In celebration of the 50th anniversary of Captain Kronos – Vampire Hunter, Hammer has announced that writer-director Brian Clemens’ 1974 cult classic swashbuckling horror is set for a Collectors Edition 4K Ultra HD release; check out the cover artwork and details below…
Legendary creator Brian Clemens writes and directs this stylish, revisionist Hammer Horror – pitting a swashbuckling hero, his hunchbacked assistant and a feisty gypsy ingenue against a cunning and malevolent vampire. Starring Horst Janson as Kronos and Hammer Glamour icon Caroline Munro as Carla, cult classic Captain Kronos Vampire Hunter makes its worldwide debut as a brand-new 4K restoration from the original negative film elements.
A rash of mysterious deaths due to accelerated ageing compels Dr Marcus to summon his brother-in-arms, Captain Kronos – once a soldier but now a professional vampire hunter. As the deaths continue, however, Kronos realises that this is no ordinary vampire he’s hunting.
Limited Collector’s Edition Comprises:
- Five discs in a stylish digipak: two UHDs and three Blu-rays, with the content duplicated across both formats
- Three iterations of Captain Kronos: the widescreen 1.66:1 UK Theatrical Version, the fullscreen 1.37:1 As-Filmed Version and the widescreen 1.85:1 US Theatrical Version
- Brand-new Dolby Atmos and 5.1 mixes for each version alongside the original mono film soundtrack
- English, French, Italian, Spanish, German and Japanese subtitles on each version of the film
- Packaged in a high-end, leather-feel slipcase with debossed red foil titling
- Rigid inner box featuring new artwork by cult favourite artist Graham Humphreys
- Double-sided poster of the original UK and US one-sheets
- Eight art cards featuring facsimiles of the original US cinema lobby cards
- 136 page booklet featuring interviews, articles and reproductions of original paperwork
- 100 page comic featuring a reprint of the Kronos strips from legendary 1970s magazine The House of Hammer
Discs Feature:
- The House of Clemens: a brand-new 59-minute documentary looking at Brian Clemens and his body of work, with contributions from his family, friends and colleagues
- New 2024 introduction by Caroline Munro on 1.66:1 UK Theatrical Version
- New 2024 commentary featuring Caroline Munro and Sam & George Clemens on 1.66:1 UK Theatrical Version
- New 2024 introduction by Sam & George Clemens on 1.37:1 As-Filmed Version
- Archive 2011 commentary featuring Brian Clemens, Caroline Munro, Shane Briant, John Carson and Marcus Hearn on 1.37:1 As-Filmed Version
- Archive 2011 commentary featuring Brian Clemens, Director of Photography Ian Wilson and Marcus Hearn on 1.37:1 As-Filmed Version
- Archive 2013 introduction by Brian Clemens on 1.85:1 US Theatrical Version
- Archive 2020 commentary featuring film historian Bruce G. Hallenbeck on 1.85:1 US Theatrical Version
- Archive 2003 commentary featuring Brian Clemens, Caroline Munro and Jonathan Sothcott on 1.85:1 US Theatrical Version
- Original UK Theatrical Trailer
- Original Foreign Theatrical Trailer
- Original US Theatrical Trailer
- Original UK Censor Card
- Original US Radio Spots
- Original Textless Titles and Backgrounds
- Kronos Returns: archive featurette on the 2008 reunion of cast and crew
- Brian Clemens 1991 interview from the Festival of Fantastic Films archive
- Brian Clemens 2000 interview from the Festival of Fantastic Films archive
- Horst Janson 2010 interview from the Festival of Fantastic Films archive
- Lois Daine 2017 interview from the James McCabe archive
- Anything Goes: Hammer Horror in the 1970s – 2020 featurette featuring Kim Newman and Stephen Jones
- Extensive stills gallery including many rare behind-the-scenes pictures and featuring music from Laurie Johnson’s outstanding score
Booklet Features:
- New article on the making of Captain Kronos by actor and author Bruce G. Hallenbeck
- Archive interviews with Horst Janson, Caroline Munro, Laurie Johnson, John Cater, Lisa Collings and William Hobbs, courtesy of Little Shoppe of Horrors magazine
- New article examining why Kronos never made it to a franchise by film historian Laura Mayne
- New article on Laurie Johnson by Movie Music International’s John Mansell
- Archive Brian Clemens interview from a 1974 edition of Monster Times
- Archive review of Captain Kronos from 1974 by Video Watchdog’s Tim Lucas
- New article examining the film’s UK cinema distribution by Steve Rogers
- Reproduction pressbook, call sheet and US PR material
Originally published October 19, 2024. Updated October 20, 2024.
