LA REGINA DEI VAMPIRI

Unknown Hammer vampire flick is subpar, but has its attractions

Early in the 19th century a dying vampire curses a Serbian village, which is visited fifteen years later by a sinister circus of vampires & their acolytes who seek to resurrect the diabolical Count via the blood of youths from the hamlet.

“Vampire Circus” (1971-1972) is an obscure Hammer production from their declining years. It’s technically not as good as the contemporaneous “Countess Dracula” or the earlier “The Vampire Lovers” (1970), although it arguably contains more sensationalist thrills. Along with the slightly subpar vibe, it seems more dated than Hammer’s earlier Dracula flicks, like “Dracula, Prince of Darkness” (1966), “Dracula has Risen from the Grave” (1968) and “Taste the Blood of Dracula” (1970).

If you can handle the low-rent, kitschy air there’s enough to appreciate here for fans of Gothic Hammer flicks. As usual, the colors are bright and the women are a highlight. This one features Domini Blythe as Anna, the vampire’s aide in the long prologue; Adrienne Corri as the Gypsy ringmaster; Christine Paul as Rosa, who has the hots for the Count’s cousin; Lynne Frederick as the winsomely youthful Dora; and Lalla Ward as the acrobat twin, Helga.

No doubt later films “Something Wicked this Way Comes” (1983) and “Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant” (2009) were influenced by “Vampire Circus.”

The movie runs 1 hour, 23 minutes and was shot at Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England.

GRADE: C+/B-