Vampire Circus (1972)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Robert Young

Writer:

Judson Kinberg (screenplay)

Release Date:

11 October 1972 (USA)

Genre:

Fantasy | Horror

Tagline:

Human fangs ripping throats - no sawdust can soak up the torrent of blood!

Plot:

A village in Nineteenth Century Europe is at first relieved when a circus breaks through the quarantine to take the local's minds off the plague...

Plot Keywords:

Circus | Mayor | Panther | Vampire | Crossbow

Cast

Adrienne Corri	...	Gypsy Woman
Thorley Walters	...	Burgermeister
Anthony Higgins	...	Emil (as Anthony Corlan)
John Moulder-Brown	...	Anton Kersh
Laurence Payne	...	Prof. Albert Mueller
Richard Owens	...	Dr. Kersh
Lynne Frederick	...	Dora Mueller
Elizabeth Seal	...	Gerta Hauser
Robin Hunter	...	Hauser
Domini Blythe	...	Anna Mueller
Robert Tayman	...	Count Mitterhaus
John Bown	...	Schilt
Mary Wimbush	...	Elvira
Christine Paul-Podlasky	...	Rosa
Robin Sachs	...	Heinrich

Runtime:

87 min | USA:84 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Germany:18 | UK:X (original rating) | France:-12 | Finland:K-15 (video rating) | Argentina:18 (re-rating) | Argentina:X (original rating) | Australia:R | Singapore:M18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:PG (certificate #23072)

Filming Locations:

Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

Hammer Film Productions

Trivia:

Laurence Payne was an 11th hour casting choice replacing Anton Rodgers who dropped out because of illness.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Monster Squad (1987)

Funny Vampire Movie From Hammer

When the population of a small village decides to invade the castle of the Count Mitterhaus (Robert Tayman), who is a vampire that is killing the local children, the villagers and their families are cursed by him. His mistress escapes to the rage of the locals, hides the count's body in a cave and fifteen years later, she returns with a circus owned by the count's cousin and also vampire Emil (Anthony Higgings), to fulfill the count's prophecy and bring him back to life.

"Vampire Circus" is a very reasonable vampire movie from Hammer. There are some nudity, the story is not bad, but John Moulder-Brown and Anthony Higgings are horrible and almost spoil the film. These two ham actors make many situations very funny with their movements, grimaces and expressions. Anyway, I am a fan of Hammer studios and I liked this very low-budget movie, which does not spare the children or other lead characters. There are also some attractive erotic scenes, such as the dance of the tiger-woman, or the initial scene of Count Mitterhaus and his lover in bed. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "O Circo dos Vapiros"("The Vampires Circus")