, only to return and find
both had become vampires. He even survived his sister's "kiss."
When unusual deaths occur in the village of Durward, Dr. Marcus sends
for Captain Kronos to investigate. Kronos arrives with his friend,
Professor Grost, and a gypsy girl named Carla, only to find Vanda Sorell
dead in a church, her face looking like a very old woman. Kronos believes
it was done by a different type of vampire than the ones who suck blood;
these creatures drain their victims of their youth.
Meanwhile, Sara Durward is looking after her mother, Lady Durward, who
has not been well. Her illness began when her husband died.
Soon, more mysterious deaths and even Dr. Marcus falls victim to the
vampires and must be destroyed. But the usual methods do not work;
in fact, Marcus is destroyed by accident. It seems a cross made of holy
steel did the job. The villagers blame Kronos and his friends and attack
them in the graveyard. The vampire hunters escape and come to the
conclusion that the vampire attacks come from Durward Mansion.
At the Mansion, Lady Durward has regained her youthful appearance and
has revived her dead husband. She reveals she is a descendant of the
Karnstein family has hypnotises Carla and attempts to do the same to
Sara and Kronos, but he manages to get Lady Durward to see her relection
in his sword. She stands still like stone as Lord Durward and Kronos
engage in a swordfight. Durward seems to get the best of Kronos, but
the hero manages to set the dead Lord's clothes on fire. The fire
spreads to Lady Durward, and both become rotting corpses. The vampires
are destroyed by "fire and brimstone."
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