Vampire Circus (Original title)
Dates: 1971 (Copyright), 30 April 1972 (Release)Country: United KingdomDirected by: Robert Young
Synopsis: Horror. A plague-stricken Serbian village is visited by a sinister circus run by vampires out to avenge the killing of a vampire count. In a Serbian village, the schoolmaster, Mueller, is horrified to see a young girl lured to the castle of vampire Count Mitterhouse, where she meets her doom. It is Mueller's own wife, Anna, who has lured the girl; Anna is now the count's vampire lover. The angry villagers storm the castle and in a bloody fight manage to drive a wooden stake through the count's heart. As he lies dying in the vault, he swears vengeance on the village. Fifteen years later: the village is cut off from the rest of the world by plague. The local doctor tries to procure some medicine from the outside world, along with his son Anton, though this involves riding through the forest trying to avoid a roadblock of armed locals. Upon his return to the village, Anton finds a circus has been set up there with some arresting acts, such as acrobats who appear to turn into bats in mid-air, and a lady with the skin of a big cat who leaps all over her tamer. There is also a strange hall of mirrors, which shows people a horrifying foreshadow of their doom. Soon, villagers begin to die mysteriously, their bodies drained of blood. It transpires that the circus is populated by vampires who are able to change into animals at will, and it is run by Emil, a cousin of the Count Mitterhouse.
Genres: Period drama, Horror
Subjects: Vampires, Circuses, Bubonic plague, Revenge
Releases
Date: 1972not specifiedRelease type: unknownFormat: not specified - Colour - Rankcolor - SoundRuntime: 87 mins Length: 7830 FeetDialogue (original): English
Date: October 2013Country: United KingdomRelease type: InternetFormat: not specifiedRuntime: 93 mins 44 secs - Distributor: BFIPlayer
Title: Vampire CircusAuthor: WELCH, James Article type: ArticleLanguage: English
Description: On the making of VAMPIRE CIRCUS, and the critical reaction to the film
In: Photon n23 1973 Page: 7
Title: [Photon - n23 1973: no known title]Author: WNOROSKI, Jim Article type: CreditsLanguage: English
In: Cinema TV Today n9979 6 May 1972 Page: 24
Title: [Cinema TV Today - n9979 6 May 1972: no known title]Language: English
In: Filmfacts v15 n20 1972 Pages: 481-482
Title: [Filmfacts - v15 n20 1972: no known title]Language: English
In: Monthly Film Bulletin v39 n461 June 1972 Page: 124
Title: [Monthly Film Bulletin - v39 n461 June 1972: no known title]Language: English
In: The Hollywood Reporter v223 n21 12 Oct 1972 Page: 4
Title: [The Hollywood Reporter - v223 n21 12 Oct 1972: no known title]Language: English
In: Kine Weekly n3335 11 Sep 1971 Page: 14
Title: [Kine Weekly - n3335 11 Sep 1971: no known title]Language: English
Description: On prod.
In: Today's Cinema n9934 24 Aug 1971 Page: 4
Title: [Today's Cinema - n9934 24 Aug 1971: no known title]Article type: CreditsLanguage: English
Description: Credits.
In: Kine Weekly n3331 14 Aug 1971 Page: 9
Title: [Kine Weekly - n3331 14 Aug 1971: no known title]Article type: CreditsLanguage: English
Description: Credits.
Film, Video or Digital materials held in BFI National Archive(4)
Accessible materials to view(1)
Description: VHS cassetteColour standard: PALBFI identifier: C-561385
Status: Viewing - Material requires inspection to determine preservation or access status
Video materials(1)
Description: VHS cassetteColour standard: PALBFI identifier: C-561385
Status: Viewing - Material requires inspection to determine preservation or access status
Film materials(3)
Description: PositiveBFI identifier: C-183993
Status: Status pending - Material requires inspection to determine preservation or access status
Description: 35mm Colour PositiveBase: SafetySound: CombinedLength: 5920 FeetBFI identifier: C-183991
Status: Status pending - Material requires inspection to determine preservation or access status (servicing required)
Description: 35mm Original Colour NegativeBase: CTASound: MuteLength: 7810 FeetStock date: 1971BFI identifier: C-183990
Status: Master - Restricted access to preserved film
Dates: 1971 (Copyright), 30 April 1972 (Release)Country: United KingdomDirected by: Robert Young
Synopsis: Horror. A plague-stricken Serbian village is visited by a sinister circus run by vampires out to avenge the killing of a vampire count. In a Serbian village, the schoolmaster, Mueller, is horrified to see a young girl lured to the castle of vampire Count Mitterhouse, where she meets her doom. It is Mueller's own wife, Anna, who has lured the girl; Anna is now the count's vampire lover. The angry villagers storm the castle and in a bloody fight manage to drive a wooden stake through the count's heart. As he lies dying in the vault, he swears vengeance on the village. Fifteen years later: the village is cut off from the rest of the world by plague. The local doctor tries to procure some medicine from the outside world, along with his son Anton, though this involves riding through the forest trying to avoid a roadblock of armed locals. Upon his return to the village, Anton finds a circus has been set up there with some arresting acts, such as acrobats who appear to turn into bats in mid-air, and a lady with the skin of a big cat who leaps all over her tamer. There is also a strange hall of mirrors, which shows people a horrifying foreshadow of their doom. Soon, villagers begin to die mysteriously, their bodies drained of blood. It transpires that the circus is populated by vampires who are able to change into animals at will, and it is run by Emil, a cousin of the Count Mitterhouse.
