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Domini Blythe, John Moulder-Brown, Anthony Corlan, Adrienne Corri, Lynne Frederick ... see more see more... , Dorothy Frere , Sean Hewitt (II) , Skip Martin , Laurence Payne , David Prowse , Robin Sachs , Elizabeth Seal , Serena , Barnaby Shaw , Thorley Walters , Richard Owens , Jane Darby , Robin Hunter , Sibylla Kay , Arnold Locke , Christina Paul , Robert Tayman , Lalla Ward , Mary Wimbush , John Bown , Jason James , Anthony Higgins

Though not as widely known as Hammer's popular Dracula and Frankenstein series, this is one of the studio's more stylish and intelligent projects. The tale is set in 17th century Serbia in the tiny bu... read more read more...rg of Stettel, whose residents live in fear of an encroaching plague. The frightened villagers welcome the arrival of a colorful traveling troupe dubbed "Circus of Nights," unaware that the visiting entertainers pose a far more deadly threat: the entire company is composed of shape-shifting vampires capable of transforming themselves into animals to stalk their prey. The group's leader, the most powerful monster of the bunch, has returned to the village to exact revenge on those who murdered his cousin one hundred years earlier. Less a standard Hammer monster melodrama than a surreal journey through dark fantasy (reminiscent of Jean Rollin's erotic vampire series), with an unexpected (but not entirely inappropriate) surplus of nudity and bloodletting. The film's creepy highlights include the chilling extended prologue and scenes of vampire trapeze performers transforming into bats in mid-leap. ~ Cavett Binion, Rovi

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63% liked it

1,395 ratings

Critics

80% liked it

5 critics

PG, 1 hr. 24 min.

Directed by: Robert William Young, Robert Young

Release Date: January 1, 1972

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Stats: 110 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (110)

  • cancercapricorn2002
    March 24, 2011
    cancercapricorn2002
    "Vampire Circus" is, in my opinion one of Hammer's best vampire efforts outside of "Horror of Dracula," and "Dracula, Prince of Darkness." This movie has wonderful atmosphere, rather good special effects for it's day, effective performances, and a good plotline not to mention tha... read moret classic, lush Hammer cinematography. This is a superior vampire story and it is handled well.

    ***Spoilers ahead***

    The story opens when a man observes his young bride leading a child off toward the castle of Count Rittenhouse, a tyrannical ruler who is feared by all of his subjects. Alarmed, he summons the men of the village and finally persuades them to attack Rittenhouse and free the child. Apparently, this has happened more than once in the village as the men finally overcome their fears and agree to storm the castle. Once inside though, the men find that they have stumbled onto more than they bargained for. Count Rittenhouse is more than just a madman. He is a mad vampire.

    A battle ensues in which the men of the village finally get the best of Rittenhouse by staking him in the back. As the vampire lies dying, he pronounces a curse upon the village to the effect that the men who slew him will die, as well as their children, "to give me back my life."

    Fifteen years later, the Circus of Nights comes to town featuring a bizzare cast of characters and rather scandalous entertainment. By now the town has fallen under a plague connected with the curse of Count Rittenhouse and is quarantined by its fearful neighbors. The circus has supposedly come to bring life back to the village, although, as time goes on, we see that they have really come to bring death to the village, and life to a certain vampire lying in the ruins of his castle crypt.

    If you enjoy Hammer films or just vampire films in general, "Vampire Circus" is a must-see. For those of you who have seen it, it is well worth seeing again, although be warned, if you have never seen the uncut version, you might just be surprised. This movie was made when Hammer was going through its own sexual revolution and there are three scenes in which nudity is a factor although, in my opinion, "Vampire Circus" is not quite the "flesh-fest" production that "The Vampire Lovers" or "Countess Dracula" were.

    If you haven't seen this film, it's well worth the time. If you have seen it and don't remember it or you're afraid that it might not be as good as you remember, you've got a real treat coming.
  • Beefy
    January 25, 2011
    Beefy
    Awesome Hammer is awesome.
  • RCCLBC
    March 21, 2008
    RCCLBC
    One of my favorite Hammer films and possibly one of my favorite vampire moivies.
  • kingmob6
    January 7, 2012
    kingmob6
    This was a complete blind-buy for me, based entirely on the stills I had seen of a bald, blue striped vampire gal looking hot, and I have to say that I wasn't disappointed. The story of a vampire seeking revenge across time, visited upon those who took his life is an interesting... read more one, and I really enjoy the Gothic trappings and the 'under the bigtop' setting.

    Well worth a look, recommended.
  • johnxerxes
    December 20, 2011
    johnxerxes
    The original Ramona from the Tom Baker Dr. Who was in it as a vampire twin. It was actually fairly good. A lot of toplessness and a lot of that bright red paint Hammer used to indicate blood. Plus there was a great puppet attack that was supposed to be a black panther. But it loo... read moreked like a hand puppet. I love that sort of effect. There was a nude lizard woman writhing around on another gypsy dancer. A black lepoard that sprang into a shampoo'd stylized bad boy vampire. All in all, I think I really enjoyed the midget bashing the
    most.
  • manly500usa
    January 19, 2008
    manly500usa
    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. But their troubles are only beginning as children begin to disappear and the legacy of a long-ago massacre is brought to light.
  • mpghoul1973
    June 5, 2007
    mpghoul1973
    ok vampire film from Hammer studios. A traveling circus stops in a small village to entertain. But you see this aint no ordinary circus troupe. They are vampires and they came to the village to feed.
  • mikeboas
    March 11, 2007
    mikeboas
    I love Hammer, but this didn't hold my interest. I'm always reading that the studio's films declined in the 70s, and I usually argue that point. Not with Vampire Circus.
  • flynnparadox
    December 12, 2006
    flynnparadox
    Quirky and dream-like Hammer vampire film that is certainly more original then their typical vampire fare and somewhat scary at times. Lalla Ward, as one of the vampires, is excellent. Check it out.

View All Vampire Circus Reviews

Critic Reviews

Bill Gibron
February 4, 2011
Bill Gibron, PopMatters

Erotic, grotesque, chilling, bloody, suspenseful, and loaded with doom and gloom atmosphere, this is the kind of experiment in terror that reinvigorates your love of the scary movie artform. Full Review

Dennis Schwartz
February 2, 2011
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Gory, cliched, silly and inventive. Full Review

John Beifuss
January 18, 2011
John Beifuss, Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN)

Hammer's most elusive Gothic horror movie contains frequent nudity, but its arthouse kinkiness -- its hints of pedophilia, bestiality and incest -- offers a more likely explanation for its limited dis... Full Review

Bryant Frazer
May 19, 2008
Bryant Frazer, Bryant Frazer's Deep Focus

Never recovers the concentrated erotic-violent high ground of [its] delirious overture, which stands as a wildly entertaining example of over-the-top horror filmmaking.

Howard Thompson
May 9, 2005
Howard Thompson, New York Times

Click to read the article Full Review

Dave Kehr
January 10, 2004
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader

Click to read the article Full Review

Emanuel Levy
July 23, 2005
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

No review available.

August 25, 2007
Time Out

Click to read the article Full Review

May 24, 2003
Film4

Click to read the article Full Review

Marjorie Baumgarten
March 10, 2003
Marjorie Baumgarten, Austin Chronicle

Click to read the article Full Review

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