The Art and Soul of Captain Kronos Vampire Hunter
As the eagerly awaited 4K restoration of Captain Kronos Vampire Hunter makes its worldwide debut, there’s more to enjoy than just the film itself. A feast of specially created content, including introductions and documentaries, accompanies the release. But there’s more—Kronos and his friends return with gorgeous new artwork by industry legend Graham Humphreys, reimagining the Captain like never before.
This release also serves as a timely tribute to Horst Janson’s unforgettable performance, following his recent passing, celebrating the charisma and presence that made Kronos a true cult icon.
The posters for any movie can become as iconic as the film itself. The original artwork for classics such as Jaws (1975), The Godfather (1972) and The Exorcist (1973) conjure up the film more effectively than any short synopsis or roll call of characters ever could. When they work well, these images become much more than visual representations. They emerge as evocations of the film, as potent as any clip or well-crafted trailer.
Hammer has always grasped the importance of film posters. During their early days of horror their marketing team would create artwork for movies they were hoping to produce, and show them to prospective backers, illustrating the lure a potential movie might hold for cinema-going audiences. They understood that a poster can convey not only the essence of a story, but its most seductive qualities.
And looking over the studio’s output across several genres we can see how successful they were in terms of artwork. Eddie Paul’s design for the iconic Dracula (1958) poster helped establish the quintessential mythos of Hammer’s Count, and proved so enduring the Royal Mail tweaked its design for a 48p stamp in 2008. Arguably, the studio’s most impactful poster remains One Million Years B.C. (1966). Centred on a shot of Raquel Welch taken by photographer Pierre Luigi, Tom Chantrell’s illustration and design define not only a movie, but a genre, a moment in time, and the public perception of the film’s most famous star.
When Hammer chose to restore and rerelease Captain Kronos Vampire Hunter (1974) it became clear that new artwork was needed. Not that there’s anything intrinsically wrong with the original. Check out the poster used throughout the US, for example. It’s dominated by a central image of Kronos (Horst Janson), leaping forward with his cape billowing behind him. He’s clearly a man of action, but in case there’s any doubt about this, he’s holding a sword in each hand and seems to be heading towards a woman being terrorised by a cowled attacker. In the background, there’s a fairly perfunctory tableau of Carla (Caroline Munro) and Grost (John Cater) manhandling a huge cross for no readily apparent reason (then again – who really needs one?) and across from this we see bats flying from a large, imposing old house.
So in a sense, it does the job. It promises a new type of vampire hunter – the young, sword-wielding whipper snapper who’s light years away from the established notion of Cushing’s (ostensibly) more cerebral Van Helsing. We’re guaranteed action, and iconography such as the bats reassures us that at least some of the tropes we’ve come to enjoy will also be found in this adventure.
Despite all this, there’s something strange about the poster. There’s nothing remotely Kronosy about it. It’s not deceptive in any way, yet it doesn’t capture the heart or feeling of the film it seeks to represent.
The new artwork by Graham Humphreys presents a much more noble Kronos, dressed predominantly in blue, a colour often used in art to denote purity and liberty - two mainstays of the Captain’s character. He’s brandishing a sword, which hints at readiness for action, but crucially, this is a thoughtful hero who’s demeanour suggests erudition and - look at his eyes and the angle of his head - a sense of hope.
Munro’s Carla is featured more prominently which feels entirely justified given her importance within the narrative. There’s a simplicity to her depiction. She stands alone, looking upwards in a pose that resembles Kronos’s, linking the duo. She’s unarmed but looks steadfast, ready to take on whatever is thrown at her.
The third member of the team, Grost, is peering downwards. It’s possible this denotes the way in which his character seems to have a overview of events and people within the story. He’s fought by the Captain’s side so many times and is an expert on the undead, or as his friend puts it, ‘…what he doesn't know about vampires wouldn't fill a flea’s codpiece’. No wonder he looks down on proceedings with the loftiness of a man who’s above it all. He's placed directly behind a candle, so whereas Kronos is represented by a sword, suggesting his more combative side, Grost is linked with enlightenment. He’s less a traditional fighter, more a man of knowledge, but there’s a steeliness in his expression. He’s evidently not someone to be trifled with.
Elsewhere in the artwork we find vampires with their fangs bared, a terrified woman with blood on her hands and fear in her eyes, a crucifix and the Captain engaged in a swordfight. These elements mesh beautifully to express the experience of Captain Kronos Vampire Hunter.
Unlike the original poster, this is a painted piece of artwork, and the colours and forms created by Graham Humphreys place the film where it belongs, right alongside the other classic horror pictures released by Hammer in the 50s, 60s and 70s. It captures the movie’s uniqueness, whilst linking it to the vampire epics that came before it.
Little wonder the limited edition full size quad posters signed by Graham sold out almost immediately. We’ll be speaking to him about his work on Captain Kronos very soon, but in the meantime, for anyone hoping to get their hands on new Hammer artwork, stay tuned…
Get a copy of our brand new 4k restoration of Captain Kronos Vampire Hunter, and an A3 copy of this limited edition Captain Kronos poster before they vanish into the night...