Genres: Period drama, Horror
Subjects: Vampires, Circuses, Bubonic plague, Revenge
Releases
Date: 1972not specifiedRelease type: unknownFormat: not specified - Colour - Rankcolor - SoundRuntime: 87 mins Length: 7830 FeetDialogue (original): English
Date: October 2013Country: United KingdomRelease type: InternetFormat: not specifiedRuntime: 93 mins 44 secs - Distributor: BFIPlayer
Credits
(34)
©/A Hammer Production: Hammer Film Productions, Presents: The Rank Organisation, Distributed by: Rank Film Distributors, [Executive Producer]: Michael Carreras, Produced by: Wilbur Stark, Production Manager: Tom Sachs, Production Supervisor: Roy Skeggs, Assistant Director: Derek Whitehurst, Continuity: June Randall, Casting Director: James Liggat, Screenplay by: Judson Kinberg, [Based on a story by]: George Baxt, Wilbur Stark, Director of Photography: Moray Grant, Camera Operator: Walter Byatt, [Gaffer]: Vic Smith, Special Effects: Les Bowie, Editor: Peter Musgrave, Art Director: Scott MacGregor, Assistant Art Director: Don Picton, Construction Manager: Arthur Banks, Wardrobe Supervisor: Brian Owen-Smith, Make-up: Jill Carpenter, Hairdressing: Ann McFadyen, Colour by: Rank Film Laboratories, Music Composed by: David Whitaker, Music Supervisor: Philip Martell, Sound Recordist: Claude Hitchcock, Dubbing Mixer: Ken Barker, Sound Editor: Roy Hyde, Animal Adviser: Mary Chipperfield, [Publicity Director]: Frank Law, Made at: Pinewood Studios
Cast
(30)
Adrienne Corri (gypsy woman), Thorley Walters (Peter, the burgermeister), John Moulder-Brown (Anton Kersh), Anthony Corlan (Emil), Laurence Payne (Albert Mueller, schoolteacher), Lynne Frederick (Dora Mueller, Albert's daughter), Richard Owens (Dr Kersh), Domini Blythe (Anna Mueller, Albert's wife), Elizabeth Seal (Gerta Hauser), Robin Hunter (Hauser), Skip Martin (Michael), Robert Tayman (Count Mitterhaus), John Bown (Schilt), Mary Wimbush (Elvira), Christina Paul (Rosa), Robin Sachs (Heinrich), Lalla Ward (Helga), Barnaby Shaw (Gustav Hauser), Roderick Shaw (Jon Hauser), Dave Prowse (strongman), Bradforts-Amaros (doubles for Helga & Heinrich), Milovan, Serena (The Webers), Jane Derby (Jenny Schilt), Sibylla Kay (Mrs Schilt), Dorothy Frere (Granma Schilt), Sean Hewitt (1st soldier), Giles Phibbs (sexton), Jason James (foreman), Arnold Locke (old villager)
Articles held in BFI Reuben Library
(9)
In: Dark Terrors n6 Mar-Jun 1993 Pages: 36-38Title: Vampire CircusAuthor: WELCH, James Article type: ArticleLanguage: English
Description: On the making of VAMPIRE CIRCUS, and the critical reaction to the film
In: Photon n23 1973 Page: 7
Title: [Photon - n23 1973: no known title]Author: WNOROSKI, Jim Article type: CreditsLanguage: English
In: Cinema TV Today n9979 6 May 1972 Page: 24
Title: [Cinema TV Today - n9979 6 May 1972: no known title]Language: English
In: Filmfacts v15 n20 1972 Pages: 481-482
Title: [Filmfacts - v15 n20 1972: no known title]Language: English
In: Monthly Film Bulletin v39 n461 June 1972 Page: 124
Title: [Monthly Film Bulletin - v39 n461 June 1972: no known title]Language: English
In: The Hollywood Reporter v223 n21 12 Oct 1972 Page: 4
Title: [The Hollywood Reporter - v223 n21 12 Oct 1972: no known title]Language: English
In: Kine Weekly n3335 11 Sep 1971 Page: 14
Title: [Kine Weekly - n3335 11 Sep 1971: no known title]Language: English
Description: On prod.
In: Today's Cinema n9934 24 Aug 1971 Page: 4
Title: [Today's Cinema - n9934 24 Aug 1971: no known title]Article type: CreditsLanguage: English
Description: Credits.
In: Kine Weekly n3331 14 Aug 1971 Page: 9
Title: [Kine Weekly - n3331 14 Aug 1971: no known title]Article type: CreditsLanguage: English
Description: Credits.
Film, Video or Digital materials held in BFI National Archive(4)
Accessible materials to view(1)
Description: VHS cassetteColour standard: PALBFI identifier: C-561385
Status: Viewing - Material requires inspection to determine preservation or access status
Video materials(1)
Description: VHS cassetteColour standard: PALBFI identifier: C-561385
Status: Viewing - Material requires inspection to determine preservation or access status
Film materials(3)
Description: PositiveBFI identifier: C-183993
Status: Status pending - Material requires inspection to determine preservation or access status
Description: 35mm Colour PositiveBase: SafetySound: CombinedLength: 5920 FeetBFI identifier: C-183991
Status: Status pending - Material requires inspection to determine preservation or access status (servicing required)
Description: 35mm Original Colour NegativeBase: CTASound: MuteLength: 7810 FeetStock date: 1971BFI identifier: C-183990
Status: Master - Restricted access to preserved film